‍‍Qi Yan is an experimental high-energy physicist at the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP), Chinese Academy of Sciences. He earned his Ph.D. in Particle and Nuclear Physics from IHEP in July 2014, having conducted research at CERN from 2011 to 2014. Following his doctorate, he joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a postdoctoral researcher. He was promoted to Research Scientist in December 2017 and later to Principal Research Scientist in April 2021. In April 2024, he was recruited as a full Professor at IHEP through the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Overseas High-Level Talent Program.

Before returning to China, Qi Yan dedicated 13 years to the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) experiment, a unique long-duration magnetic spectrometer operating aboard the International Space Station. The AMS's primary objectives include measuring cosmic-ray energy spectra to understand dark matter, antimatter, and cosmic ray origins, while exploring new physics phenomena.

During his tenure at MIT, Qi Yan was a core member of the AMS international research team. He led the development of sophisticated detector reconstruction algorithms, including comprehensive software packages for the silicon tracker detector and the time-of-flight detector. His work overcame numerous technical challenges of a large precision particle magnetic spectrometer in the complex space environment, achieving an extraordinary spatial resolution of 5 microns for the tracker and a time resolution of 48 picoseconds for the time-of-flight detector, redefining the AMS detector's capabilities. These contributions served as the cornerstone for AMS data reconstruction, simulation, and analysis for the entire collaboration.

In addition to his technical contributions, Qi Yan significantly impacted AMS’s physics analysis, focusing on measuring cosmic nuclei fluxes and searching for new physics phenomena. His work resulted in 9 highly cited publications in Physical Review Letters, including 4 “Editors' Suggestions” and 3 “Featured in Physics,” along with 1 publication in Physics Reports. These contributions represent the largest number of AMS publications by a single person, significantly advancing the collaboration’s research.

Upon returning to China in April 2024, Qi Yan will continue to lead AMS detector development and physical analysis. He will take major responsibilities in planning China’s next-generation large circular electron-positron collider (CEPC) project. The CEPC aims to position China at the forefront of global high-energy physics, making substantial contributions to fundamental physics research worldwide. At IHEP, Qi Yan focuses on detector design and development, particularly the critical technologies for CEPC detectors, helping to build a world-class experimental platform. Additionally, he will promote international cooperation in both the AMS and future CEPC experiments.

High Energy Physics

Astroparticle Physics

Experiments:  Circular Electron Position Collider (CEPC), Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS)

2009/09-2014/07 | Institute of High Energy Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences | Ph.D. in Particle and Nuclear Physics

2024/04-Present  | Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences | Professor

2021/04-2024/04 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Principal Research Scientist

2017/12-2021/04 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Research Scientist

2016/01-2017/11 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Postdoctoral Associate

2014/08-2015/12 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Research Affiliate

   

Featured Instrumentation Publications:

(1).  Q. Yan (Corresponding Author) and V. Choutko, Alignment of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) in space, Eur. Phys. J. C 83, 245 (2023).

(2)  Q. Yan (Corresponding Author), V. Choutko, A. Oliva, and M. Paniccia, Measurements of nuclear interaction cross sections with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station, Nuclear Physics A 996, 121712 (2020).

(3)  G. Ambrosi, V. Choutko, C. Delgado, A. Oliva, Q. Yan (Corresponding Author), and Y. Li, The spatial resolution of the silicon tracker of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 869, 29 (2017).

(4)  J. Berdugo, V. Choutko, C. Delgado, and Q. Yan (Corresponding Author), Determination of the rigidity scale of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 869, 10 (2017).

(5)  V. Bindi, G.M. Chen, H.S. Chen, E. Choumilov, V. Choutko, A. Contin, A. Lebedev, Y.S. Lu, N. Masi, A. Oliva, F. Palmonari, L. Quadrani, and Q. Yan (Corresponding Author), Calibration and performance of the AMS-02 time of flight detector in space, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 743, 22 (2014).

