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Editorial: Lights, Camera, Action!
Dear Readers, Since its creation, the European Physical Society [EPS] and its members have been at the forefront of physics research and international collaboration. Our reputation is built, first and foremost, on our credibility as physicists. While many EPS initiatives have spurred European, and international, activities and policy initiatives (such as WYP2005, EPL and EMSPS, to cite some examples) the EPS has remained an actor behind the scenes. In 2010, the EPS undertook an arduous strategic review, leading to the adoption by Council of the ‘EPS Strategy Plan 2010+’ the following year. The EPS’s different roles were clearly defined: as a federation of national physical societies, as a European learned society and as a publisher. The expectation is that the EPS will represent its Member Societies at the European level, will strengthen the European physics community, and will provide a forum for learned society publishers to discuss and develop their activities... [read more]
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Core of fusion experiment completed
The last major part of the Wendelstein 7-X fusion experiment was installed on 21 December last year. The addition of the 14 tonne final part of the device – the lid of the thermally insulating outer shell – sees the completion of the ring-like base machine, at the Greifswald branch of the Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics, which will begin operation in 2014. Fusion research aims to draw energy from the fusion of atomic nuclei – the same power source which drives the sun. To achieve this, hydrogen plasma must be superheated to temperatures above 100 million degrees, within the confines of a restricting magnetic field. The Wendelstein 7-X – which will be the largest fusion device of its type – will investigate the feasibility of such a power plant and its potential for continuous operation. “There are still many things to be completed before the whole of the experiment will be operational; remaining tasks include the installation of the main power lines and coolant pipes; the incorporation of the plasma heating systems... [read more]
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The CERN Council unanimously voted to admit the Republic of Serbia as an Associate Member State of CERN, during their 161st council meeting, on 16 December last year. The final step in this process will involve the signature of the related agreement, and ratification by the Serbian Parliament. Following a five year maximum period of Associate Membership, the council will decide on the admission of Serbia to full membership... [read more]
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Odysseus is a contest for young students. Under the guidance of their teachers, students will prepare projects revolving around one of three major themes in space science: the ‘Solar System’; ‘Spaceship – global cooperation’; and ‘Co-evolution of life’.
The contest and project aims to inspire and engage European youth with the ‘final frontier’, by combining creativity, innovation and intelligence... [read more]
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The European Physical Society website has undergone a major facelift. Following many suggestions for improvements, a new design has been implemented, with better navigation, a crisp new layout and more information on society activities.
Individual Members will benefit from a new feature, allowing them to indicate their research fields, and upload CVs and publication lists... [read more]
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The Conférences Exceptionelles are organised jointly by the European Physical Society and their host, the Université de Haute Alsace, each spring and autumn. These lectures, which are given in French by an outstanding physicist, address young students from around Mulhouse: both those taking their baccalauréat, in school, and university students in their introductory semesters... [read more]
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Nicolae-Victor Zamfir is the new chair of the European Physical Society’s Nuclear Physics Division. Zamfir, from Bucharest, took up the role on the 1 January this year. “I am sure with his scientific reputation and management experience, Victor [will be] an excellent chairman for the next two years,” said Zsolt Fulop, the outgoing chair... [read more]
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Nominations are now open for the first Landau-Spitzer award for outstanding contributions to plasma physics. The award, which is being given jointly by the American Physical Society and the European Physical Society, celebrates the long-standing collaboration between the societies in the field of plasma physics... [read more]
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Nominations are now open for the IUPAP Young Scientist Prize for the Commission of Particles and Fields (C11). The prizes, of which there are two given each year, are presented in recognition of outstanding young experimental or theoretical particle physicists... [read more]
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The European Physical Society Accelerator Group [EPS-AG] is appealing for sponsors for the 2012 Student Grant Programmes, to send European students to the IPAC’12 conference... [read more]
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The next summit of the Ministers of Higher Education of the ‘Bologna’ or European Higher Education Area [EHEA] countries will take place on 26-27 April this year, in the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, Romania... [read more]
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The ‘Low cost high physics and appropriate solutions to real life for developing countries’ conference was held in Yaounde, Cameroon, on 8-9 December last year... [read more]
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A proposal to increase Individual Member fees is being presented by the European Physical Society [EPS] Executive Committee at the 2012 EPS Council. The motion would see an increase in Individual Member fees by 10 per cent, for all respective categories... [read more]
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The 15th European Physical Society [EPS] General Meeting was held in Wroclaw, Poland, on 27 October last year. Reports from Luisa Cifarelli, the EPS President; Colin Latimer, the EPS Treasurer; and Martina Knoop, the EPS Secretary were presented... [read more]
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The 16th International Conference on Solid Films and Surfaces [ICSFS16] is being held on 1-6 July 2012, at the of the University of Genoa’s Faculty of Architecture, in Italy... [read more]
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The 4th International Conference on Current Problems in Nuclear Physics and Atomic Energy [NPAE-Kyiv2012] is being held from 10-14 September this year, in Kyiv, Ukraine... [read more]
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