Noemi Rocco joins IFIC with an ERC Starting Grant to investigate neutrino properties

Neutrinos are incredibly light fundamental particles that are difficult to detect. Although for decades they were thought to be irrelevant because of their apparent inactivity, today it is known that they play a crucial role both in theoretical and experimental physics and in understanding the universe.

The significance of the neutrino oscillation phenomenon lies in that its discovery revolutionized particle physics, opening doors to a new physics beyond the standard model. Not in vain, this milestone brought to its authors the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2015. Today, the use of advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques in neutrino oscillation experiments is providing clues to the greatest mysteries of the universe, such as the origin of mass, the dark matter or cosmic imbalance between matter and antimatter.

This effort requires the incorporation of models, tools and techniques that allow to anticipate results or behaviors before being observed experimentally, such as those pursued by the NUQNET project (Neutrino Uncertainty Quantification using Neural Networks), led by Noemi Rocco and aimed at creating an innovative theoretical framework based on artificial neural networks to quantitatively describe neutrino-nucleus interactions.

Noemi Rocco’s work, straddling particle physics and nuclear physics, reduces uncertainties in theoretical models, enabling neutrino oscillation experiments to achieve a higher level of accuracy and reliability

In her research, Noemi Rocco brings an interdisciplinary and innovative approach to the field of neutrino physics, combining advanced techniques from nuclear theory, modern statistical methods and machine learning. Their work, straddling particle physics and nuclear physics, reduces uncertainties in theoretical models, enabling neutrino oscillation experiments to achieve a higher level of accuracy and reliability.

In 2024, this theoretical physicist and researcher at the US laboratory of high-energy physics Fermilab obtained a Starting Grant from the ERC worth 1.5 M€. These are the grants with which the European Research Council funds researchers with excellent scientific proposals in their first years of independence after their doctorate. Now, Noemi Rocco and the is incorporated to the Institute of Corpuscular Physics (IFIC), located in the scientific-academic area of the Science Park of the University of Valencia and joint center of the UV and the CSIC, for the development of the NUQNET project over 5 years.

"It is a satisfaction to continue attracting talent of proven excellence to the University of Valencia, especially when coming from these calls that are the most prestigious at European level", Carlos Hermenegildo, Vice-Rector for Research 

"It is a satisfaction to continue attracting talent of proven excellence to the University of Valencia, especially when coming from these calls that are the most prestigious at European level," said Research Vice-Rector Carlos Hermenegildo. "In fact, for its long-term stabilization in its research centers, the University of Valencia is preferentially betting on people who have an ERC," he concluded.

Noemi Rocco’s scientific career began with a PhD at La Sapienza University in Rome, followed by post-doctoral placements at the Institute of Corpuscular Physics (UV-CSIC), the University of Surrey (UK), the Argonne National Laboratory (USA) and the American high energy physics laboratory Fermilab, where he currently works. The Italian researcher will officially join IFIC next September. 

Source: IFIC

Do not miss the interview of Nuria Rius, director of IFIC, in our section Nosaltres STEM