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Valentina is a Diagnostics Engineer currently working on the particle accelerator CLARA, where she provides bespoke electrical, mechanical and optical diagnostic solutions for researchers and technicians performing experiments with CLARA. Additionally, she is particularly interested in experiments within Life Sciences or for radiotherapy advancements.

Her favourite project that she has worked on is the design, testing and assembly of a terahertz spectrometer for CLARA phase II, which has been realised in collaboration with RAL Space and the Central Laser Facility, and consist of a calorimeter-based system due to provide a longitudinal length estimate of the electron bunches.

Valentina has also done other optical work, also related to terahertz, for example designing and assembling a terahertz laser-based source while at CERN for her graduate placement, and is due to continue this kind of work for Daresbury lab too. 

In this role, Valentina also designs personalised engineering solutions to clients, for example bespoke 3D printed or CNC machined holders for electronic or optical measuring instruments or biological samples. 

More recently, Valentina started line managing a University of Manchester placement student and is looking forward to further developing her leadership skills thanks to this opportunity.