I am a physicist and research software engineer in the Particle Physics Experiment group at the University of Glasgow. My work spans experimental nuclear and particle physics and the scientific infrastructure that makes it possible: detector operation and controls, distributed computing, data-quality monitoring and the preservation of expert knowledge in large collaborations.
I currently work on NA62 at CERN and on future linear collider detectors, and I develop and maintain software for the NA62 experiment, GridPP and the Glasgow PPE group.
Contact
School of Physics & AstronomyKelvin Building, Room 483
University of Glasgow
Glasgow G12 8QQ
Scotland, UK
- Tel +44 (0)141 330 4197 (via Teams)
- ORCID 0000-0002-8047-6513
- LinkedIn dprotopopescu
NA62 AI Assistant
A provenance-aware system for retrieval and synthesis of experiment-specific technical knowledge (2025–2026).
NA62 Experiment
Grid simulations, data-quality monitoring and MC validation, other experiment software (2013–2026).
Students & projects
Undergraduate and MSci projects in simulation, machine learning and detector software.
Research
Main projects
Interdisciplinary collaborations
- Databanking (2013–26)
- LFTM with Computing Science, Glasgow (2021–22)
- POPSCL with Computing Science, Glasgow (2016–17)
Other collaborations
- PIENU at TRIUMF, Canada (2012–2016) — local wiki
- Hall A at Jefferson Lab, Newport News, USA (2003–2011)
- Hall B / CLAS at Jefferson Lab, Newport News, USA (2000–2013)
- CLAS12 at Jefferson Lab, Newport News, USA (2005–2012)
- PANDA at FAIR/GSI Darmstadt, Germany (2004–2012)
- A2/GDH collaboration at MAMI, Mainz, Germany (2003–2011)
Participated in the HERMES experiment at DESY, Hamburg, in 2005–2006, and was a member of the Hall D / GlueX collaboration at Jefferson Lab, Newport News, VA, in 2003–2010.
Publications
- 87h-index
- 219i10-index
Profiles and identifiers
- GU Enlighten
- Google Scholar
- INSPIRE ID: INSPIRE-00059970
- ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8047-6513
- ResearcherID: D-5645-2012
Scientific and technical leadership
My research career has included a sustained component of scientific, technical and infrastructure leadership in experimental nuclear and particle physics. This work has often focused on enabling large collaborations to operate, process data, preserve operational knowledge and coordinate distributed technical activity.
Roles and responsibilities
- Convener of the SiD Detector Optimization group (2019–2022)
- Director of the PANDA Grid project (2004–2012)
- Chair of the Detector Controls System (DCS) group in PANDA (2007–2012)
- Member of the PANDA Technical Board (2009–2012)
- Manager of the STFC–PANDA project (2009–2011)
- CLAS Shifts Coordinator (2007–2012)
- Member of the PANDA Computing Committee (2009–2012)
- Member of the CLAS Service Work Committee (2009–2012)
Research software and knowledge infrastructure
This work reflects a continuing interest in the scientific infrastructure of experimental physics: detector operation, distributed computing, data-quality monitoring, expert-knowledge preservation and reliable access to collaboration knowledge.
- Developer of the NA62 AI Assistant Expert Model-Orchestration System, a provenance-aware system for retrieval and synthesis of experiment-specific technical knowledge (2025–2026)
- Long-term developer and maintainer of experiment-critical infrastructure software for NA62, GridPP, PANDA, CLAS, HERMES and local PPE systems
Infrastructure software
- NA62 AI Assistant (ELM) 2025–2026
- NA62 Grid Production Management System 2013–2026
- Data Quality Monitoring tools 2020–2026
- NA62 MC validation tools 2020–2026
- PPE Room Booking System 2020–2023
- CLAS shifts schedule and productivity management tools (documentation) 2012
- PANDA / A2 / WASA eLog 2010
- HERMES runlog and HRD event display 2005
Teaching and supervision
Lecturing
- Quantum Mechanics (2012)
- Nuclear and Particle Physics (2012)
- Frontiers of Physics – Nuclear Energy / F3/F4 (2011)
Demonstrating
- Honours Labs / P3 (2004–2026)
Student supervision
- P2 and 3HN supervisions (2012–2013) → Moodle
- Synthetic data generation (2021–22)
- MC validation tools (2020)
- SiD model and simulations (2016–2019)
- Rare meson decays with NA62 (2015)
- Higgs production studies for ILC/CLIC (co-supervisor, 2012–2019)
- CSS EPICS GUI for PANDA (2010)
- Undergraduate projects (2005–2026)
Outreach
Peer review
Professional memberships
- Society of Research Software Engineering
- Institute of Physics (2003–2009)
- American Physical Society (1999–2002)
Service
- Member of the School's Social Committee (2018–2021)
Page last updated: August 16, 2026