We are delighted to announce that Dr Benjamin Rienäcker, member of the Liverpool accelerator physics group, was appointed as new Physics Coordinator for the AEgIS collaboration at the last AEgIS collaboration meeting in December 2023.
Of the 50-person strong AEgIS collaboration, a team comprising approximately one-fifth of the members is usually present on the CERN-site all-year, preparing measurement campaigns and taking data.
As Physics Coordinator, Dr Rienäcker will play a crucial role in managing the antiproton beam time that lasts for six months each year. During this time all antimatter physics endeavours must be completed. Drawing from many years of experience, Dr Rienäcker will focus on well-defined and ambitious physics goals, bringing an excellent understanding of underpinning measurement procedures to the role.
The Physics Coordinator needs to have solid knowledge of the entire experimental apparatus, extensive experimental experience, and a deep understanding of the data analysis process. Proficiency in reading signals and signal-to-noise ratios will also be crucial for extracting new physics insights.
Dr Rienäcker has always emphasized the importance of teamwork and combining the right skills into a diverse and international team. In AEgIS, he will look after the antiprotonic ion program, the antihydrogen beam and the long-term antimatter gravity objectives.
Reflecting on his more than eight years of experience at AEgIS, Dr Rienäcker acknowledges the different approaches taken by past Physics Coordinators. He sees the role as an excellent challenge and opportunity to shape the physics programme of the collaboration, fostering team spirit and meeting the expectations of both the collaboration and the broader scientific community.
He said: “I am excited about the opportunity to lead and communicate effectively within this dynamic and diverse collaboration. I am committed to giving my best, facilitating growth as a leader, and contributing to the continued success of AEgIS.”
Professor Carsten P Welsch, Head of Liverpool’s Accelerator Science cluster based at the Cockcroft Institute, who leads the group’s antimatter activities in the EPSRC-funded SNAP project, added: “Big congratulations to Benjamin for being appointed to this very important role. This is a fantastic recognition of the work he has done for the experiment over many years. I think it is fair to say that there are very few people in the collaboration who know AEgIS as well as he does. We have very exciting plans for a range of fundamental studies and he is exactly the right person to coordinate this programme.”
More information about the AEgIS experiment can be found at: https://aegis.web.cern.ch/