From questioning the universe's edge as a child in Athens to leading America's premier particle physics laboratory, Dr. Lia Merminga shares her remarkable journey through the world of scientific discovery. She weaves together her uncle's physics legacy, her former role as Fermilab's first women director, and an ambitious international quest to understand existence itself. Dr. Merminga reveals how the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) unites 1,400 scientists worldwide in the search for fundamental truths about matter and antimatter, showcasing how global collaboration tackles humanity's biggest questions, such as “why do we exist?”, through cutting-edge physics and engineering.#ParticlePhysics #QuantumPhysics #Neutrinos #Fermilab #DUNE #WomeinScience #InternationalScienceDr. Lia Merminga is a Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Distinguished Scientist, a fellow of the American Physical Society, Crain’s Chicago Business’ Notable Women in STEM, and a graduate of the first cohort of Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oppenheimer Energy Science Leadership Program. She has served on and led numerous international scientific committees. Dr. Merminga was the first female Laboratory Director at Fermilab where she is overseeing the development and execution of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), a first-of-its-kind experiment to unlock the mysteries of neutrinos. This program represents the largest international experiment ever built by the DOE on U.S. soil. Ultimately, it will help us get closer to answering the really big questions; such as, why does the universe, and—by extension—humankind exist?This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx