Public Lecture by Professor Roberto Petti, One of the Leaders of the DUNE Experiment, Held at GTU

“The visit of Professor Roberto Petti and his public lecture are of special importance to the Georgian Technical University. When a scientist who leads one of the key directions of one of the world’s most significant scientific projects – the DUNE experiment – visits our university, it is not only an opportunity to share knowledge and experience but also another confirmation of our university’s active involvement in the international scientific community. It is especially important that Professor Petti introduced our students and young researchers to the fundamental questions of high-energy and particle physics, as well as the challenges being addressed within the framework of the DUNE experiment, coordinated by the U.S. Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), in collaboration with leading scientific institutions around the world. It is important for us that the Georgian Technical University participates in international projects such as DUNE as a full-fledged partner, developing high-tech solutions and contributing its scientific potential to research of global significance.” – said Academician David Gurgenidze, Rector of the Georgian Technical University, after Roberto Petti’s public lecture.

One of the leaders of one of the world’s largest scientific projects – the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) – Professor Roberto Petti of the University of South Carolina, USA, who serves as the manager of the STT (Straw Tube Tracker) subdetector, delivered a public lecture entitled “Research on Fundamental Interactions of (Anti)Neutrinos” during his working visit to the Georgian Technical University. The lecture was attended by the Rector of the Georgian Technical University, Academician David Gurgenidze, members of the university administration, professors, researchers, doctoral and master’s students, and undergraduate students.

During the lecture, Professor Roberto Petti discussed one of the most important areas of high-energy physics – the study of the fundamental properties of neutrinos and antineutrinos – the major scientific challenges in this field, and the international experiments aimed at advancing our understanding of the structure of matter and the fundamental laws governing the universe.

Professor Petti emphasized the significance of neutrino physics and the role that today’s major scientific infrastructures, including the DUNE experiment at Fermilab, play in advancing scientific knowledge. According to him, neutrinos are among the most mysterious elementary particles, and studying them enables scientists to better understand the evolution of the universe, the origin of the matter-antimatter asymmetry, and physical phenomena beyond the scope of the Standard Model.

During the lecture, Professor Petti also highlighted the technological and scientific achievements associated with the development of modern detector systems. Particular attention was given to the STT (Straw Tube Tracker) tracking subdetector, in the development of which the Georgian Technical University plays an active role.

Professor Petti noted that the success of international projects such as DUNE largely depends on close cooperation among scientific groups from different countries and the effective exchange of knowledge and experience. According to him, the Georgian Technical University’s participation in the project demonstrates how a university can make a meaningful contribution to large-scale international research through its scientific and engineering capabilities.

The scientific team at Georgian Technical University actively participates in the international DUNE collaboration by developing the STT (Straw Tube Tracker), a principal component of the SAND (System for on-Axis Neutrino Detection) near detector. GTU holds responsibility for the production, testing, quality assurance, and assembly of straw tubes and super modules.

Before the public lecture, Professor Roberto Petti commended the substantial contributions of researchers at Georgian Technical University to modern detector technology development. He emphasized that the experience and engineering expertise of the GTU scientific team are invaluable assets for the successful realization of the DUNE experiment.

Following the lecture, a discussion session was held during which students and young researchers had the opportunity to ask questions about neutrino physics, international scientific collaborations, modern detector technologies, and the future of high-energy physics research.

For information: Professor Roberto Petti is a renowned physicist at the University of South Carolina, one of the leaders of the DUNE experiment, and the manager of the STT (Straw Tube Tracker) tracking subdetector. He is actively involved in international research in high-energy physics and leads projects focused on the development of next-generation detector systems. The cooperation between the Georgian Technical University and Professor Roberto Petti is based on many years of scientific collaboration, within the framework of which GTU researchers have actively participated in international research programs.

The Georgian Technical University’s participation in the DUNE collaboration is a testament to the international recognition of Georgian scientific expertise and further demonstrates the valuable contribution that the Georgian scientific community can make to the advancement of modern fundamental science. Professor Petti’s long-standing collaboration with the Georgian Technical University is founded on joint scientific and engineering projects with Georgian researchers. During his meeting with the Rector of the Georgian Technical University, Academician David Gurgenidze, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to continuing their joint work within the DUNE collaboration, expanding scientific cooperation, and developing new opportunities in high-energy physics and advanced technologies.

In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of international scientific collaboration in the field of experimental particle physics, his distinguished leadership role within the DUNE (Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment) international collaboration, and his exceptional dedication to strengthening scientific and academic cooperation between the University of South Carolina and the Georgian Technical University, the Academic Council of the Georgian Technical University has awarded Professor Roberto Petti of the University of South Carolina the title of Honorary Doctor of the Georgian Technical University. In addition, he has been elected as a member of the University’s Board of Trustees.