MIT News breed · Science

Faith Reyes: Probing the Universe with Neutrinos

Faith Reyes, an experimental particle physicist and PhD student at MIT, is researching neutrinos to understand fundamental laws of the universe beyond the Standard Model. Her work involves the Ricochet experiment in France, studying a rare neutrino interaction.

Reyes' passion for physics was ignited by her high school teacher, leading her to study neutrinos, elusive particles with minimal mass that rarely interact with matter. These particles are produced in radioactive decay, including within nuclear reactors.

The Standard Model, while accurate for most phenomena, is incomplete. Neutrinos' unusual behavior makes them key to exploring physics beyond this framework.

Reyes is part of the international Ricochet experiment, which studies neutrinos from a nuclear reactor in France. The experiment focuses on coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering, a low-energy interaction.

Initially, Reyes expected to work on a different project at MIT. However, due to timeline issues, she shifted her focus to the Ricochet experiment in France, learning its detector technology.

As the Ricochet experiment grew, Reyes and a colleague developed software to automate detector monitoring and analysis, significantly improving efficiency and her understanding of the experiment.

This experience allowed Reyes to transition from learning to guiding others, gaining confidence and trust within the collaboration. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration, adaptability, and leadership in her graduate studies.

After her PhD, Reyes plans to continue research, possibly in a postdoctoral position. Her time in France has also made her consider future work and life there, appreciating the culture and work-life balance.

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