Education

durham

PhD in Particle Physics

Durham University

2016-2020


I recently finished my PhD in particle physics phenomenology in the Institute of Particle Physics Phenomenology at Durham University. Over the past three years I have been investigating the properties of a the recently-discovered Higgs Boson particle in different physical regimes. A PDF of my thesis can be found here.

The Higgs Boson was discovered in 2012 by the CERN collaboration, using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiment in Geneva. Its discovery resulted in a Nobel Prize. The Higgs Boson was the crucial last piece of our current model of the universe, known as the Standard Model. The existence of a Higgs Boson was first postulated in 1964, as mechanism for giving mass to the other particles in our universe. All tests since the initial discovery in 2012 point to the discovered Higgs Boson indeed fulfilling this role.

My research has focused on three regimes involving the Higgs:

  1. The Higgs at colliders
  2. The Higgs at high energies
  3. The Higgs in cosmology

For more specific information see my publications.

My research has been primarily computational and as such I have had to learn and use a variety of different programming languages and technologies. For more information see my skills page.

During my PhD I have presented my work via talks and poster sessions at various conferences around the world. For a full list of conferences and talks, please see my departmental profile page. As an example, you can view the presentation I gave at PLANCK 2019 in Granada here, or the poster I gave at Invisibles 2019 in Valencia here. I have also been involved in the organisation of conferences such as 'Pushing the Boundaries 2019' and 'YTF10'.

During the first year of my PhD, I was examined in several advanced postgraduate courses on theoretical phyiscs & mathematics. I was top of my class, obtaining the best examination results that year.

cambridge

BA MSci Natural Sciences (Physics)

University of Cambridge
First Class

2012-2016


I studied Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, with the chosen discipline of Physics. This involved a three-year Bachelor's degree followed by a one-year Master's degree. I obtained a first in each of the four years, earning my election as a Foundation Scholar of Downing College.

In my first year, my courses covered my sciences: mathematics, physics, chemistry & material sciences. In my second year, I was given the chance to specialise and chose to do so in physics & mathematics. In my Master's year, I undertook a research project in the area of computational seismology. This involved simulating the effect of wave propagation through different media and how this might be used to reconstruct density profiles beneath the ground.

cvcc

A-Levels, GCSEs & Secondary Education

Clyst Vale Community College, Devon
A-Levels: 4A* in Maths, Physics, Chemistry & Further Maths

2005-2012


Clyst Vale Community College is an academy-status state comprehensive school and sixth form college outside Exeter, Devon.

I completed A-Levels in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry & Futher Mathematics - all to A* level. I also obtained an A in AS Biology and completed an AQA Extended Project (EPQ), focused on the Large Hadron Collider.

Before that I achieved 9 A*, 2 A and 1 B in my GCSEs, including Mathematics, Science & English.