Physics Ph.D. student earns top honor at Asian Triangle Heavy-Ion Conference
Syed Afrid Jahan, a Ph.D. candidate at Wayne State University, earned second prize for Best Oral Presentation (Theory) at the 10th Asian Triangle Heavy-Ion Conference, held recently in Hiroshima, Japan.
Jahan’s talk, "Elucidating QGP at Finite Baryon Density with (3+1)D Bayesian Analysis at the RHIC Beam Energy Scan Program," drew significant attention from attendees. His research focused on the properties of quark-gluon plasma (QGP) — a state of matter created in heavy-ion collisions — and utilized advanced statistical modeling to interpret data from the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) Beam Energy Scan program.
The conference, first launched in Seoul in 2006, is a highly selective annual gathering of physicists working on experimental and theoretical aspects of heavy-ion collisions. The most recent event continued the tradition of fostering international collaboration among top researchers in the field.
Jahan’s presentation stood out for both its depth and its clarity, prompting vigorous discussion among attendees. The research team’s methods and findings were praised for their potential to improve experimental approaches and understanding of QGP at varying energy densities.
Jahan knew she wanted to participate in the conference to expand her global reach. Reflecting on the experience, she shared, “The 10th Asian Heavy-Ion Triangle Conference brings together researchers at various levels working on high-energy nuclear physics across Asia. As a graduate student, this was a major opportunity for me to present my work in front of both peers and leading experts. The conference also featured a wide range of topics through lectures and presentations by other researchers, which I knew would help expand my horizons and allow me to receive valuable feedback from experts in my field. Last but not least, I looked forward to networking with colleagues from different groups and parts of the world.”
Jahan wanted the researchers, adjudicators, and audience members to leave her presentation with three key takeaways.
First, she emphasized the importance of incorporating Gaussian Process (GP) emulators into the research. As Jahan explained, “Gaussian Process (GP) emulators are a reasonable substitute for our actual heavy-ion collision models and significantly decrease computational costs. The performance of the GP emulators can directly affect how well-constrained our final results are. Therefore, searching for ever better emulators is worthwhile.”
Her second point focused on the role of the Bayesian model in her study. She noted, “Bayesian analysis, a simple probabilistic statistical algorithm based on Bayes’ theorem, quantifies the agreement between model simulations and experimental data. Our analysis was the first in our field to use data from the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider Beam Energy Scan program (RHIC BES) combined with a (3+1)D relativistic hydrodynamics model. The results we obtained for shear and bulk viscosities, as well as energy loss, are consistent with previous analyses using different data and models.”
Lastly, Jahan discussed how her analysis contributed to refining the research process. She said, “We used a systematic framework for Bayesian analysis that included sensitivity analysis. Sensitivity analysis quantifies how much each model parameter can be constrained by each experimental observable. This process helps us select the specific observables that lead to better, more precise results.” To achieve this level of consistency in the experimentation, she had to work in the same environments to produce optimal results.
To ensure the most efficient results, Jahan conducted most of her work at the laboratories at Wayne State University. She explained, “Our analysis required a large number of model simulations. It took us about six months to gather the necessary amount of data. We used the Wayne State High Performance Computing Grid (HPC) and the Open Science Grid. The experimental data were publicly available on the RHIC website.”
Reflecting on her time at the university, Jahan concluded, “I think it is well established at this point that Bayesian analysis is a standard method for matching model predictions with experimental data. It works, and it allows us to place further constraints on the physical properties of QCD matter. What I hoped people would take from my work is that it’s important for Bayesian analysis to be conducted systematically across different nuclear systems. This way, we can map all regions of the QCD phase diagram. Our analysis using RHIC BES data with a different model is an important step in this direction.”
After her experience, Jahan shared advice for others who may be interested in attending the Asian Triangle Heavy-Ion Conference. She said, “My experience at the conference was both fun and motivating. I spoke with many graduate students and postdocs working on different topics and even made personal connections with many people. Even though it can seem intimidating, I would recommend presenting at a conference to every beginning graduate student.”