Research activity
Francesco Riggi has been Full Professor in Experimental Physics at the Department of Physics and
Astronomy E.Majorana, University of Catania, since his retirement in November 2021.
He has carried out research in Experimental Nuclear Physics since 1974: at the beginning of his activity in
the field of low and intermediate energies, in various Laboratories over the world (GANIL and CEA Saclay,
France), Michigan State University (USA), Moscow (Russia), TSL Uppsala (Sweden), Athens (Greece),
Daresbury (United Kingdom) with large solid angle detectors and magnetic spectrometers.
Since 1995 he is involved in research activities carried out at CERN in the domain of ultra-relativistic
heavy ion collisions, joining the NA57 experiment at SPS (especially concerned with the study of strangeness
production) and the ALICE Collaboration at LHC (A large multipurpose detector for the study of heavy ion
collisions at the highest available energies). Within the ALICE Collaboration he has contributed to the
construction and use of the silicon pixel detector of the Inner Tracker System (and its upgrade) and of
the Electromagnetic Calorimeter. Physics items of interest within the ALICE team in Catania include the
study of short-lived resonances ant the production of light (anti)nuclei.
He is also involved in various activities concerned with fundamental and applied cosmic ray physics,
collaborating with the EEE (Extreme Energy Event) Project to develop and maintain an extended network
of cosmic ray telescopes in the italian schools, and carrying out several applications of the muon
tomography techniques, for the inspection of cargo container and volcanoes.
He is author of more than 600 scientific papers published in international physics journals.
Current research activities
Ultra-relativistic heavy ion collisions at the CERN SPS and LHC accelerators
The Muon Portal Project
Educational experiments in cosmic ray physics and the EEE Project