Prof Tina Potter

Biography

• 2021 – present: Professor of High Energy Physics, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge
• 2020 – 2021: Reader in High Energy Physics, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge
• 2018 – 2020: University Lecturer, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge
• 2015 – 2018: Early Careers Lecturer, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge
• 2009 – 2015: Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Sussex
• 2005 – 2009: PhD student, Royal Holloway University of London
• 2001 – 2005: MSci student, Royal Holloway University of London

Research

My personal research interests lie in the discovery of new physics Beyond the Standard Model. In particular, I want to know what makes up 85% of the matter in our universe — the as-yet unexplained Dark Matter.

I am searching for signs of new particles that may briefly form in the high energy proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. The lack of a discovery to date tells us that any new physics may not be easy to find; whether Dark Matter itself, or other new particles which decay to Dark Matter, the possible signatures of new particle production can be complex and difficult to pick out of the abundant Standard Model processes. My research focuses on the design of novel and sensitive searches for new physics, such as Supersymmetry, using the ATLAS detector. Supersymmetry offers a potential solution by introducing many new particles, the lightest of which is an excellent dark matter candidate. I push the sensitivity of our searches for Supersymmetry and new physics in general, with the ultimate goal of a discovery of a new particle that will help us understand the composition of our universe.

My research also involves understanding the potential for the discovery or characterisation of new physics scenarios at future colliders.