I am a summer student in the PH/DT department at CERN. I was informed for the summer student programme  from my colleagues in the Physics Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and decided to apply for a place. I had heard that it is a great experience and i was looking forward for an e-mail with my acceptance to the program.

I am studying particle physics for the last 2 years and I really like experimental particle physics.

For my final-year project I work on performance studies of the Micromegas detector using test beam data for the upgrade of the ATLAS experiment.

Here, in CERN I participate in a new R&D project about the performance of gaseous detectors, like single wire and Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) that are correlated with gas mixture and gas system operation. The tests  are performed in presence of an intense radioactive source used to simulate the high background radiation expected in the regions where the GEM detectors will be employed at the LHC experiments. I have possibility to get familiar with several aspects of a research project related to gaseous detectors and their infrastructures: detector performance analysis, gas chromatograph analysis, gas analysis tools, gas system for the LHC experiments.

I think that working for CERN is a great way to both expand my skills and have an international experience. I am part of a network of people who are sharing and following the same dream.

I am proud about the people with whom I am daily working and to share what the things that I gained during this experience. It makes me thankful and happy that I have met so great people and I had the chance to visit so many beautiful places in Switzerland.

From my time as a summer student at CERN I will remember the workshops, the visits at the detectors like ATLAS and CMS, my supervisors and of course the barbeques, the parties, the trips and the cooking time in my hostel's kitchen with my colleagues.