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Satish Desai

Experienced academic physicist seeking to enter renewable energy industry Last Updated: July 7, 2016 (over 7 years ago)
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E-mail
svdesai75@gmail.com
Phone Number
630`

* Physicist with strong analytical, quantitative and technical skills in statistical analysis, visualization of complex datasets, extraction of rare signals using large scale computing

* Experienced leader of both analysis and operations teams, adept at developing strategies to meet ambitious goals on tight deadlines

* Sixteen years of experience working in worldwide collaborations of scientists and engineers

* Established track record of both internal and external publications and presentations, teaching and outreach to lay audiences

Education

Stony Brook University PhD Physics
Dec 1998 — Jul 2006
Stony Brook University MA Physics
Jun 1997 — Dec 1999
Franklin and Marshall College BA Physics, Cum Laude
Sep 1993 — Jun 1997

Experience

University of Minnesota Research Associate/Researcher 6
Oct 2012 — Current
NOvA collaboration (200 physicists from 20 institutions worldwide, studying neutrino oscillation physics)

Data Analysis
* Validated detector performance against expectations from QA measurements during construction
* Developed methods to track and minimize waste and failure rates for construction of detector modules

Computing
* Wrote general grid submission utility in python, adopted as standard tool by NOvA collaboration
* Wrote bash and python monitoring scripts for QA system in NOvA module construction
* Maintained PostgreSQL database used for quality assurance in construction of NOvA detector modules

Leadership Experience
* Led data-processing group through two campaigns, developed and formalized operating procedures, producing more than two million files consuming 1.5 PB of space, used for two high profile publications in prestigious journals
* Co-led quality assurance team in construction of more than 11,000 modules for 14,000 ton experiment

Teaching and Communication
* Taught 100-student physics course for non-majors, “Energy and the Environment,” well reviewed by students
* Organized and moderated local sessions of annual Quarknet masterclass for high-school students
* Presented NOvA construction status and results at five seminars, colloquia and international conferences
* Presented regular updates on status of data-processing and detector construction efforts

Service and Volunteering
* Advocate for interests of postdocs at University of Minnesota
* Manage University of Minnesota Postdoctoral Association website, Facebook and LinkedIn pages
* Organize social events for Postdoctoral Association
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Research Associate
Sep 2006 — Sep 2012
DZero collaboration (500 physicists from 80 institutions worldwide, that studied many topics in particle physics)

Leadership
* Co-led flagship searches for Higgs boson at DZero, in charge of three sub-groups resulting in 13 publications in prestigious journals, including first evidence for Higgs boson and three papers selected by journal editor for special recognition
* Co-led operations for 740k channel subsystem of DZero detector, planned and managed major repair effort recovering 50% of inactive channels, streamlined procedures resulting in reduced ops crew, improved live-time

Data-analysis
* Devised and validated signal and background model corrections, designed searches using machine learning to identify rare signals (Higgs boson, new physics) from millions of data-points, executed and optimized statistical analysis of data
* Participated in the internal review board for eight papers on top-quark production mechanisms

Computing
* Maintained C++ analysis software package using ROOT scientific library and collie statistical analysis suite, rewrote batch submission frameworks in python for several stages of analysis
* Co-administered Linux cluster of several hundred PCs, adopted as standard desktop solution by DZero collaboration

Communication Skills
* Presented Higgs search results at 16 seminars, colloquia and international conferences, including special seminar that was also streamed online (http://vms.fnal.gov/asset/detail?recid=1932435)
* Gave regular progress reports on analysis and detector status
* Wrote extensive internal technical notes used as basis for vetting scientific results prior to publication
* Trained other scientists to monitor experimental operations
* Moderated annual Quarknet masterclass for high-school students
* Gave frequent tours of Fermilab facilities to groups of diverse background

Service
* Elected to DZero Advisory Council, providing advice and feedback to collaboration upper management.

Skills

Languages: C++, python, bash, PostgreSQL, HTML

Applications:  ROOT scientific library, MS Office, OpenOffice, GNU Octave, LaTeX

Code Management:  SVN, GIT, CVS

 

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