Spotlight: The Making of a Particle Physicist

Name: Koloina A. Randrianarivony
Job Title: Research Assistant, Department of Physics, Syracuse University.

Educational Background:
High-School: Institution Sainte Famille Mahamasina, Tananarive Madagascar

Diploma Programme in High-Energy Physics, International Center for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy.

PhD candidate in Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

How long have you been working in the field of high energy physics? I have been in the field now for about 7 years.

Why did you choose high energy physics as a career path? I've had the chance to take the intensive course for people from developing countries in Italy. After that, I decided to stay with it. It is so much fun to understand the structure of the matter at a very small level.

Were there any barriers that you had to overcome in order to pursue high energy physics as a career? Ah, if it was in my country, I will list tons of barriers. Here, we are given advanced techniques and knowledge, all combined with the best supervisors you may find. All you have to do is to be always productive.

Before coming to SU, what other types of experience in this field did you have? I did my undergrad studies in the field of Nuclear Physics. After that, I spent a year in Italy to do a diploma programme to enter the field.

Was there any person or event that inspired you to follow this career path? It is partly my father; he was a Professor of Physics. In the house, everyone was scientifically oriented.

Is there any advice you may have for today's high school students regarding a career in the sciences? If you think that you have enough background and love for the field, you should really go for it. In any case, sciences have many spin off and always rewarding.