Launch of the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) Toolkit
A cross-cutting issue of Horizon 2020, the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) concept pushed forward by the European Commission (EC) aims to foster and facilitate research and innovation in an inclusive, societally-oriented way.
Nanometres in 3D
Scientists at the Paul Scherrer Institute and ETH Zurich (Switzerland) have created 3D images of tiny objects showing details down to 25 nanometres (1 nanometre = 1 millionth of a millimetre). In addition to the shape, the scientists determined how particular chemical elements were distributed in their sample and whether these elements were in a chemical compound or in their pure state.
The position of Switzerland in H2020 and ERASMUS +
The rectors of the League of European Research Universities [LERU], during a meeting in Helsinki from 16-17 May 2014, have reflected on the present relationship between Switzerland and the European Union [EU].
Although respecting the Swiss vote to limit the immigration and the consequent EU decision to exclude Switzerland from the Erasmus+ programme and downgrade Switzerland from associated to third country in Horizon 2020 calls, the rectors regret the negative impact this will have on the strong Swiss research, innovation and education community…
First beam of antihydrogen atoms
ASACUSA at CERN, Antiproton Decelerator [AD], a Japanese-European collaboration working on antihydrogen production for the CPT symmetry test, has unambiguously detected an antihydrogen beam 2.7 meters downstream from the production region, for the first time. This is an important milestone towards high precision tests of the CPT symmetry via antihydrogen spectroscopy.
It is well-known that matter and antimatter are always created in equal amounts in laboratory experiments. It is …
Learned societies worldwide to plan the future of particle physics
Three community driven initiatives in 2013 have provided an opportunity to high-energy particle “to build a compelling science case for major research facilities in Asia, Europe and the US. They identified ways to increase the scientific return on society’s investment and to spread the benefits of forefront physics research to developing countries.”
An article in the January/February 2014 CERN Courier describes how learned societies have provided valuable input into the planning process for future high-energy particle physics facilities…
In January 2013, a working group of the CERN Council met in Erice, Italy, to draft an updated strategy for medium…
Statement from the Ukrainian Physical Society
The European Physical Society supports through its e-EPS newsletter the following statement of the Ukrainian Physical Society [UFT].
The Ukrainian Physical Society, on behalf of the physics community in the Ukraine, would like to express its disappointment that the Eastern Partnership Summit, Vilnius, 28-29 November 2013 did not seize the opportunity of reinforcing Ukraine’s ties to Europe. The Ukrainian Physical Society deeply believes that closer relations with…
How much do teachers earn and what do students pay?
Eurydice collects yearly data on teacher’s salaries and the cost of studies in Europe. Two reports have recently been released, giving an overview of the financial status of both teachers and students.
The “teachers’ and school heads’ salaries and allowances in Europe” report provides data for the financially critical period between 2000 and 2013 of teachers’ salaries. In all EU countries except Greece and despite salary cuts or freezes applied over the last few years in many countries, teachers’ purchasing power stayed the same or…
CERN Council hosts EPS presentation on the impact of physics to the economies of Europe
On 21 June 2013, at the open session of the CERN Council, EPS Vice president L. Cifarelli was invited by CERN Council President A. Zalewska to make a presentation of the recent independent analysis commissioned by EPS from the Centre for Economics and Business Research [Cebr] on the importance of physics – in terms of physics-based industries – to the economies of Europe.
The report, using statistics available in the public domain through Eurostat, covers 29 European countries…
The EPS Executive Committee Meeting, February 2013
The European Physical Society’s Executive Committee [EPS ExCom] met on 1-2 February 2013 in the beautiful venue of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Arts in Barcelona, Spain. The ExCom was kindly and warmly welcomed by the president of the Academy, Ramon Pascual de Sans, EPS individual member since 1970!
Important points in the agenda of the meeting were, in particular, the EPS position paper on Horizon 2020 (see Editorial in this issue), the report commissioned by EPS to CEBR on the importance of physics to the economies…
Updating the European Strategy for Particle Physics
On 21-26 January 2013 the European Strategy Group met in Erice, Italy to draft an update of the medium and long-term European Strategy for Particle Physics to be submitted shortly for approval by the CERN Council. The Erice “retreat” followed the Open Symposium of Krakow, Poland, in September 2012.
This timely strategy document comes soon after the discovery of the long awaited Higgs-like boson at the LHC and coincides with the LHC shutdown until the end of 2014…
ASEPS 3
The third ASEPS meeting, ASEPS 3, will take place from 14-19 July 2013 in Chiba, Japan as part of the Asia Pacific Physics Conference [APPC].
It will bring together researchers and policy makers from Asia, Europe and the US. Plenary sessions will present latest research in fields such as high energy physics, quantum optics and climate.
Four round tables will be organised, allowing for intense exchange of ideas on topics of particular interest for…
ASEPS 3 agenda is taking shape
The Asia Europe Physics Summit [ASEPS] aims to strengthen the cooperation in physics research between Asian and European countries. ASEPS meetings present important issues relating to fundamental and applied physics research, as well as research in other fields where physics plays an important role, and discuss them from the view point of Asia-Europe collaboration.
ASEPS 3, the third ASEPS meeting, ASEPS 3 will take place from 16-19 July 2012 in Chiba, Japan…
