### Ayana T. Arce, Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies

Office Location: 269 Physics, Durham, NC 27708
Office Phone: (919) 684-1723

Specialties:
Experimental high energy physics

Education:
Ph.D.,  Harvard University, 2006
B.S., Princeton University, 1998

Research Categories: Experimental elementary particle physics

Current projects: Searches for gauge and Higgs bosons produced in massive particle decays, Jet substructure observable reconstruction, ATLAS detector simulation software framework

Research Description: Researchers at hadron colliders are attempting to produce evidence of phenomena beyond the "Standard Model" of particle physics, which is our current, best description of how fundamental particles interact. This description works very well for collider experiments, but is known to be incomplete: it doesn't explain neutrino masses and mixings, it cannot account for dark matter, and it does not treat gravity or the accelerating expansion of the universe. The observation of particle interactions that the Standard Model cannot explain would help us build up a better theory -- one that accounts for these striking phenomena. In my research I concentrate on understanding what takes place in hadron collider events with complicated final state topologies, like the production and decay of top quarks and heavy gauge bosons. In these events, I am looking for any hint of non-Standard Model interactions. My current studies use the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), and consequently, many of my recent research activities also support the broader experimental program of ATLAS.

Typical Courses Taught:

• Physics 181, Intermediate mechanics
• Physics 53lr, General physics i (rec)

Recent Publications   (More Publications)

1. ATLAS Collaboration, Search for heavy resonances decaying into a photon and a hadronically decaying Higgs boson in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector, Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 125 no. 25 (December, 2020), pp. 251802 (I am not sure why this paper is showing up here instead of under "reputed journal publications.".) [doi] .