Annabel, a recent graduate of the Departmet of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, Mona with a Bachelor’s degree in General Physics and a minor in Renewable Energy Management, has taken her talents to one of the world’s leading centres for scientific discovery, CERN.

During her time at CERN, Annabel contributed to groundbreaking research through the CMS experiment, where she studied multi-muon cosmic events using advanced data analysis techniques. For the young physicist, who is the first in her family to pursue a career in science, being accepted into the programme was a proud and emotional moment. “When I got the news, I sat my whole family down and showed them videos of CERN from YouTube. It felt surreal,” she recalled.

Reflecting on her experience, Annabel describes the programme as transformative, both academically and personally. “I’ll leave here with experience in my field and also in a cultural sense, a travel sense, and a personal sense. In every way possible, it really is one of the best experiences that anyone could have.”

She highlighted the diversity of the CERN community, the value of lectures and project work, and the informal but enriching conversations with peers as some of the aspects that shaped her growth. Her project gave her practical experience with new programming languages, strengthening her technical skills. Equally impactful were the day-to-day exchanges of ideas. “It is good to feel equality around. We are having equal conversations; we have equal opinions. Everything is balanced, which feels really nice for a change,” she said.

Coming from Jamaica, Annabel expressed her appreciation for CERN’s inclusivity. “Other programmes are country-specific or region-specific, so when I found CERN and it said, ‘From all over’, I was excited and hopeful.”

Her journey at CERN not only deepened her understanding of particle physics but also gave her valuable insights into working in an international research environment. For Annabel, the experience was both empowering and inspiring—proof that students from small islands can leave a mark on the global stage of science.