Abdi Gebisa earned recognition in CERN’s Beamline for Schools competition
Abdi Gebisa Nagasa is a Grade 12 student at Ambo University Special Secondary School in Ethiopia. His path shows how a serious interest in science can grow even when advanced facilities are not close at hand, and how work built on curiosity can still reach an international stage.
For many students in regional towns, advanced science and global research can feel distant. Abdi’s account is different. He moved towards theoretical physics, then found an opening through CERN’s Beamline for Schools competition. There, he served as the theoretical lead for his student team and helped model relativistic muon decay kinematics, earning an official achievement certificate.
“My journey has taught me that curiosity has no borders, and passion can bridge any gap.”
Abdi GebisaCERN and theoretical physics
That recognition carried real weight for him because it confirmed that a high school student in Ethiopia could take part in world-class subatomic science. It was evidence that careful study and persistence can bring local talent into contact with global research.
Inspired by CERN, he went on to write an independent research proposal titled Experimental and Computational Search for Time-Reversal Violation in Radiative Nuclear Beta Decay. He used Python Monte Carlo simulations to model T-odd momentum correlations and filter out background noise, work that depended on persistence, late nights and self-driven learning.
“That recognition changed everything for me; it proved that a high school student in Ethiopia could engage with real, world-class subatomic science.”
Abdi GebisaBuilding useful projects at school
Abdi’s interests do not stop with physics. He is also drawn to software engineering and community impact, and he has put both into practice through projects linked to local needs. He built a web application documenting the biodiversity of Chillimo-Gaji Forest and developed a Library Management System to help organise educational resources.
At school, he also serves as a student leader. He is Minister of Art and Afan Oromo, and he founded the school’s Art and Dance clubs to encourage creativity among his peers. He keeps looking for ways to turn knowledge into something useful.
Abdi says his ultimate dream is to study Physics and Computer Engineering at undergraduate level, with the aim of contributing to international subatomic research and building technological solutions for developing communities. That ambition fits the path he has already begun, where academic curiosity, programming and service all move together.
For other young students who feel limited by where they live or what their schools can offer, his route suggests a practical lesson. They can follow his example by starting with the questions that interest them, using coding as a tool and seeking out opportunities that reward steady, self-directed work.
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