As promised, but maybe a little delayed, I wanted to continue to share with the Quantum Diaries readers some of the buildings, sites, and people that have helped make my experience here at Fermilab amazing. So this entry I thought I would highlight someone whom every CDF’er knows and loves
Dee Hahn
As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts First Collisions there is photographic evidence of Dee being here ever since the beginning.
If you have ever wondered into the collision hall at CDF for any amount of time, then you know Dee. She is the unofficial (but I think most would agree she is the official) mom to CDF. She performs many of the operational duties at CDF, not the least of which is safety coordination and making sure radiation training is done by anyone who needs to be working on the detector.
While her official title may be “Safety/Training/Video Conferencing Coordinator”, I think of her more as the keeper of spirit at CDF. My first exposure to Dee was right before I had to go on for my round of ACE shifts (Data Quality Monitoring at CDF) and I needed to complete my radiation safety training. Even though I’m sure this was her billionth time helping some “green around the gills” graduate student she patiently and encouragingly made sure I knew when and where I needed to be to complete my training.
Dee Hahn "CDF's Heart"
The Friday before I was to start my first round of ACE shifts the Operations crew has a going away party for the previous round of ACE’s at the Fermilab Users Center. I was invited to join and so I rode my bicycle there at around 5:30pm. The previous round of ACE’s (Homer Wolfe who is my grandfather ACE and fellow QD blogger) were there along with Dee and her husband Steve (another essential operations person). Some people had brought food and they were exchanging funny stories over a few beers when I struck up a conversation with Dee.
She then regaled me with some of the best stories about the many characters on CDF (a few nuggets about my advisor were especially priceless) and the different things that Dee does to help the quality of life around CDF.
She helps organize the pool schedule at Fermilab so everyone can take full advantage, helps new foreign students find places to go and people to connect with, and organizes trips around the city of Chicago so we can have some fun when we aren’t locked in the control room, and participates/helps organize the Fermilab Triathlon every year.
Her charm and caring were evident at once and through many days in the months that followed I got to know Dee a little and hear about the history of what has become this amazing collaboration. Through good and bad Dee has been a constant looking out for the little guy and improving the quality of life. To some she may seem brash and direct, but it is so evident that it comes out of a passion for her job and the collaboration that I relish in her style.
I heard it once said, “If you don’t know who Dee Hahn is, then you’re not really part of CDF.” After being around her I now understand what that means. If any of the people out in physics land have their own stories about Dee to share I encourage you to comment. If you find yourself touring/passing through Fermilab try to find her and if she isn’t busy see if you can exchange some stories, you won’t regret it. (However, if she is busy best to stay out of her way…you’ll thank me later)
