Dr Joanne Cole
Reader

Research Interests

I am a particle physicist with extensive experience in the analysis of proton structure gained whilst working on the ZEUS experiment. On first joining CMS, my main areas of research were in the development and maintenance of online software for the Silicon Strip Tracker (SST) and the analysis CP-violating Higgs production in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model.  I was part of the commissioning team for the SST prior to first data taking.

I still maintain an active interest in the SST; I am currently the Chair of the Tracker Editorial Board and the secretary to the CMS Tracker Institution Board.  I am also starting to become involved in R & D for the long-term upgrade of the CMS Tracker with a particular interest in the inclusion of tracking information in the Level 1 trigger.  I am currently supervising a PhD student who is working on the maintenance and development of Data Quality Monitoring software for the Tracker.

Since arriving at Brunel, I have become involved in the study of top physics.  I was involved in the early analysis and publication of the observation of semi-leptonic top-anti-top production in CMS data.  My current interests lie in single top production:  I am involved in the analysis of the production of a top quark in association with a W boson.  I am also interested in the more rare Standard Model processes such as the production of a single top quark in association with a Z boson (plus a light or bottom quark).

As well as my particle physics research, I am also involved in promoting the public understand of science and in particular, in encouraging young women to continue studying physics.  As such, I currently hold an STFC Science in Society small award, which I use to run a one-day event at Brunel entitled, “Girls Allowed!  Why women should study physics”.  I have also been involved in a number of other events aimed at promoting science to school children.  I am a member of the Brunel University London Athena SWAN committee.