The Tim Huege Lab

The Huege Lab studies the physics of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays and neutrinos using radio detection techniques. The lab’s core focus is understanding how extensive air showers emit radio signals and how these signals can be used to precisely reconstruct key properties of the primary particles, such as their energy, arrival direction, and mass. Research combines detailed first-principles simulations of radio emission from air showers with advanced data analysis methods. A central tool is the use of Monte Carlo air-shower simulations (CORSIKA/CoREAS) together with accurate detector and atmospheric modeling. The lab also develops fast and innovative alternatives to traditional simulations, including template-based models, Bayesian inference frameworks, and machine-learning approaches such as generative neural networks, to enable efficient and uncertainty-aware event reconstruction. Much of the work is embedded in large international collaborations such as the Pierre Auger Observatory and the Giant Radio Array for Neutrino Detection (GRAND). These experiments aim to identify the origin of the most energetic particles in the Universe and to open new windows on the high-energy cosmos using radio antenna arrays. The research has strong societal relevance by driving advances in sensing technologies, data analysis, and high-performance computing, while addressing fundamental questions about the Universe. The lab is a great fit for students with backgrounds or interests in physics, astrophysics, or data science. Ideal candidates enjoy combining theory, simulations, and real data, are comfortable with programming, and are curious about applying modern statistical or machine-learning methods to cutting-edge experimental physics.