SCIPP graduate student researcher Earl Almazan has been selected to receive a Graduate Instrumentation Research Award (GIRA) from the Coordinating Panel for Advanced Detectors (CPAD), part of the American Physical Society’s Division of Particles and Fields (DPF). The national award recognizes Almazan’s innovative work developing thin-film sensors for charged particle tracking—technology that could significantly enhance the performance of next-generation particle detectors.

Almazan’s research focuses on ultra-thin, high-precision sensing materials capable of more accurately detecting and tracking charged particles produced in high-energy physics experiments. These improvements are key to advancing future studies on the fundamental nature of matter, energy, space, and time.

The GIRA provides funding for a two- to three-year period, allowing Almazan to continue expanding the Thin Films Project—an effort to adapt thin-film technologies, commonly used in solar cells and LCD screens, for use in high-energy physics detectors.

“It’s a great honor to receive the Graduate Instrumentation Research Award,” Almazan said. “This support will let me focus more on developing our Thin Films Project, which takes technology used in solar cells and LCD screens and applies it to high-energy physics detectors. We’re testing whether this commercial method could make particle sensors cheaper and easier to produce. I’m really grateful to my collaborators at SCIPP and Argonne for their help—especially with the application process and ongoing research support.”

Mike Hance, principal investigator on the project, praised Almazan’s contributions:

“It’s great to see Earl be recognized for his instrumentation work and continue a SCIPP tradition of these awards. Earl has made a huge impact on the larger Thin Films Project, which now has a separate three-year grant from the DOE, thanks in large part to his efforts. I’m looking forward to the year ahead.”

The CPAD Graduate Instrumentation Research Award supports outstanding doctoral students engaged in cutting-edge instrumentation development for particle physics. Recipients are selected through a competitive national process and recognized for the originality, impact, and technical depth of their research.

Almazan’s recognition underscores both his individual accomplishments and the strength of the university’s research in particle physics and advanced instrumentation. His work contributes to broader efforts within the campus and national research community to push the boundaries of measurement, detection, and experimental precision.

Congratulations to Earl on this well-deserved national honor!

Learn more about the CPAD Graduate Instrumentation Research Awards here.