Welcome to IPPOG’s newest feature, "Outreacher of the Month," where we shine a spotlight on individuals who have made remarkable contributions to the world of scientific outreach. For January 2025, we are thrilled to feature Simone Ragoni, a researcher whose passion for particle physics and dedication to public engagement have made him an inspiring figure in the field.

Can you introduce yourself and share how you became involved in the world of scientific outreach?

I am Simone Ragoni, a researcher working for Creighton University (USA), fully based at CERN to contribute to the hardware-related activities of the ALICE detector. My field of expertise lies in ultra-peripheral collisions (UPCs), which turn the CERN Large Hadron Collider into a photon collider. Studying gluons has never been more accessible!

I guess the inspiration for scientific outreach came as a way to describe to my family what it is that I do every day. There was no easy way to explain how we measure particles to the public. This led me to the idea of writing "Become a Particle Physicist in Eight Simple Moves". Afterward, I started posting particle physics material under the pseudonym @quarktastic, and I have been having a blast. Seeing people’s positive reactions to what we do at CERN is all the motivation I need to keep going.

What has been the most meaningful outreach activity you’ve organized or participated in, and why?

There have been several, and all serve different purposes. From my book "Become a Particle Physicist in Eight Simple Moves", to more recently a novel masterclass program called "Cosmic Piano" that I am running with my ALICE friends from BUAP (Puebla, Mexico). In "Cosmic Piano", we show the public everything about a particle physics experiment and let them conduct it themselves. Another highlight was going underground in ALICE and showing LIVE to the world the physics we do. I love it.

What inspires you the most about sharing particle physics with the public?

As physicists, we have a commitment to show the public what we are doing, guiding everyone through the wonders of the Universe and the beauty within the mathematical descriptions of the laws of Nature—which describe what we see in our experiments. It is crucial to share this with younger audiences and nurture the next generation of researchers.

What is the most important message you would like to convey to younger generations through your outreach efforts?

The future of physics—and particle physics—is bright. There are lots of exciting new projects on the horizon. At CERN, we have the High Luminosity LHC and the Future Circular Collider (FCC). On a global scale, there’s the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) in the USA, ITER is coming soon, and there are advancements in quantum computing. There’s plenty of fun for everyone!

Simone’s journey from explaining particle physics to his family to inspiring the public with inspirational outreach projects like "Cosmic Piano" is a testament to the power of science communication. His passion, creativity, and dedication embody what IPPOG aims to celebrate through "Outreacher of the Month."

Thank you, Simone, for making the world of particle physics more accessible and inspiring countless future scientists!