Assistant Professor Physics (PHYS)
Education
Ph.D., RWTH Aachen University
Brief Bio
Dr. Plum has been an assistant professor in the Physics department since 2021.
After earning a Diploma in Physics from RWTH Aachen University in Germany in 2011, he continued his academic journey at the same institution, achieving a Doctorate in Physics in 2016. From 2011 to 2016, he served as a Research Assistant at RWTH Aachen, working at the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina on astroparticle physics.
Following his doctorate, I moved to the United States, where he took on a Postdoctoral Research Fellow position at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 2016 to 2018, working on the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica on cosmic ray science and new particle detector development. In 2018, he briefly served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Marquette University. He is currently the working group lead for cosmic ray science and the IceAct prototype detector.
Research Expertise
Dr. Matthias Plum has a research background in experimental physics, with a focus on high-energy particle physics and cosmic ray science. His work involves the application of state-of-the-art machine learning techniques for the analysis of complex data, significantly enhancing the precision and efficiency of his research. Dr. Plum is also developing new particle detectors designed to operate in extreme environments of Antarctica, contributing to the advancement of experimental capabilities in challenging conditions at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. His efforts have led to several high-impact publications, showcasing his contributions to understanding fundamental physical processes.
Teaching
Dr. Plum taught `University Physics 1’ (Phys211) and currently teaches `Introduction to Modern Physics’ (Phys331). Since joining Mines, he has developed a new course on `Applied Machine Learning in Nuclear and Particle Physics’ (Phys 762), which will be first offered in Spring 2025