Nikhef Project

Course manual 2024/2025

Course content

During the Nikhef project, students will form a team, and as a team design and build their own particle detector, use this detector to take data, and analyze the collected data. The detector is different every year.
 Students will experience the working environment of (astro)particle physicists.

It is the responsibility of the participating students to define the details of the detector, to build the detector, and to organise themselves as a team. Active participation and self-organization is expected.

Study materials

Other

• Hand-outs.

Objectives

• The student can organize, plan and divide work for designing constructing, simulating, and reading out a particle detector in collaboration with other students.
• The student can design an experiment to answer a scientific question.
• The student can communicate new findings, progress, and problems encountered effectively to fellow students.
• The student demonstrates safe handling of laborarory equipment and work site for both people and equipment.
• The student is able to consult manuals and tutorials to operate both lab equipment and software for modeling (astro)particle physics detectors.
• The student uses lab equipment correctly to test, calibrate, and commission a detector and its components.
• The student is able to simulate a particle detector and compare simulations to measurements.
• The student can write data acquisition and reconstruction software for an (astro)particle physics detector.
• The student is able to use international professional literature to defend the goal of of an (astro)particle physics experiment.
• The student can evaluate an (astro)particle physics experiment and make recommendations for improvements or additions.
• The student can report on the design, setup, simulation, commissioning, operation, and results of an (astro)particle physics experiment.
• Students can comply with the standards of research integrity, disciplinary ethics, and interpersonal (scientific) workplace ethics.

Teaching methods

• Working independently on e.g. a project or thesis
• Computer lab session/practical training
• Seminar
• Laptop seminar
• Fieldwork/excursion
• Self-study

Working group of students of the same cohort. While the first 2 weeks will include some lectures and tutorials, the rest of the course will be group-work, self-study, and independent work which students organise themselves. At specific times each week, students give presentations on the progress and results of their project.

Learning activities

Attendance

Requirements concerning attendance (OER-B).

Additional requirements for this course:

Students are expected to be present in the classroom during the scheduled course times, especially when activities such as lectures or presentations are scheduled. For sessions when students work on their detector, attendance is more flexible as long as absences or alternate working hours are approved by the rest of the team as well as by the course coordinator.

Assessment

The assessment will consist of:

Participation and conduct - 10%

Exercises/homework - 10%

Student (oral) presentation - 20%

Final written report - 60%

A score of 50% on each category is required.

Assignments

Homework

• There is homework in the first 4 weeks of the course. Some of the homework assignments are assessed individually, and some as a group.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. T.R. Pollmann