Over 300 High School Students Utilize Real CERN Data at Khalifa University听
The mysteries of the subatomic world came alive at Khalifa University as 350 students from more than 40 high schools across Abu Dhabi participated in the CERN International Masterclasses: Hands-on Particle Physics, an immersive, global initiative that gives students a genuine taste of particle physics through analysis of real data from the world鈥檚 largest scientific experiments at the CERN-Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, Switzerland.听
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The event highlighted Khalifa University鈥檚 physics curriculum and research activities, as well as the exceptional undergraduate and graduate opportunities, including the academic program, scholarships, collaborative and multidisciplinary projects that involve students in international experiments, and possible summer internships at CERN.听听
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Students were divided into small teams to work with collision data from the ATLAS experiment using friendly software tools to reconstruct the Z-boson path. Through this analysis, they identified elementary particle signatures, reconstructed invariant masses, and gained direct insight into how physicists probe the fundamental constituents of matter via the recorded LHC proton-proton collisions.听听
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The CERN International Masterclasses included remarks by Professor Mahmoud Al-Qutayri, Associate Provost, Academic Operations, Professor Ehab Fahmy El-Sadaany, Dean, Engineering and Physical Sciences, and Professor Mauro Pereira, Head of the Department of Physics from Khalifa University. Professor Fernando Quevedo from NYUAD and the University of Cambridge, provided an inspiring overview of particle physics, tracing the evolution of the Standard Model of elementary particles and highlighting the open questions that drive today鈥檚 searches for new phenomena at the LHC.听听
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Dr. Rachik Soualah, Assistant Professor, Physics and the KU-ATLAS team leader, delivered a presentation in which participants traced the journey from theoretical calculations to the experimental realms of high-energy physics. He explained how collision events at colliders are recorded, reconstructed, and analyzed, and what the plans for the future of the ATLAS detector are, from precision measurements and beyond, in addition to the plans of expanding the LHC鈥檚 discovery potential.听
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Another session of the scientific program included Dr. Issam Qattan, Associate Professor, and Dr. Arjen Van Vliet, Assistant Professor, Physics, who highlighted Khalifa University鈥檚 physics curriculum and research activities. Participants joined an international video conference with peers from Egypt, Slovakia, and Brazil and particle physicists from the global CERN Masterclasses based in Geneva. All students from the participating institutions compared their obtained results, discussed data interpretations, and encountered firsthand the collaborative energy powering today鈥檚 scientific achievements.听
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Professor Mahmoud Al-Qutayri said: 鈥淧hysics provides the foundational principles that inform every scientific inquiry and technological innovation. From the algorithms that drive data science in business analytics to the biophysical models used in medical research, physics cultivates the analytical mindset and problem-solving skills which are essential across all disciplines. At Khalifa University, we prepare students to excel not only as physicists, but as versatile leaders in any field they choose to pursue.鈥澨�
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Professor Ehab El Sadaany said: 鈥淭he participants not only mastered real CERN data but also saw one of the possible ways that can help answer the universe鈥檚 deepest questions. The study of Physics is the engine of innovation that drives the technologies we rely upon every day, from medical imaging and renewable energy to telecommunications. It ignites curiosity in young minds and equips them with the tools to transform the discoveries of today into the breakthroughs of tomorrow.鈥澨�
Alisha Roy
Science Writer
