Editorial – Why we should keep young minds forever!
My name is Eva and I have been the chair of the European Physical Society (EPS) Young Minds (YM) project since last July. In 2010 I finished a degree in Computer Engineering and 3 years later I joined the Optics and Photonics Research Group of Castellón in Spain (GROC). Now I am doing my PhD at the University Jaume I in Castellón, and sometimes I wonder how a computer engineer can be the chair of a Committee engaging physics students in outreach. Here is a possible answer.
12th EPS Young Minds Action Committee meeting
The 12th EPS Young Minds Action Committee meeting took place at the University of Konstanz (Germany) on 28 November 2015. The YMAC meets twice a year to discuss the most relevant information of the EPS Young Minds project. This time, all members of the committee were present (Ulrike Ritzmann, Antigone Marino, Enrique Sanchez, Bence Godó and Eva Salvador) along with the President of the EPS, Christophe Rossel, the EPS Project leader for YM activities, Ophélia Fornari and the Director of the Institute of Nuclear Research (Debrecen, Hungary), Zolt Fülöp. They welcomed two new members, Robert Caruso and Jonas Berzins. The meeting opened with a presentation of the activities of the Konstanz YM-jDPG section by Karl-Philipp. The continuous growing of the number of Young Minds Sections around Europe was highlighted.
4th EPS Young Minds Leadership Meeting
On 29-30 May 2015, the Institute of Photonic Sciences [ICFO] in Barcelona hosted the 4th EPS Young Minds Leadership Meeting. This meeting brings together the members of the Young Minds (YM) programme of the European Physical Society [EPS]. Started in 2010, it encourages young physicists to collaborate, developing scientific, networking and outreach activities. 22 YM Sections took part in the event, representing 12 countries: Portugal, Lithuania, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Ukraine, Spain, France, Hungary, Denmark and Poland.
Outreach to high school students
The University Jaume I of Castellón regularly organizes career orientation sessions for high school students called “Connecta amb la ciència”,which publicises the opportunities for study and training offered by the university in scientific disciplines. The GOC Young Minds section joined this effort and visited several high schools in order to explain everyday phenomena of nature related to light.
