Caltech · Physics · Class of 2029

İdil Doğa
Türkmen

Physics student, researcher, and musician, exploring the universe from particle colliders to concert halls.

Particle Physics Quantum Optics Clarinet Art
İdil Doğa Türkmen

About Me

Where Physics
Meets Creativity

I'm a physics student at Caltech, working in three research groups: the CMS experiment, the Precision Timing Laboratory, and the Experimental Gravity group. My work spans Higgs boson physics, detector hardware, and quantum optics for gravitational-wave detection.

As a Rise Global Fellow (top 100 of 80,000+ applicants, Schmidt Futures & Rhodes Trust), I've been recognized for research at the intersection of physics and engineering, including a proposal to collect orbital space debris using electromagnetic forces.

Beyond the lab, I'm a classically trained clarinetist and a developing artist. I believe the curiosity that drives physics enriches every creative pursuit.

Technical Skills

Python ROOT / CMSSW QuTiP Strawberry Fields NumPy · pandas Git React Native Streamlit Detector Instrumentation

Languages

Turkish (Native) English (Fluent) French (Beginner)

2022

Rise Global Winner

Top 100 of 80,000+ applicants — Schmidt Futures & Rhodes Trust. Featured on CNN Türk & Hürriyet.

2024

Infosys Foundation CS Award

Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair.

2021 – 2025

TEAMS Competition

2nd in Türkiye (2021) · 2nd in CT (2024) · 1st in CT (2025)

Research

Exploring
the Universe

I'm currently working across three Caltech research groups, contributing to the CMS experiment at CERN, next-generation detector hardware, and quantum optics for LIGO.

Current Jan 2026 · Caltech

CMS Experiment — Higgs Boson Physics

Prof. Harvey Newman · CMS Collaboration, CERN

Working on Higgs boson physics at the CMS detector, focusing on Higgs self-coupling (HH production) and next-generation ML reconstruction methods.

  • Reproduced Higgs → 4ℓ invariant mass distributions using CMS open data in CMSSW (Python, ROOT)
  • Analyzing HH production decay channels and self-coupling observables
  • Investigating ML-based particle reconstruction: ParticleNet, SPA-Net
Current Feb 2026 · Caltech

Precision Timing Laboratory — CMS BTL

Prof. Maria Spiropulu · Caltech

Building and testing sensor modules for the CMS Barrel Timing Layer, a key hardware upgrade for the High-Luminosity LHC era.

  • Assembled SiPM–LYSO crystal modules and integrated them into test systems
  • Performed quality control for precision timing detector development
Current Feb 2026 · Caltech

Experimental Gravity — Quantum Measurement and Control

Prof. Rana Adhikari · Caltech

Simulating quantum optical states to study novel noise reduction strategies for gravitational-wave detectors.

  • Simulated quantum optical states using QuTiP and Strawberry Fields (Python)
  • Modeled heralded cat states; analyzed photon number distributions and Wigner functions
  • Studying squeezed light for quantum noise reduction in LIGO
Rise Global Winner 2022

Space Debris Collection via Electromagnets

Independent Research

Developed a theoretical framework for removing low-Earth orbit space debris using electromagnetic forces and lunar gravity. Selected as one of 100 global Rise winners from 80,000 applicants.

Projects

Building Things

AI · Mobile · Language Learning

Vocam

AI-powered vocabulary learning app — point your camera at anything and learn the word in any language. Built with Google Vision API for real-time object detection, with a Streamlit + Supabase backend and a React Native mobile app in progress.

Python React Native Streamlit Supabase Vision API

Finalist at Kevin Xu Innovation Challenge, Rhodes House, Oxford

Live App ↗ Equitech Futures Feature ↗

Activism · Community · Web

Love Our Environment

Environmental activism platform founded in 2021 with 8 international contributors. Organized community cleanup events funded by a $400 Purdue University grant, and created content to mobilize action.

Founder Community Web
Visit Site ↗

Music & Art

Beyond the Lab

Conservatory

Güher & Süher Pekinel

Part-time Conservatory Training

Selected as a high-potential student. Classically trained in clarinet performance, music theory, and harmony from 2020 to 2025.

Notable Performances

2025
Camille Saint-Saëns — Clarinet Sonata in E♭ Major, Op. 167
Watch Performance ↗
2024
Viktor's Tale — John Williams
Watch Performance ↗
2023
Weber — Clarinet Concertino
Watch Performance ↗

Ensembles

Exploring the intersection of ideas and form through art.

Contact

Let's Connect

Interested in research collaboration, have a question about my work, or just want to say hello?

"The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine." — J.B.S. Haldane