New insights in accelerator-driven systems
As part of EUCARD2 activities, and co-sponsored by EPS Technology and Innovation Group (TIG), a workshop on the status of new developments in Accelerator-Driven Systems or ADS was held at CERN on February 7-9.
Nominations open for Flerov Prize for nuclear physics
Nominations are now open for the 2013 G.N. Flerov Prize. The commendation is to be given to individuals in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of nuclear physics. The award – which is sponsored by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research [JINR] – was established in 1992 in memory of Georgy Nikolaevich Flerov, the Russian nuclear physicist after whom the 114th chemical element, Flerovium, and the JINR Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions – in which it was discovered – have been named. The prize will be presented on the occasion of Flerov’s 100th birthday anniversary on 2 March 2013…
European Court of Auditors prints Horizon 2020 opinion
An opinion on the Rules for Participation and Dissemination for Horizon 2020 has been published by the European Court of Auditors [ECA] on 25 July this year. The document recognizes the efforts made by the European Commission to simplify the rules for participation in the Horizon 2020 research funding programme, which will begin in 2014.
The ECA opinion’s recommendations for Horizon 2020 include…
PETRA III X-ray microscope reveals to record resolution
PETRA III is now the world’s most advanced X-ray microscope, with a record-breaking resolution of 10 nanometres. The light source – located at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron [DESY] – can see down to structures ten thousand times thinner than a human hair.
The apparatus – which is already available to users – has many possible applications, including such uses as: imaging the structure of microchips, investigating carbon nanotubes and studying the chemistry of catalyst nanoparticles…
PhysHOME 2012
Physics by Hands-On Minds-on Experiments [PhysHOME] was held at the Department of Physics Education, Charles University, on 20-23 June this year. During the workshop, educators and teachers shared ideas and projects; compared viewpoints; and made steps towards possible future collaborations.
The event was attended by 17 participants from across Europe. The workshop – organised in an informal manner – consisted of 12 individual sessions, each lasting for 90 minutes, with 30 minutes for discussion following…
EC communication to reinforce ERA
The European Commission adopted a communication on the European Research Area [ERA], entitled ‘A Reinforced European Research Area Partnership for Excellence and Growth’, on 17 July this year. The communication answered calls by the European Council to complete the ERA by 2014.
The ERA Communication focuses on key areas for future improvement, such as more effective national research systems, optimal transnational co-operation and competition, an open labour market…
ICAN launches newsletter
The International Coherent Amplification Network [ICAN] project has launched a newsletter. The first issue – published earlier this year – provides news and information on the ICAN project and its events.
ICAN aims to bring together the laser, fibre and high-energy physics communities, with the aim of collaborating on a novel laser concept: one which will use fibre lasers to produce high energy and repetition rate pulse sources. Such technology would be needed to increase the electron acceleration rate…
Öktem elected first female Balkan Physical Union president
Yeşim Öktem was voted President of the Balkan Physical Union during an election, held in Constanta, Romania, on 6 July this year. Öktem, an associate professor of Physics at Istanbul University, will be the first female president of the Balkan Physical Union. Her term will last three years.
Öktem, is also the Deputy Chair of the Turkish Physical Society, Vice-Dean of the Istanbul University Science Faculty, a member of the Advisory Board of the Turkey Atomic Energy Agency…
European Commission measures improve access to research
New measures to improve access to European scientific knowledge were outlined by the European Commission last month. It is hoped that this greater access will make it easier for businesses and researchers to build on the results of publically funded research, boosting Europe’s innovation potential.
The communication, entitled “Communication Towards better access to scientific information: Boosting the benefits of public investments in research”, establishes open access objectives for research…
Cold and Ultra Cold Molecules conference
The “Cold and Ultra Cold Molecules” research conference is being held in Obergurgl, Austria, on 18-23 November this year. The conference will cover topics within this emerging field, such as the production of cold and ultracold molecules; applications for precision spectroscopy; few-body and many-body quantum physics; chemical physics; and quantum chemistry.
The event is being organised by the European Science Foundation and the University of Innsbruck…
EPS-SIF International School proves an “energetic” event
The first course of the Joint EPS-SIF International School on Energy – on “New strategies for energy generation, conversion and storage” – was held between 30 July and 4 August this year in Varenna, Italy. The school was attended by 70 participants – both lecturers, observers and students – from 18 different home countries.
The week-long course offered basic, detailed lectures on energy and related technologies, complemented by topical seminars on the most to-date developments in such topics as…
Editorial – Science communication: our duty
Dear Readers,
We physicists are positive that physics is the most important thing in life. We take for granted the notion that without the achievements of physics, industry, technology and even human life itself would be less productive.
We have to face the fact, however, that we are not alone. It is hard to find physicists amongst the decision makers at government levels, and even scientific policy makers may not consider physics as important as we do…
