Jasmine Corning
Queen's University
MSc Candidate - Particle Astrophysics
Public Education Specialist - McDonald Institute
Jasmine Corning is an MSc Candidate working on the fluorescence response of RPT acrylic (PMMA) to UV light under varying temperatures for the DEAP-3600 experiment under the supervision of Prof. Philippe Di Stefano.
Contact Information
Room 412, Stirling Hall
Queen’s University
Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6
Phone: 613-533-6000 ext. 77074
Email: j.corning@queenus.ca
Bio
After completing high school, I did my BSc in Astrophysics with a minor in Physics at the University of Calgary. In my final year there, I got into contact with Dr. Di Stefano at Queen’s University. In 2018, I began working for him on studies of scintillators. In early 2019, we joined the DEAP-3600 Collaboration, and began working on our current studies in parallel with them.
Q&A with Jasmine
What are your research interests?
My research interests lay mainly in the realm of astrophysics and particle physics, and currently that involves working on one of the experiments trying to detect the elusive Dark Matter particle. I’m also interested in gravitational waves from supermassive objects and interactions. Practically, I enjoy working on data analysis efforts and techniques towards projects like these.
How would you describe your work at the most basic level?
I work to understand a source of potential background in the Dark Matter detector DEAP-3600, running underground at Canada’s SNOLab facility in Sudbury, Ontario. I study the specific batch of plastic that makes up the detector’s main body, to see if it fluoresces (‘glows’) under a specific colour of light, and if this effect changes for different temperatures.
Why did you choose physics?
From a young age, I’ve been fascinated with space and the universe. As I went through school, I liked to think about the large scale questions about everything around us. I like the way physics requires us to think critically about the things we observe and do.
How does your collaboration with your key research facility partners work?
My collaboration with DEAP-3600, and through them SNOLAB, allows me access to direct materials that were used in detector construction so that I can answer specific questions. It also allows me to coordinate and discuss research with over 100 talented and insightful researchers from all over the world.
What about you might surprise others?
I foster cats in my spare time!