To introduce our P4F fellows to the public, we have decided to create a series of interviews with them, focusing not only on their research. After introducing Daniel Tchoń here, Miina Leiviskä here, and Will Baker here, we are pleased to introduce you Patrik Čechvala.
Unlike in working with particle accelerators, where scientists plan their experiments in detail in advance, Patrik Čechvala has to wait and see what particles arrive from the depths of space. He is dedicated to observing particle showers caused by photons with extraordinary energies. In an interview about the MSCA COFUND Physics for Future postdoctoral program at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, he talks about why space is the best laboratory and how cosmic rays help uncover the secrets of the pyramids – as well as how to present the topic to the public in contests such as FameLab, in whose Czech finals he represented the Institute of Physics this year.
What fascinated you about astrophysics so that it became your life’s work?
My interest in studying astronomy and astrophysics started in high school. That’s when I decided to become an astronomer. Astronomy is about pushing the boundaries of the unknown, and when you combine it with particle physics, new possibilities for looking at the universe arise. This is what astroparticle physics is all about. I have been working in this field since my bachelor’s thesis. While writing my thesis, I made my first contact with colleagues from the Institute of Physics who are involved in large international observatories, and now, thanks to the Physics for Future program, I can participate with them in an interesting project involving SST-1M Cherenkov telescopes located in Ondřejov at the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
The full interview can be found here.
