COSMIC WISPER:
Olga Mena
Current position:
IFIC (CSIC-University of Valencia)
Affiliation:
Investigador Cientifico
Field of research:
Cosmology, Astroparticle Physics (Neutrinos, Dark matter and Dark energy)
What is your career trajectory to date?
I finished my PhD in 2022 in Madrid Autonoma University. Afet I spent 3 years as a postdoctoral researcher at the Fermilab National laboratory, in the US. Then I moved with a Marie Curie for 2 years in Rome University I La Sapienza. In 2008 I came back to Spain to the Institute of Space and Sciences in Barcelona, after I moved to IFIC in Valencia
What are the most exciting open questions in your research area?
I would like to know what is our universe’s fate! For that, we need to identify what data matter and dark energy are. Dark matter could be made of WISP particles, for instance! Neutrinos are also very exciting particles, as they show very very tiny masses and very weak interactions. Cosmological bounds on their masses are reaching the expected predictions by oscillation experiments. If no positive signal is found, this could be hiding exotic interactions in the neutrino sector, among others. I also enjoy dissemination and outreach activities. One day I would like to write a book about Cecilia Payne.
What role do you think a network like COSMIC WISPers can play in developing WISP searches in Europe ?
I think that is a robust network with many researchers that cover the full spectrum of WISP searches. This makes a strong case for networks as ours, and we complement each other and enjoy learning from the other’s expertise.
