Fabio Happacher
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN)
Statement
Back in 1995, looking for a HEP thesis topic for my graduation thesis, I went to the
Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati of INFN. After a month I had in my pocket a plane ticket to
Chicago to come to Fermilab and join the group that built the CDF hadron calorimeter and that was at
that time doing data analysis of events in the W + jets topology.
Since then, only my proud kids know how much time I spent at Fermilab counting the immigration stamps
on my passports and eventually coming to spend some time with me during the summer time and living with serendipity in the Fermilab Village that used to be the heart of a thriving community of scientist and their families.
My experience in the field has been gained mostly working at Fermilab.
During the graduation thesis first, and my Ph.D. and Post Doc later, I have been working doing top quark analysis, looking for Higgs and new physics in the
high pt lepton and b-flavoured jets events at CDF. I also inherited the light renovation, maintenance and calibration of the hadron
calorimeter during the Run2 of the experiment.
After the shut down of the Tevatron and the subsequent disorientation period about the future scientific activities at Fermilab,
I joined the Mu2e Experiment with the Frascati group. Currently I am fully committed, since the very first stage of its approval phase, to
the Mu2e experiment. Our INFN group is responsible for building the crystal EM calorimeter detector.
As L3 manager for the Mechanics for the Calorimeter first, and currently L2 deputy manager, I coordinated the activities that eventually brought the design of the calorimeter to maturity. My manual skills coming from fixing bike … and the the guidance of the technicians coming from Italy to help, made me really enjoying the assembly of the calorimeter that is now almost fully built and ready to be transferred and installed to the Mu2E experimental Hall for its Commissioning. This experience thought me how to contribute to a peaceful atmosphere among people dedicated to an high technology project.
I used to be an UEC member during Years 2015-2016 focusing on Quality of life and Government Relations activities.
I always enjoyed working at Fermilab but I have to say that the atmosphere at Fermilab has changed a lot in the years.
The Covid pandemic, somehow, has been a watershed.
Despite the P5 outcome that supports the current and future scientific plan of the laboratory, there is a lack of enthusiasm and pessimistic view about the future among the people working at Fermilab and an objective difficulty to attract young people to join our activities.
The Lab is overwhelmed by bureaucracy that seems to be working to contrast the everyday activities, we need to have the voice of the community be listened to.
We should avoid situations like the past one of sneaking in Fort Knox was a piece of cake with respect to earn Fermilab access.
I will try to bring the perspective of a “frequent flyer” user to the UEC and convey the importance of a multi-cultural identity of the lab and the need to restore a Community feeling among us.