Dr. Settimo Mariangela | Astrophysics | Best Researcher Award

Senior researcher at Centre national de la recherche scientifique, France

Mariangela Settimo is an accomplished Italian physicist whose research spans subatomic physics, dark matter, cosmic rays, and neutrino science. With a Ph.D. from the University of Salento and an HDR from the Université de Nantes, she has advanced through prestigious positions across Italy, Germany, and France. As a CNRS researcher at SUBATECH, she leads international projects including DAMIC-M and JUNO, coordinating efforts in dark matter detection and neutrino astrophysics. 📡 She has authored over 140 publications, delivered numerous plenary talks, and played a pivotal role in large collaborations like Pierre Auger. 💡 Her leadership extends to grant acquisition, academic juries, and mentoring future physicists. 🎓 A decorated scientist, she received national awards and international fellowships, and is active in outreach to promote science among youth and girls. 🧒🌌 With sharp scientific insight and international impact, Mariangela continues to influence the frontier of experimental physics. 🌍🧪

Professional Profile 

• ORCID Profile
• Scopus Profile

🎓 Education 📚

Mariangela Settimo’s academic journey began with outstanding achievements in physics at the University of Lecce, where she earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees with the highest honors — 110/110 e lode. 🏅 Her passion for subatomic phenomena led her to a Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Salento and INFN, Italy, which she completed in 2010 with an “excellent” distinction. 📖 She later earned the prestigious Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HDR) from Université de Nantes in 2021, solidifying her credentials to lead advanced research. 🧑‍🔬 Her strong academic foundation, coupled with postdoctoral training in Germany and France, laid the groundwork for a high-impact scientific career. Her qualifications also include recognition in both France and Italy for university-level professorial roles, showcasing her international academic stature. 🧑‍🏫🎓 Her educational path blends rigor, recognition, and a dedication to scientific exploration. 🔬✨

💼 Professional Experience 🏛️

Dr. Settimo currently holds the position of Chargée de recherche CNRS (CR1) at SUBATECH in Nantes since 2016, where she actively leads national and international scientific efforts. 🧪 Her previous roles include postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Siegen (Germany) and the Institut Lagrange de Paris, where she contributed to frontier research in astroparticle physics and detector development. 🛰️ Across her professional roles, she has managed large-scale experiments such as DAMIC-M (dark matter search), JUNO (neutrino detection), and contributed significantly to Pierre Auger (cosmic rays). 🌌 Her leadership spans technical system coordination, data acquisition, electronics validation, and collaborative governance. 💡 As a scientific advisor, reviewer, and mentor, she continues to shape the future of particle physics. Her role also includes active contributions to CNRS networks like GDR DI2I and DUPhy, further underlining her influence in national research policy and collaboration. 🔗🔭

🔬 Research Interests 🌌

Mariangela’s core research interests revolve around the elusive constituents of the universe: dark matter, neutrinos, and ultra-high energy cosmic rays. 🕳️ Her expertise spans from designing sensitive CCD-based detectors for low-energy dark matter interactions (DAMIC/DAMIC-M) to coordinating supernova neutrino physics (JUNO). 🚀 She has worked extensively on multi-messenger astrophysics, rare event detection, and large photomultiplier systems. Her physics insight is balanced with robust computational knowledge, overseeing national computing resources for major experiments. 💻⚛️ Her role in hardware and software design, DAQ systems, and data analysis in high-energy physics is pivotal. Mariangela’s multidisciplinary efforts blend engineering, programming, and physics theory, enabling her to contribute meaningfully to multi-national scientific collaborations. 🧬 She is also deeply engaged in advancing the technology behind experimental detection — pushing the frontier of instrumentation for rare event physics. 🔭⚙️ Her work lies at the crossroads of innovation and fundamental discovery. 🌠

🏅 Awards and Honors 🏆

Dr. Settimo’s career is adorned with distinguished awards and prestigious grants reflecting her international excellence. 🌍 She won the Bruno Rossi National Prize in 2011 for the best Ph.D. thesis in Astroparticle and Neutrino Physics in Italy — a mark of national scientific distinction. 🎖️ Her contributions earned her international fellowships, including from the Betty and Gordon Moore Foundation (USA) and ILP (France). She has led several major PI-level projects, such as CNRS-University of Chicago collaborations and the France-China FCPPN project (2025), securing competitive funding. 💰 She is a sought-after reviewer for international journals, a jury member for Ph.D. theses, and a member of research evaluation panels for institutions like the Italian Ministry of Research. 📋 As co-director of national GDR research groups and elected to governance roles, she’s not just a brilliant physicist but also a respected leader in European scientific circles.👩‍🔬

📚 Publications Top Note 

1. Search for very-short-baseline oscillations of reactor antineutrinos with the SoLid detector

• Authors: Not listed

• Year: 2025

• Source: Physical Review D

• Summary:
  This study explores very-short-baseline neutrino oscillations using the SoLid detector placed near a nuclear reactor. The experiment is likely designed to test anomalies in reactor antineutrino flux, investigating possible sterile neutrinos.

