Essay

Global Student Spotlight: Adrián Gutierrez

A Passion for Physics Brought this PhD Student from Mexico to UVA

nternational student and researcher Adrián Gutierrez speaks to UVA Global about muons, his journey to UVA, and his advice for international students.

You recently returned from a research trip to Switzerland. Can you tell us about the project you've been working on there?

Gutierrez: I am currently a member of the MUonE collaboration whose experiment is based at the scientific facility CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. What we are looking for is to measure a fundamental property of the elementary particle known as the muon. That property is called the magnetic moment. Elementary particles have several properties such as electrical charge, spin, magnetic moment, etc. All of those properties are compared with the theory we have called the standard model, but there is a current issue with the muon. The magnetic moment of the muon does not agree with our predictions. We are trying to re-measure that value to see if we made a mistake in the past measurements or if we need a better theory that describes this measurement.

Two modules with silicon "trackers" set up to detect the trajectory of muons and electrons at CERN

In particular, there were two books that set me on my path toward physics. The first one was a book named 'The Origin of Species' by Charles Darwin. The methodology, dedication, and accuracy of his scientific methods were unlike anything I had read before. Through his book, I found in science answers that come from real and tangible evidence as opposed to other pseudo-sciences.

How did you become interested in your field of study?

Gutierrez: Since I was a little kid I have always been very talented in mathematics. As I grew older I started to develop a big passion for science. In particular, there were two books that set me on my path toward physics. The first one was a book named 'The Origin of Species' by Charles Darwin. The methodology, dedication, and accuracy of his scientific methods were unlike anything I had read before. Through his book, I found in science answers that come from real and tangible evidence as opposed to other pseudo-sciences. The final piece of the puzzle came when I was in high school. During my first semester of physics, my professor gave me a book called 'A Brief History of Time' by Stephen Hawkins. That book showed me that physics is the culmination of science and mathematics merged into a single topic. From that moment on I was adamant that physics is something I wanted to pursue.

Can you tell us about your journey from Mexico to UVA?

Gutierrez: My journey began when I was 18 years old. I had just finished high school and I was looking for a university where particle physics was relevant and where I could start to work with physicists working at CERN. Given that my own mother is a U.S. citizen, it was very straightforward for me to acquire a green card. I started my career at a community college called Mt. Hood CC, and from there I got a scholarship at the University of Oregon where I got my degree in mathematics and physics. Finally, I wanted to continue my education so I decided to move to Charlottesville to get my Ph.D. in physics. It has been an interesting, hard, and amazing experience that has taught me many wonderful things.

Gutierrez in a group photo of researchers at CERN

What are your next steps after UVA?

Gutierrez: I feel like a couple of years ago my answer would have been that after my Ph.D. I wanted to pursue a postdoc as well. Now my answer is quite different. I am currently finishing my 4th year and during both my undergrad and graduate time as a physics student, I have developed a large set of computational skills that are valuable in data science types of industries. My next step moving forward after my Ph.D. is to get a job in the industry doing some type of data analysis anywhere in the States.

What advice would you give to new international students?

Gutierrez: Do not be afraid to follow your dreams. When I first came to the U.S., I had nothing (no degree, no money), but after some hard work, I was able to overcome many obstacles. Also, be open to experiencing a new sense of culture. While I think that it is good for international students to keep relationships with people from their own culture, I think there is a very rich opportunity to experience friendships with people from the US and other cultures different from their own. At the University of Virginia, most of my friends come from everywhere and I have learned so much from them in and outside my Ph.D.