Mackenzie Smith

Experimental nuclear physics, detector development, gamma-ray spectroscopy, nuclear astrophysics measurements and simulation, and radiation detection instrumentation.

Research Assistant: Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics, FRIB, Michigan State University, (2020- Present)

• Detector development and characterization in GEANT4; troubleshooting and optimization with radioactive sources; operate electromagnetic elements for recoil separators; run recirculating hydrogen gas for proton capture experiments.

Undergraduate Research, Experimental Nuclear Astrophysics, North Carolina State University, (2017 - 2019)

• Ran supernova-like reaction networks; HPGe gamma ray spectroscopy; aided in experiments at TUNL

• Tsantiri, A.; Spyrou, A.; Good, E. C.; Bosmpotinis, K.; Giuliani, P.; Arora, H.; Balk, G.; Balliet, L.; Berg, H. C.; Berkman, J. M.; Dembski, C.; DeYoung, P.; Denissenkov, Pavel A. ; Dimitrakopoulos, N.; Doetsch, A.; Gaballah, T.; Garg, R.; Henriques, A. ; Jain, R.; Liddick, S. N. ; Lyons, S. ; Lubna, R. S.; Monteagudo Godoy, B.; Montes, F.; Nash, S.; Ogudoro, G. U.; Owens-Fryar, J.; Palmisano-Kyle, A.; Pereira, J. ; Psaltis, A.; Richard, A. L.; Roberti, L.; Ronning, E. K. ; Schatz, H.; Sebastian, A. ; Smith, M.; Smith, M. K. ; Sumithrarachchi, C. S. ; Tinson, C.; Tsintari, P.; Tubaro, N.; Uthayakumaar, S.; Villari, A. C. C.; Weissling, E.; Zegers, R. G. T. Constraining the Synthesis of the Lightest p Nucleus 74Se DOI: 10.1103/d7dr-h36j, Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 212701, 20 November, 2025
• Tsintari, P.; Dimitrakopoulos, N.; Garg, R. ; Hermansen, K.; Marshall, C. ; Montes, F.; Perdikakis, G.; Schatz, H.; Setoodehnia, K.; Arora, H.; Berg, G. P. A.; Bhandari, R.; Blackmon, J. C.; Brune, C. R.; Chipps, K. A.; Couder, M.; Deibel, C.; Hood, A.; Gamage, M. Horana; Jain, R.; Maher, C.; Miskovich, S.; Pereira, J.; Ruland, T.; Smith, M. S.; Smith, M.; Sultana, I.; Tinson, C.; Tsantiri, A.; Villari, A.; Wagner, L.; Zegers, R. G. T. Machine learning enabled measurements of astrophysical (p,n) reactions with the SECAR recoil separator DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.013074, PHYSICAL REVIEW RESEARCH 7, 013074, 21 January, 2025

• “Preparing SECAR for Radiative Proton Capture Reactions" Contributed Talk at CeNAM Frontiers in Nuclear Astrophysics - (2025)
• "The SECAR Recoil Separator" Contributed Talk at 19th Russbach School on Nuclear Astrophysics - (2024)
• "The SEparator for CApture Reactions (SECAR): An Update on Commissioning" Poster Session at 1st IReNA-Ukakuren Joint Workshop - (2023)

• JINA-CEE Frontiers in Nuclear Astrophysics, University of Notre Dame (2022)
• CeNAM Frontiers in Nuclear Astrophysics, Michigan State University, FRIB (2023)
• 1st IReNA-Ukakuren Joint Workshop, Mitaka, Japan (2023)
• 19th Russbach School on Nuclear Astrophysics, Russbach, Austria (2024)
• CeNAM Frontiers in Nuclear Astrophysics, Ohio University (2025)

• Programming Languages: Proficient in Python, Basic skills in C++, ROOT, FORTRAN
• Data Analysis: Gamma-ray spectroscopy, detector calibration, efficiency analysis, Monte Carlo simulation
• Instrumentation: Scintillation detectors (BGO, NaI), solid-state detectors (PIPS, DSSSD), recoil separators, gas target systems
• Laboratory Systems: Vacuum systems, radiation detection electronics, experimental data acquisition systems