Profile
Marco Volponi
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About Me:
I’ve too many interests, but in everything I do, from gardening to physics, to cooking, I always apply a scientific method in it (and I love cooking, being Italian). Sea and Sun lover, I’m always grateful for good book suggestions!
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My pronouns are:
he/him
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My Work:
Trying to “weight” antimatter… let’s see if it falls up! ⬆️🍏
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Read more
In AEgIS we are trying to measure the behaviour of anti-hydrogen (which is the antimatter twin of the hydrogen atom) in the gravitational field of the Earth. Basically we want to launch it straight and then look at the parabola it will make, to understand how it falls.
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My Typical Day:
Programming, understanding why things do not work, program again.
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Education:
Scientific High school in Chiavari, Italy (“Liceo scientifico”).
Bachelor and Master in (Theoretical) Physics in Genoa, Italy (with master thesis done at Nikhef, in the Netherlands, under the Erasmus programme – life-changing adventure!).
2nd Lvl. Master SEEDS “SpacE Exploration and Development Systems”, around different universities in Europe (about human and robotic exploration of space).
PhD in Experimental Physics between the University of Trento (Italy) and CERN.
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Work History:
Between my master in (Theoretical) Physics and my current PhD in Experimental Physics, I’ve studied human and robotic space exploration, and worked two years as researcher for the Politechnic of Turin in Italy, and two years at the European Space Agency centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, to study how to grow potatoes in space! Learned a lot about space, human and plant physiology, space systems, Mars, Moon, etc. etc.
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Current Job:
Senior Research Fellow at CERN (post-doc position)
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Employer:
CERN
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
all-round scientist
What did you want to be after you left school?
scientist
Were you ever in trouble at school?
well, who wasn't, in a way or another?
What's your favourite food?
Pasta, of course!
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