Teresa Rodrigo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Teresa Rodrigo
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Rodrigo at CERN's Compact Muon Solenoid facility in 2010.
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Teresa Rodrigo Anoro
1956 Lleida, Spain
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| Died | 21 April 2020 (aged 63–64) |
| Nationality | Spanish |
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Teresa Rodrigo Anoro (1956 – 21 April 2020) was a Spanish scientist. She was a leader in the field of particle physics. This area of science studies the smallest parts of matter. Teresa worked at famous research centers like CERN in Switzerland and Fermilab in the United States. She was also a professor at the University of Cantabria in Spain.
At CERN, Teresa Rodrigo played a key role in important experiments. These included the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) and research into the Higgs boson. The Higgs boson is a tiny particle that helps explain why other particles have mass.
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Teresa Rodrigo's Career in Science
In 1994, Teresa Rodrigo became a professor. She taught atomic physics at the University of Cantabria. Atomic physics looks at how atoms work. She also worked at the Instituto de Física de Cantabria (IFCA). This is a physics institute in Spain.
Discovering New Particles
Teresa also worked at Fermilab in the US. There, she was part of the Collider Detector at Fermilab experiment. This team made an amazing discovery in 1995. They found the top quark, which is a very tiny building block of matter.
Working at CERN
Rodrigo was the first Spanish woman scientist to work at CERN. CERN is the European Organization for Nuclear Research. It has the world's largest particle physics laboratory. She worked on the UA1 experiment there.
From 1994, she focused on the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) project. This project is part of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. The LHC is a huge machine that smashes tiny particles together. Scientists then study what happens.
Teresa led a team of 30 people from IFCA on the CMS project. Her team was one of those that helped prove the existence of the Higgs boson. This was a huge step in understanding our universe.
In 2010, Teresa Rodrigo became president of CERN's International Collaboration Council. This made her the first Spanish physicist to hold this important position. She helped guide international science projects.
Leading IFCA
From 2016 to 2019, Teresa was the director of IFCA. She was the sixth person to lead IFCA. She was also the first woman director of the institute. She also helped plan the European Strategy for Particle Physics. This strategy guides future research in particle physics across Europe.
Awards and Recognition
Teresa Rodrigo received several awards for her important work. In 2014, she was named one of the 100 most influential women in Spain. This was by the website Mujeresycia.com.
In 2016, she received the Julio Peláez Prize. This award recognized her as a pioneer in physical, chemical, and mathematical sciences. She earned it for her major role in discovering the Higgs boson.
About Teresa's Life
Teresa Rodrigo was born in Lleida, Spain, in 1956. She studied at the University of Zaragoza. She later earned her PhD from La Junta de Energía Nuclear. This organization is now known as CIEMAT.
Teresa Rodrigo passed away on 21 April 2020. She died in Santander, Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Teresa Rodrigo Anoro para niños
