EPIC: Exploring particle Physics Integrated with Computing

America/Chicago
Breese Quinn (University of Mississippi), Gavin Davies (University of Mississippi), Jake Bennett (University of Mississippi)
Description

The EPIC summer program will introduce students to research at the intersection of physics,ย scientific software, and computing. Participants will work with mentors on a focused project connected to modernย experimental physics workflows, gaining experience with data analysis, reproducible research, and collaborativeย problem-solving. The program is intended to provide an accessibleย entry point for students who may not yet have prior research experience.

Participants should expect to:

  • Attend an introductory orientation covering the scientific context, project goals, and computing environment
  • Complete guided tutorials in Python, data analysis, version control, and research documentation
  • Work on a defined EPIC research or software task with regular mentor support
  • Participate in daily meetings to discuss progress, troubleshoot issues, and learn about related career paths
  • Maintain a short project log and prepare a final presentation or poster summarizing their work

ย 

Participants will receive a stipend to cover the cost of living while attending the one-week program. Additional support for travel expenses is available on an as-needed basis.

To apply for the program, click the registration link on the left side of the page and complete the necessary forms. Applicants who are admitted to the program will receive additional details later.

Sessions will be held in CSTI 135/137: https://map.olemiss.edu/?id=562#!m/13272802?share

Registration
EPIC 2026 registration
    • 09:00 09:15
      Welcome and introduction 15m
      Speakers: Gavin Davies (University of Mississippi), Jake Bennett (University of Mississippi)
    • 09:15 10:00
      Particle physics: the big picture 45m
      Speaker: Jake Bennett (University of Mississippi)
    • 10:00 10:15
      Coffee 15m
    • 10:15 10:45
      Tools of the trade: the unix command line 30m
      Speaker: Logan Benninghoff (University of Mississippi)
    • 10:45 11:15
      Tools of the trade: git 30m

      Git and GitHub

      Hands-on material

      Please go to the following link where you can find all the necessary material for this practical session.

      Speaker: Johan A. Colorado Caicedo (The University of Mississippi)
    • 11:15 11:30
      Make your own github account/repo 15m

      Git and GitHub

      Hands-on material

      Please go to the following link where you can find all the necessary material for this practical session.

      Speaker: Johan A. Colorado Caicedo (The University of Mississippi)
    • 11:30 13:30
      Lunch 2h
    • 13:30 14:15
      Particle physics: the big picture 45m
      Speaker: Gavin Davies (University of Mississippi)
    • 14:15 14:30
      Coffee 15m
    • 14:30 15:30
      Tools of the trade: python and jupyter 1h
      Speakers: Gavin Davies (University of Mississippi), Paul Gebeline
    • 15:30 16:00
      Review/game 30m
      Speakers: Gavin Davies (University of Mississippi), Jake Bennett (University of Mississippi)
    • 09:00 09:15
      Recap and questions 15m
    • 09:15 09:45
      Hadronic physics, Belle II, and matter-antimatter asymmetry 30m
      Speaker: Jake Bennett (University of Mississippi)
    • 09:45 10:15
      Belle II detector subsystems 30m
      Speaker: Logan Benninghoff (University of Mississippi)
    • 10:15 10:30
      Coffee 15m
    • 10:30 11:15
      Belle II analysis tutorial 45m
      Speakers: Jake Bennett (University of Mississippi), Paul Gebeline
    • 11:15 11:30
      Team formation and project assignment 15m
      Speaker: Jake Bennett (University of Mississippi)
    • 11:30 13:30
      Lunch 2h
    • 13:30 15:30
      Team project work: data, questions, and first plots 2h
    • 15:30 16:00
      Team check-in and wrap-up 30m
    • 09:00 09:20
      Recap and questions 20m
      Speaker: Jake Bennett (University of Mississippi)
    • 09:20 10:00
      What is a neutrino, and why is it hard to detect? 40m
      Speaker: Gavin Davies (University of Mississippi)
    • 10:00 10:15
      Coffee 15m
    • 10:15 11:30
      Neutrino oscillation tutorial: flavor change, baselines, and energy 1h 15m
      Speaker: Gavin Davies (University of Mississippi)
    • 11:30 13:30
      Lunch 2h
    • 13:30 15:45
      Team project work: refine analysis, make plots, document results 2h 15m
    • 15:45 16:00
      Team check-in and wrap-up 15m
    • 09:00 10:00
      Recap and project status check 1h
      Speaker: Jake Bennett (University of Mississippi)
    • 10:00 10:30
      Science communication: building a clear poster story 30m
      Speaker: Dr Jeremy Scott
    • 10:30 10:45
      Coffee 15m
    • 10:45 11:15
      Science communication: explaining your research to a non-expert 30m
      Speaker: Gavin Davies (University of Mississippi)
    • 11:15 11:30
      Discussion/questions 15m
    • 11:30 13:30
      Lunch 2h
    • 13:30 14:00
      Science communication: science advocacy 30m
    • 14:00 15:30
      Team project work: wrap-up analysis and prepare poster 1h 30m
    • 15:30 16:00
      Final poster checklist 30m
    • 09:00 09:30
      QuarkNet: welcome, coffee, conversation 30m
    • 09:30 10:30
      QuarkNet: where is Higgs? 1h
    • 10:30 11:30
      QuarkNet: Higgs, what have we learned 1h
    • 11:30 12:30
      Lunch 1h
    • 12:30 15:00
      QuarkNet: masterclass 2h 30m
    • 15:00 15:45
      EPIC graduate school panel discussion 45m
    • 15:45 16:00
      EPIC photo and farewells 15m