 

Featured Physics Publications:

(1)  M. Aguilar et al., Properties of Cosmic-Ray Sulfur and Determination of the Composition of Primary Cosmic- Ray Carbon, Neon, Magnesium, and Sulfur: Ten-Year Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 211002 (2023).  (analysis result was used for AMS publication)

(2)  M. Aguilar et al., Properties of a New Group of Cosmic Nuclei: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on Sodium, Aluminum, and Nitrogen, Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 021101 (2021). (analysis result was used for AMS publication)

(3)  M. Aguilar et al., Properties of Heavy Secondary Fluorine Cosmic Rays: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 081102 (2021).  (Editors’ Suggestion, analysis result was used for AMS publication)

(4)  M. Aguilar et al., Properties of Iron Primary Cosmic Rays: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 041104 (2021). (Featured in Physics, analysis result was used for AMS publication)

(5)  M. Aguilar et al., The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) on the international space station: Part II— Results from the first seven years, Physics Reports 894, 1-116 (2021). (analysis result was used for AMS publication)

(6)  M. Aguilar et al., Properties of Neon, Magnesium, and Silicon Primary Cosmic Rays Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 211102 (2020).  (Editors’ Suggestion, Featured in Physics, analysis result was used for AMS publication)

(7)  M. Aguilar et al., Precision Measurement of Cosmic-Ray Nitrogen and its Primary and Secondary Components with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station, Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 051103 (2018). (analysis result was used for AMS publication)

(8)  M. Aguilar et al., Observation of New Properties of Secondary Cosmic Rays Lithium, Beryllium, and Boron by AMS on the International Space Station, Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 021101 (2018). (Editors’ Suggestion, Featured in Physics, analysis result was used for AMS publication)

(9)  M. Aguilar et al., Observation of the Identical Rigidity Dependence of He, C, and O Cosmic Rays at High Rigidities by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station, Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 251101 (2017). (analysis result was used for AMS publication)

(10)  M. Aguilar et al., Precision Measurement of the Helium Flux in Primary Cosmic Rays of Rigidities 1.9 GV to 3 TV with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station, Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 211101 (2015).  (Editors’ Suggestion, analysis result was used for AMS publication)

Particle detector technology and particle physics experiments‍‍

‍‍(1) 38th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC 2023), Jul 26-Aug 3, 2023, Nagoya, Japan

  Properties of Secondary Cosmic Ray Nuclei: Eleven-year Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.

(2) Nuclear and Particle Physics Colloquium (NPPC), April 24, 2023, Cambridge, MA, U.S.A

  Invited talk: Measurements of the Cosmic Ray Nuclei with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS).

(3) 44th COSPAR Scientific Assembly (COSPAR 2022), Jul 16-24, 2022, Athens, Greece

  Invited talk: Unique Properties of Secondary Cosmic Rays.

(4) 41st International Conference on High Energy Physics (ICHEP 2022), Jul 6-13, 2022, Bologna,Italy

  Unique Properties of Primary Cosmic Rays: Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.

(5) 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC 2021), Jul 12-23, 2021, Berlin, Germany

  Properties of Heavy Secondary Fluorine Cosmic Rays Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.

(6) 43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly (COSPAR 2021), Jan 28-Feb 4, 2021, Sydney, Australia

  Measurement of the Iron flux in Primary Cosmic Rays with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station.

(7) 40th International Conference on High Energy Physics (ICHEP 2020), Jul 28- Aug 6, 2020, Prague, Czech Republic

  New Properties of Neon, Magnesium, Silicon, and Sulfur Primary Cosmic Rays observed by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station.

(8) XSCRC2019: 2nd Cross sections for Cosmic Rays @ CERN workshop, Nov 13-15, 2019, CERN, Switzerland

  Invited talk: Cross section measurements with AMS-02.

(9) Meeting of the Division of Particles & Fields of the American Physical Society, Jul 29- Aug 2, 2019, Boston, USA

  Properties of cosmic-ray primary nuclei by AMS on ISS.

(10) 36th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC 2019), Jul 24-Aug 1, 2019, Madison, USA

  Properties of Primary Cosmic Rays Neon, Magnesium, and Silicon Measured with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the ISS.

  Properties of Primary Protons, Helium, Carbon, and Oxygen Nuclei Measured with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the ISS.

(11) 42nd COSPAR Scientific Assembly (COSPAR 2018), Jul 2018, Pasadena, USA

  Observation of New Properties of Secondary Cosmic Rays Lithium, Beryllium, and Boron by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station.

(12) 21st Particles and Nuclei International Conference, PANIC-2017, Sep 2017, Beijing, China

  Invited talk: Particles and Nuclei from the Cosmos.

(13) 35th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC 2017), Jul 12-20, 2017, Busan, Korea

  Precision Measurements of Carbon and Oxygen Fluxes with AMS.

(14) XSCRC2017: 1st Cross sections for Cosmic Rays @ CERN workshop, Mar 29-31, 2017, CERN, Switzerland

  Invited talk: Cosmic rays nuclei measurements with AMS.

(15) TeV Particle Astrophysics, Sep 2016, CERN, Switzerland

  Precision Measurement of Nuclei Fluxes and their Ratios in Cosmic Rays with AMS.‍‍

AMS collaboration