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2. Prediction of energy resolution in the JUNO experiment

• Authors: Not listed

• Year: 2025

• Citations: 2

• Source: Chinese Physics C

• Summary:
  The paper predicts the energy resolution performance of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO). The analysis likely involves simulations or analytical models of light yield, photomultiplier performance, and system noise.

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3. JUNO sensitivity to invisible decay modes of neutrons

• Authors: Not listed

• Year: 2025

• Citations: 1

• Source: European Physical Journal C

• Summary:
  This article evaluates JUNO’s ability to detect or constrain hypothetical invisible decay channels of neutrons, which may hint at physics beyond the Standard Model, such as baryon number violation or dark sector interactions.

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4. Ultra-High-Energy Photons: New Horizons Ahead? (Editorial, Open Access)

• Author: Not listed

• Year: 2025

• Source: Not listed

• Summary:
  An editorial likely discussing the prospects, challenges, and experimental approaches for detecting ultra-high-energy photons, which could provide insight into cosmic rays and extreme astrophysical phenomena.

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5. The design and technology development of the JUNO central detector

• Authors: Not listed

• Year: 2024

• Source: European Physical Journal Plus

• Summary:
  This technical article details the design and technological innovations in constructing JUNO’s central detector, including photomultiplier arrays, scintillator formulation, mechanical supports, and calibration systems.

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6. The DAMIC-M Low Background Chamber

• Authors: Not listed

• Year: 2024

• Citations: 1

• Source: Journal of Instrumentation

• Summary:
  Focuses on the development and performance of a low-background chamber for the DAMIC-M dark matter experiment, aiming to minimize environmental radiation and improve sensitivity to low-mass dark matter particles.

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7. The DAMIC-M experiment: scientific results from prototype detector and development status (Conference Paper)

• Authors: Not listed

• Year: Not specified

• Citations: 0

• Source: Not listed

• Summary:
  Presents preliminary results and technical progress from the DAMIC-M prototype, a CCD-based experiment for detecting dark matter. Likely covers background suppression, signal detection, and calibration.

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8. Model-independent Approach of the JUNO 8B Solar Neutrino Program

• Authors: Not listed

• Year: 2024

• Citations: 5

• Source: Astrophysical Journal

• Summary:
  Proposes a model-independent methodology for analyzing JUNO’s solar neutrino data, especially from ⁸B decay. This can help reduce theoretical uncertainties and extract robust oscillation parameters.

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9. The DAMIC-M experiment: status and first results (Conference Paper)

• Authors: Not listed

• Year: Not specified

• Citations: 1

• Source: Not listed

• Summary:
  An update on the current state and initial findings from the DAMIC-M experiment, emphasizing early data from CCD detectors and the readiness of future runs.

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10. Confirmation of the spectral excess in DAMIC at SNOLAB with skipper CCDs (Open Access)

• Authors: Not listed

• Year: 2024

• Citations: 4

• Source: Physical Review D

• Summary:
  Confirms previous observations of a low-energy excess in the DAMIC experiment, using Skipper CCDs at SNOLAB. This could point to unidentified background sources or potential dark matter interactions.

✅ Conclusion 🔚

Mariangela Settimo emerges as a powerful force in the landscape of experimental physics, known for her scientific rigor, leadership, and international collaborations. 🌐 Her interdisciplinary skills—from detector technology to particle astrophysics—are matched by her commitment to mentoring, outreach, and institutional development. 🌟 She seamlessly integrates academic excellence, technical innovation, and societal contribution through initiatives like promoting women in science and primary school engagement. 👩‍🚀📣 With 140+ papers, a host of honors, and leadership in major physics experiments, her career is a stellar example of 21st-century scientific endeavor. 🌌 As both an innovator and educator, Mariangela continues to break barriers in understanding the universe’s most profound mysteries. 🧭 Her journey inspires both the current scientific community and the next generation of researchers, affirming her as a deserving candidate for prestigious research awards and international recognition. 🏆🔬