Glen Cowan

Glen Cowan
Name	Glen Cowan
Birth date	1960s
Nationality	British
Fields	Physics, Statistics
Workplaces	University College London, CERN, Stanford University
Alma mater	University of Manchester, University of Oxford
Known for	Statistical methods in particle physics, analysis of Large Hadron Collider data

Glen Cowan is a British physicist and statistician known for pioneering applications of statistical inference and probability theory to experimental high-energy physics. He has worked at major institutions including University College London and CERN, contributing to analyses of data from experiments at the Large Hadron Collider and influencing best practices across collaborations such as ATLAS and CMS. His work bridges communities including Particle Data Group, Institute of Physics, and the statistical societies represented by Royal Statistical Society.

Early life and education

Born in the United Kingdom, he completed undergraduate and graduate studies at leading British universities, including University of Manchester and University of Oxford. During this period he engaged with experimental programs linked to facilities such as SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and CERN. He trained under supervisors and collaborators connected to research groups associated with the European Organization for Nuclear Research and the Royal Society fellowship network.

Academic and research career

He held positions at institutions including University College London, where he served on faculty in departments interacting with research centers like Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and projects at the Large Hadron Collider. His research appointments involved collaborations with international experiments and laboratories, including CERN, Fermilab, and partnerships with groups at Stanford University and Imperial College London. He has participated in working groups of the Particle Data Group and contributed to methodological efforts alongside members of the American Physical Society and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. His roles incorporated service on editorial boards for journals connected to Physical Review Letters and Journal of High Energy Physics.

Contributions to statistics in particle physics

He developed and popularized implementations of frequentist and Bayesian techniques tailored to searches for new particles and precision measurements, shaping analysis strategies used by collaborations such as ATLAS, CMS, and experiments at LEP. His work addressed issues central to hypothesis testing and interval estimation, engaging with concepts from Neyman–Pearson lemma style testing and treatment of systematic uncertainties as handled in documents from groups like the Particle Physics Data Grid and the International Committee for Future Accelerators. He contributed to methodologies for combining results across channels and experiments, influencing combination procedures used by consortia including the Tevatron collaborations and the Global Data Analysis efforts. His guidance on likelihood-based methods and treatment of nuisance parameters intersected with practices described by committees such as the LEP Electroweak Working Group and standards referenced by the Particle Data Group.

Teaching and mentorship

At University College London he taught courses that integrated topics from Quantum Field Theory lectures and experimental analysis training used by students preparing for roles at CERN and national laboratories like Brookhaven National Laboratory. He supervised graduate students who later joined collaborations including ATLAS, CMS, LHCb, and theoretical groups at institutions such as Princeton University and MIT. He contributed to summer schools and workshops organized by bodies like the International Centre for Theoretical Physics and the European School of High-Energy Physics, and he engaged with training programs sponsored by organizations including the Royal Society and the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

Awards and recognition

His work has been recognized by awards and invitations from professional societies including the Institute of Physics and the Royal Statistical Society. He has been an invited speaker at conferences such as the International Conference on High Energy Physics and symposia organized by the American Statistical Association and European Physical Society. Committees from funding agencies and laboratories like STFC and CERN have appointed him to advisory panels on analysis methodology.

Selected publications

- Cowan, G., et al., on likelihood methods and searches for new phenomena, cited by collaborations including ATLAS and CMS. - Methodological reviews addressing interval estimation and hypothesis testing used by the Particle Data Group. - Educational texts and lecture notes developed for schools such as the European School of High-Energy Physics and workshops at CERN.

Category:British physicists Category:Statisticians