Hector Gomez

After obtaining my Physics degree, all my research activities have been focused on Particle Physics, more precisely on Rare Event searches. Experiments looking for these processes combine the construction and operation of outstanding experimental set-ups with the implementation of analysis techniques capable to exploit the detector capabilities. The achievement of these goals requires the coordination of different research groups inside international collaborations. Along my career I have participated in internationally recognized experiments looking for neutrinoless double beta decay like NEXT, SuperNEMO, or neutrino oscillations as DoubleChooz. In all of them I have combined contributions on the instrumentation of state-of-the-art experimental set-ups and prototypes with the development of analysis and simulation tools for the interpretation of the experimental data. Actually in my current position as permanent staff researcher of the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), I coordinate the simulation and analysis group of the Electronics, Detectors and Computing Division I belong to and I am the responsible of several projects mentioned later. From December 2022 I was declared "Detector Expert" at the Fundamental Research Direction of CEA. Among the most relevant results I obtained for the above mentioned experiments I would highlight: - At the University of Zaragoza I coordinated the construction and operation of a high-pressure Time Projection Chamber (TPC) equipped with Micromegas inside the prototypes development framework of the NEXT collaboration. It demonstrated, for the first time, the suitability of this technique for next generation experiments, becoming a reference of experiments based on this detection method as PandaX-III. - At the Laboratoire de l'Accélérateur Linéaire (LAL - France) I coordinated the commissioning and data analysis of the BiPo detector. Its main goal was to measure the radiopurity of the SuperNEMO source foils with a sensitivity high-enough to fulfil the experiment constraints. BiPo became the most sensitive detector for radiopurity samples with planar geometry, which was leveraged by other experiments to assess their radiopurity constraints in a unprecedented precise way. - Inside the Double Chooz collaboration at the Laboratoire Astroparticule et Cosmologie (APC– France), I led the analysis related to muon induced-events as one of the main backgrounds. For this task I developed a full analysis and simulation framework. I determined the rate and angular distributions of muons reaching Double Chooz detectors, but also I exploited the data to obtain an experimental check of the pion to kaon ratio in the atmosphere predicted by the models in an energy range never explored before. All along these positions and activities I have been looking for synergies trying to improve the experiments in which I was working or even to open new research lines and applications. Thus, in my current position at CEA I mainly work in the muography group. For this activity the instrument we use is based on Micromegas detectors which derive directly from fundamental Physics experiments. Currently we are looking for new applications of this technique in such a various fields like nuclear safety, civil engineering or archaeology. To evaluate the feasibility of all these potential applications I developed a modular simulation framework where the performance of different types of muon telescopes can be directly compared, or where the geometry of the studied object can be precisely implemented, importing it from 3D-CAD models. Results from the first projects evaluating a nuclear reactor have revealed a high potential (https://irfu.cea.fr/en/Phocea/Vie_des_labos/Ast/ast.php?t=fait_marquant&id_ast=4888) awaking the interests of several industrial actors of the nuclear operation, safety and dismantling as Electricité de France (EDF). It translates in new financed projects for which I am the main responsible. From an academic point of view, belonging to the different institutions above mentioned has allowed me to participate in teaching, Master and PhD supervision or PhD defence jury memberships. My activities entailed the publication of the main experimental results in scientific journals and their presentation at international conferences as it is reflected in my quality indicators. Moreover I also have presented these activities in seminars or even in TV programs (En Ruta con la Ciencia, Ep 146, "Los misterios de Egipto", Aragon TV - 16/09/2020). Scientific Production: General Quality Indicators (SCOPUS; Date: 01/2023; ID 55728460500) h-index: 32 Documents as Author: 148 - 85 Articles (28 Q1) - 61 Proceedings (17 as speaker / presenter) - 2 Book Chapters Number of cites: 3284 by 1899 documents Mean number of citations per year: 280 (2018 – 2022 period)