Research in Cosmic Microwave Background analysis and simulations
Applications for Fall 2025 are closed for this project.
The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the oldest light in the Universe, and carries invaluable information about the Universe’s history and evolution. The detection of primordial gravitational waves in the CMB polarisation, a smoking gun for cosmic inflation, is one of the biggest challenges in observational cosmology.
To achieve the detection of the very faint gravitational wave signal, CMB telescopes must be carefully calibrated, and their data analysed with great care, taking into account instrumental systematics. We are also constantly learning from current experiments to improve the design of future ones.
Role: We have an opportunity for a student to be involved with analysis and simulations of CMB data. Possible research topics include participation in the BICEP experiment (which currently leads the field for CMB polarisation measurements) through analysis of calibration data and propagation of instrumental systematics to cosmological analyses, design of future CMB experiments taking into account measurements from current generation, and development of simulation and analysis techniques that take into account the increasing sensitivity and complexity of CMB telescopes.
As part of the Berkeley CMB group, the student will have the opportunity to interact with LBNL scientists, UC professors (Adrian Lee), as well as graduate students and postdocs.
Qualifications: Applicants should be in their 3rd or 4th year and plan to major in physics, astronomy or engineering. Prior programming experience is strongly preferred, and hands-on lab experience is a plus.
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Clara Verges, Staff Researcher
Hours: 9-11 hrs
Off-Campus Research Site: LBNL building 50
Related website: https://claraverges.github.io/
Related website: https://sites.google.com/lbl.gov/cmb