Biography
With over nine years of mechanical experience and two relevant degrees, Eric’s capability to operate the Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System (ATLAS) has considerably improved the quality of ongoing experiments and number of research hours for the Department of Energy.
As a qualified operator, he has been exposed to cryogenic systems of nitrogen and helium, high-vacuum beamlines reaching 10-10 Torr, superconducting RF cavities, and a radiation safety system monitoring neutrons, gammas, and X-rays. Furthermore, Eric has received specialized training with a state-of-the-art laser measurement system that enables him to lead alignment projects for ATLAS and other groups.
Ongoing Projects
- Supporting ATLAS alignment projects on various beamlines with a 1mm tolerance.
- Supporting the ATLAS Artificial Intelligence Upgrade by being the liaison between the software developer and the accelerator.
- Supporting the Advanced Photon Source Upgrade (APS) by aligning x-ray beamlines with micrometre tolerances, identifying drill points for support stands, and expanding the established control network.
Achievements
- Self-taught C/C++ and Python to complete opportunities outside of his operator responsibilities.
- Crafted a program to automate Faraday cup measurements at ATLAS to increase the amount of digital information available, increase research hours, and streamline daily operations.
- Developed a program to convert the accelerator’s Google calendars to an Excel spreadsheet for user/beam statistics and annual reports.
Affiliated Publications
- “Automated Faraday Cup Readings at ATLAS.” 14th International Particle Accelerator Conference (IPAC’23), held in Venice, Italy.
- “Reinforcement Learning and Bayesian Optimization for Ion Linac Operations.” 15th International Conference on Heavy Ion Accelerator Technology (HIAT’22), held in Darmstadt, Germany.
Last updated on 08/01/2023.