Particle physics develops widely useful computing skills

Symmetry: Three brief case studies show that particle physicists from academia and national laboratories find themselves valued for “their experience applying computing skills to real world problems, their capability for working in large collaborations, and their ability to adapt,” Calla Cofield writes for Symmetry. Malina Kirn’s Large Hadron Collider experience led her to a company that builds software for organizations confronted by “massive amounts of information and no internal means to handle it” when attacking problems ranging from food-borne illness to financial fraud. Jon Streets transitioned from Fermilab to a company manufacturing devices that monitor the production of thin films for more efficient LEDs, solar panels, and low-emissivity windows. Yonatan Zunger applies experience gained at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory to Google’s search engine infrastructure, storage systems, and social products.