1st EPS Conference on Physics for Development
Convinced by the need to put forward common solutions, the EPS Physics for Development Group [EPS IGPD] organized the first EPS Conference on Physics for Development.
The declared aim of the conference was to bring together a large audience of stakeholders, decision makers and concerned physicists from various countries to discuss important issues regarding the role of physics in economic and social development. The Conference focused on issues such as the coordination of existing efforts and programmes, and the development of new ones; presentation of easy-to-implement experiments and instruments for teaching or research. The Conference provided a platform to multiply contacts and discussions, indispensable for all cooperation projects.
Almost 100 participants met in Brussels for an intensive 2-day meeting in October, including physicists and engineers, and scientists and teachers in other fields from over 30 countries as well as European policy makers.
Three main axes of cooperation were identified, reaching from teacher training, via the development of low-cost tools, to the capacity building of future generations of local decision makers.
All participants were enthusiastic about the Conference, and medium term work plan will see the creation of an electronic database of existing projects, and the organisation of the next Conference in the series in 2014 at ICTP in Trieste, Italy. The EPS IGPD will continue coordination activities in Europe, and will work to strengthen existing initiatives. A strategic workshop of the various European actors is planned to structure European contributions.
