Experience

 
 
 
 
 
GU
SNSF Ambizione fellow
Sep 2024 – Present Genève
 
 
 
 
 
GU
Postdoctoral researcher
Sep 2022 – Aug 2024 Frankfurt am Main
 
 
 
 
 
HIP
Postdoctoral researcher
May 2020 – Aug 2022 Helsinki
 
 
 
 
 
U Bern
Doctor of Philosophy, PhD Physics
Feb 2017 – Apr 2020 Bern
Thermal field theory and particle cosmology.
Advisor: Mikko Laine
Multi-loop investigations of strong interactions at high temperatures.
 
 
 
 
 
CERN
Technical student
Oct 2016 – Jan 2017 Genève
Theoretical optimisation of slow extraction.
Advisors: Matthew A. Fraser, Malika Meddahi
 
 
 
 
 
CERN
Summer student
Jun 2015 – Aug 2015 Genève
Optimising simulation times of SPS slow extraction using MAD-X.
 
 
 
 
 
eth
Master of science, Physics
Sep 2014 – Nov 2016 Zürich
GPA: 5.5/6.0
Theoretical high energy physics, lattice QCD, applied mathematics.
Advisor: Philippe de Forcrand
Thesis: Inhomogeneous condensation in quark-based QCD effective models via wavelet pseudoparticles.

Selected publications

Recent & Upcoming Talks

Beyond the Standard Model physics is required to explain both dark matter and the baryon asymmetry of the universe, the latter possibly generated during a strong first-order electroweak phase transition. While many proposed models tackle these problems independently, it is interesting to inquire whether the same model can explain both. We focus on a dark matter model featuring an inert Majorana fermion that is coupled to Standard Model leptons via a scalar mediator. The latter interacts directly with the Higgs boson. We link state-of-the-art perturbative assessments of the phase transition thermodynamics with the extraction of the dark matter energy density. We discern regions of the model parameter space that reproduce the observed dark matter energy density and allow for a first-order phase transition, while evading the most stringent collider constraints.

Projects

One key aspect that excites me about my research is to better understand quantum theories under extreme conditions probing very dense and hot regimes such as in compact star astrophysics and early universe cosmology -- also to unveil new physics at the electroweak scale. Theories at finite temperature and density require an interplay of perturbative and non-perturbative methods to access most sectors of their phase structure. It is exactly this dedicated combination of theoretical tools that I find most exciting.

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Precision thermodynamics for cosmological phase transitions
Understanding the connection between the matter content of the universe and its thermal history is a major challenge in cosmology. The detection of gravitational waves (GW) from binary black hole mergers at LIGO has invigorated efforts to scope the universe in a broad temperature range and answer the question: is there new physics at the electroweak scale? The electroweak phase transition (EWPT) in beyond the Standard Model (BSM) theories could give rise to strong first-order phase transitions relevant to explain Baryogenesis and in turn the Baryon asymmetry of the universe. Such transitions can occur via complex multi-step transitions (cf. fig. left).
DRalgo: automated 3d EFT framework for thermal field theories
DRalgo is an algorithmic implementation that constructs an effective high-temperature theory for generic models.
How fast does the WallGo? A package for computing wall velocities in first-order phase transitions
WallGo is an open source code for the computation of the bubble wall velocity and bubble wall width in first-order cosmological phase transitions. The main WallGo Python package determines the wall velocity and width by solving the scalar field(s) equation of motion, the Boltzmann equations and energy-momentum conservation for the fluid velocity and temperature.
Cold dense matter and QCD pressure
Determining the physical phase of matter inside neutron stars has been a long standing challenge. The central object to inspect is the equation of state of neutron stars which by including astrophysical observations can be constrained tightly.

Outreach & Teaching

Lectures
  • Theoretische Physik 1: Mathematische Ergänzungen (Skript)
  • Exercises at Phase transitions in the early universe at the Theoretical Aspects of Astroparticle Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation school at the Galileo Galilei Institute for Theoretical Physics
  • Supervision
  • PhD, master, and bachelor students at Helsinki University and Frankfurt Goethe University