Speaker: Ezra D. Lesser（CERN）
Time: 9 AM, September 29,2025
Location: Lecture Hall 9409

Abstract:
Understanding the dynamics of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) across different energy regimes remains a central challenge of high-energy physics. Hard probes such as jets and heavy flavor hadrons are powerful tools to test QCD predictions and to characterize the strongly interacting matter created in heavy-ion collisions. In this talk, I will present recent advances from experimental studies at the LHC, with an emphasis on how precision measurements in both proton-proton and heavy-ion systems shed light on parton dynamics, hadronization, and medium-induced effects. Highlights will include new results on heavy-flavor production, jet substructure and quenching phenomena, and novel probes at forward rapidity. These studies provide complementary insights into the role of cold and hot QCD matter effects, helping to bridge the gap between perturbative calculations and the emergent properties of the quark–gluon plasma. Finally, I will provide an outlook on upcoming opportunities with Run 3 data, and the prospects for a deeper understanding of QCD in the high-luminosity era.

Introduction:
Ezra D. Lesser has been an experimental physics research fellow at CERN since 2023. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley as a member of the ALICE Collaboration, investigating QCD both in vacuum and quark–gluon plasma using the substructure of jets in proton-proton and heavy-ion collisions. Over the past two years, he has focused on studying QCD dynamics using heavy-flavor jet substructure as a member of LHCb, while also collaborating with several international theory groups. His specific interests include testing perturbative QCD predictions using experimental data and probing mechanisms for hadronization and jet quenching.