Abstract: Through the last three decades, accurate simulation of the interactions of particles with matter and modeling of detector geometries has proven to be of critical importance to the success of the international high-energy physics (HEP) experimental programs. Extensive use of simulation for detector design and optimization, software and computing development and testing, data analysis, and interpretation is one of the reasons modern particle physics experiments are delivering physics results of outstanding quality faster than ever before.

I will start with the physics concepts associated with the interaction of particles with matter and then describe the nature of a HEP event and a typical detector simulation workflow. I will explain the difference between several types of detector simulation and introduce the audience to the Geant4 detector simulation toolkit. The second part of the seminar will focus on the computational challenges to detector simulation presented by future experimental HEP programs and the opportunities for a diverse R&D program to address them with the use of modern computing architectures and software technologies.

Bio: Daniel Elvira is a senior scientist and head of the Artificial Intelligence and Software for Physics Applications (AISP) department within the Fermilab Scientific Computing Division. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.