Dr. Matt Stukel
Research Scientist
Born and raised in Ottawa, Matt completed his undergraduate degree at Carleton University in applied physics. He then worked at TRIUMF as a radiation-effects modelling research assistant. After about a year, he decided to pursue a degree in higher learning and completed his graduate studies (MS.c and Ph.D.) at Queen’s University. During his doctorate, Matt worked on the KDK (Potassium Decay) project which performed the first measurement of a rare electron capture decay of 40K. He then served as a post-doc at the Gran Sasso Science Institute, where he participated in the COSINUS. The goal of the experiment is to confirm or refute the longstanding DAMA/LIBRA dark matter claim.
At SNOLAB, Matt will primarily work on the SuperCDMS experiment and help in their hunt for dark matter. Additionally, he will be involved with the CUTE facility for testing new cryogenic detector protypes.
Why did you choose physics?
“In high school, physics was my favorite subject. I then applied to the physics program at Carleton, with the intention of becoming a high school teacher. During my time at university, I was part of the co-op program which showed me how much I enjoyed research and led me to pursue a career in academia.”
How would you describe your work in simple terms?
“In the simplest terms, my work involves solving very challenging problems about the nature of the universe.”
What does a typical day at SNOLAB look like for you?
“Each day brings new challenges and experiences, which is one of the best things about this job. I would say you could divide my working days into two categories: underground, and surface days. Days spent on surface are usually full of meetings, programming and analysis. Days spent underground involve installation, hardware troubleshooting, and probably still some meetings.”
What is something in your career you are especially proud of?
“For my Ph.D. I was part of the KDK experiment whose goal was to measure a rare electron capture of 40K. I was part of the design, construction, data taking, and analysis, basically every aspect of the experiment. We managed to become the first group to ever measure this decay, and this felt like my first, true contribution to the scientific world.”
What is something about you that might surprise people?
“I’m a big Formula 1 fan, my favorite boardgame is Twilight Imperium, and I really enjoy skiing.”