Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Kansas State University for giving me this research opportunity.

A big thanks goes out to Dr. David McKee who worked side by side with me for the whole summer. His patience and help were indispensible.

My gratitude towards the High Energy Physics Department, including my two advisors Dr. Tim Bolton and Dr. Glenn Horton-Smith. Thursday's were always the highlight of the week.

I'd like to thank Saima Farooq for her advice and help when my project was in its early stages.

I also owe thanks to Dr. Larry Weaver and Dr. Kristan Corwin who organized this amazing and educational REU. Dr. Weaver's physics lectures were intellectually stimulating and fascinating.

To my fellow REU students, thank you for being a constant source of support no matter how many times you listened to me ramble at dinner about my project. To my HEP partners, Mario and Andres, thanks for making work/summer amazing. I don't think I could have survived all the hours programming without you guys.

To my physics and computer science professors at Saint Anselm College, thank you for being so helpful over many months to ensure that I would be here.

And finally, a large thanks to the NSF for funding this and making this opportunity possible.

REU 2012 Final Presentation Group Photo