Profile
Marco Volponi
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About Me:
I’ve too many interest, but in everything I do, from gardening to physics, to cooking, I always apply a scientific method in it (and I love cooking, being Italian), Sea and Sun lover, I’m always grateful for good book suggestions!
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My pronouns are:
he/him
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I'm a member of team AEgIS
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My Work:
Trying to “weight” antimatter… let’s see if it falls up! ⬆️🍏
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Read more
In AEgIS we are trying to measure the behaviour of anti-hydrogen (which is the antimatter twin of the hydrogen atom) in the gravitational field of the Earth. Basically we want to launch it straight and then look at the parabola it will make, to understand how it falls.
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My work before CERN:
Before CERN I worked at ThalesAleniaSpace Italia and at the European Space Agency to study how to grow potatoes in space! I learned a lot about conventional (i.e. physico-chemical) and bio-regenerative life support system from astronauts, which are all the components needed to recycle air and water to make them usable again. I looked into the ones now on the International Space Station (ISS), to develop the future ones for human settlement on the Moon or Mars (have you seen “The Martian”? That stuff ).
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What I would like to do next?:
Science!
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Education:
Scientific High school in Chiavari, Italy (“Liceo scientifico”).
Bachelor and Master in (Theoretical) Physics in Genoa, Italy (with master thesis done at Nikhef, in the Netherlands, under the Erasmus programme – life-changing adventure!).
2nd Lvl. Master SEEDS “SpacE Exploration and Development Systems”, around different universities in Europe (about human and robotic exploration of space).
Currently working on my PhD between the University of Trento (Italy) and CERN!
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Work History:
Between my master in (Theoretical) Physics and my current PhD in Physics, I’ve studied human and robotic space exploration, and worked two years in ThalesAleniaSpace in Italy, and two years at the European Space Agency centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, to study how to grow potatoes in space! Learned a lot about space, human and plant physiology, space systems, Mars, Moon, etc. etc.
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Job title:
PhD student
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Employer:
University of Trento and CERN
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
all-round scientist
What did you want to be after you left school?
scientist
Were you ever in trouble at school?
well, who wasn't, in a way or another?
What's your favourite food?
Pasta, of course!
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