OpenLab: a specific action targeting developing countries
The OpenLab was initiated by the International Union of Crystallography and UNESCO. It is on of the most successful recent initiatives in the development of physics in developing countries.
This initiative was launched in the frame mark of the International Year of Crystallography. It was made possible due to the strong involvement of Claude LECOMTE, deputy chairman of the International Union of Crystallography [IUCr] and the partnership of dedicated sponsors, generally manufacturers of equipment for crystallography such Agilent, Antonpaar, Brucker, Dectris, Incoatec, Oxford Cryosystems, PANalytical, Rigoku, STOE, Xenocs.
Editorial – Light to Enlighten
In our role as researchers and teachers we work to increase the knowledge, use it and transmit it to new generations of scientists.
At the same time, our global citizenship is often confronted with technical, cultural, ethical and social issues needing scientific knowledge not available to the average citizen. Direct engagement with the public helps us to understand their interest for science and their doubts and concerns.
Call for the “Lise Meitner Prize” of the EPS Nuclear Physics Division
The Nuclear Physics Division [NPD] of the EPS supports the advancement and the dissemination of knowledge in nuclear physics. In this respect the NPD regularly awards some of Europe’s most prestigious prizes. Among these is the “Lise Meitner Prize”, named after the famous Austrian physicist who worked on radioactivity and nuclear physics. Nominations are now open for the Lise Meitner Prize in 2016. The prize, awarded to one or several experienced scientists, recognises outstanding work in the fields of experimental, theoretical or applied nuclear science. Particular consideration will be given to scientific activities that represent the core of the nuclear science in Europe.
The Spring 2015 Emmy Noether distinction presented to Anna Fontcuberta i Morral
On 2 October 2015, the Spring 2015 Emmy Noether distinction was presented to Prof. A. Fontcuberta i Morral (Institute of Materials, EPFL, Switzerland), by the EPS Equal Opportunity Committee [EOC] Chair, on behalf of the EPS President.
Light and Innovation Ceremony at the Palazzo Edison in Milan
On the occasion of the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies 2015 a special session entitled ‘Light and Innovation’ took place on 16 October 2015 at the wonderful Palazzo Edison in Milan, the headquarters of the Edison corporation. It was organized by Edison SpA and the Foundation Alessandro Volta, in collaboration with the European Physical Society and the Italian Physical Society. Edison SpA is Europe’s oldest energy company, and today is one of the industry leaders in Italy and Europe with business focusing on electric power and hydrocarbon exploration and production. The Alessandro Volta Foundation is located at Lake Como and has a school of Advanced Studies where scientific events are organized to promote excellence in training and research.
International Year of Light news
“Highlights of Physics” event in Germany
Call for entries for IYL 2015 Film Festival
IYL 2015 celebrations in Franche-Comté, France, and IYL 2015 activities in Hungary
LIGHT2015 Project Updates
EPS Special Activity Fund
The European Physical Society is in the process of setting up a Special Activity Fund to support actions that are not in the mainstream of EPS tasks or that need special financing beyond the regular EPS budget. This Fund will be comprised of contributions from EPS Individual Members and other private sponsors and donors. The EPS hopes to mobilise the support of its network of over 130’000 physicist who can contribute, through their individual donations, to projects not only in Europe but also in developing countries. The Fund will be supervised by an independent group of persons, external to the EPS Executive Committee and checked regularly by an external audit
Meeting of Member Society Presidents
On 2 October 2015, Christophe Rossel welcomed Presidents and representatives from 23 EPS Member societies to discuss and elaborate EPS actions on a European level in the coming years. In order to provide background and context, three introductory talks were provided.T. Karapiperis, Head of Unit, EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service, Scientific Foresight Unit (STOA), European Parliament presented Technology Assessment and Scientific Foresight in the European Parliament: STOA’s mission, structure and activities. The talk focused on the role of the STOA (Science and Technology Options Assessment), which is an interface between science and policy making. The STOA is an official body of the EU Parliament launched in 1987. It studies the medium to long term impact of science and technology on society. It is in the agenda setting phase of the science policy cycle.
EPS Executive Committee meeting in Brussels
The EPS Executive Committee met in Brussels on 17-20 October 2015. The meeting was chaired by the EPS President, C. Rossel. The Members of the Executive Committee present were: A. Bracco, L. Di Ciaccio, A. Friberg, Z. Fulop, C. Hidalgo, G. Leuchs, E. Rachlew, M. Reiffers and F. Saunders. Excused were J. Dudley, T. Müller, and S. Sotiriou. Invited were E. van Groningen, C. Latimer, D. Lee, and V. Velasco.
New chair for the EPS Physics for Development Group
The group has a new chairman, Ernst van Groningen. He is the director of the physics program at the International Science Program [ISP] located in Uppsala, Sweden. He is a renowned scientist and an expert in the scientific cooperation with developing countries.
The group needs to better define its positioning and to think and design new action types by particularly promoting the application of new methods or/and new technologies to create a better situation for physics in developing countries.
EPS Young Minds Session at EuNPC
In the early stage of their training, young researchers need to learn a lot of skills for their future career. In order to assist with these challenges, the EPS Young Mind Project organised a special session at the European Nuclear Physics Conference, which took place in September in Groningen (NL). In this session invited speakers gave overview talks to train young scientists for their professional knowledge as well as in promoting science.
An introduction of the Young Minds Project was given by Ulrike Ritzmann highlighting the fast growth of the project in the last five years and the variety of different actions of the self-organised sections. More than 30 self-organised sections in Europe engage in outreach activities, seminars and workshops to promote science and to broaden the knowledge in science and beyond train their professional skills.
AIP Women in Physics Lecture Tour: call for nominations 2016
The Australian Institute of Physics Women in Physics Lecture Tour celebrates the contribution of women to advances in physics. Under this scheme, a woman who has made a significant contribution in a field of physics will be selected to present lectures in venues arranged by each participating branch of the AIP. Nominations are currently sought for the AIP WIP Lecturer for 2016.
