Daniela Yano

Computational Physics and Data-Driven Research

Daniela Yano

Physics PhD student at Rice University working on charmonium studies in ultraperipheral collisions.

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  • CMS CERN Research Collaboration
  • Python, C++, ROOTPrimary Tools
  • Club PresidentRice Table Tennis

Originally from Londrina, Brazil, I completed my undergraduate studies at Barnard College in New York City, where I majored in physics and computer science.
Currently, I am a PhD student in physics at Rice University, where my research focus on the charmonium states produced in ultraperipheral collisions, which are a unique probe of the gluon distribution inside nuclei. I use programming extensively in my research, with a strong emphasis on C++ and Python for data analysis, simulation, and visualization.
I am also passionate about table tennis and serve as the president of the Rice Table Tennis Club, where I love building community and sharing the joy of the game. I have been playing table tennis for over a decade and have competed at the collegiate level, with my best results being semi-finalist with the women's team at the 2023 NCTTA National Championships.

Education

Research Experience

  • Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS)

    2023 – Present Rice University, Houston, TX

    Analyzing collision data from the CMS experiment at the LHC, with a focus on ultraperipheral collisions and charmonium detection. Heavy use of C++ and ROOT for data analysis, event selection, and statistical modeling.
    Learn more about the Li Lab

  • VERITAS

    2021 – 2023 Columbia University / Barnard College, New York, NY

    Processed and analyzed blazar data from the VERITAS telescope, under Prof. Mukherjee. Used Python extensively for data wrangling, statistical analysis, and creating publication-quality plots.
    VERITAS | My research story

  • LIGO SURF

    Summer 2022 Caltech, Pasadena, CA

    Developed a Python package to analyze and visualize the sensitivity of the LIGO gravitational wave detectors.
    Read my final report

    • Blog Posts

  • How a Club Sport Helped My Transition to Rice

    Student Life — Rice University

    Reflections on how joining the table tennis club shaped my graduate experience, built community, and helped me thrive at Rice.

    Read post

  • Fazendo Ph.D. em Rice University

    Vida de Pós-Graduação — Rice University (em português)

    Um relato sobre o processo seletivo, adaptação, e a vida como estudante brasileira de doutorado em Física na Rice University, em Houston, Texas.

    Leia o post