August 2012 | Facts and Info from the European Physical Society | e-EPS
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Editorial – Science communication: our duty

Dear Readers,

We physicists are positive that physics is the most important thing in life. We take for granted the notion that without the achievements of physics, industry, technology and even human life itself would be less productive.

We have to face the fact, however, that we are not alone. It is hard to find physicists amongst the decision makers at government levels, and even scientific policy makers may not consider physics as important as we do...

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EPS-SIF International School proves an “energetic” event

The first course of the Joint EPS-SIF International School on Energy – on “New strategies for energy generation, conversion and storage” – was held between 30 July and 4 August this year in Varenna, Italy. The school was attended by 70 participants – both lecturers, observers and students – from 18 different home countries.

The week-long course offered basic, detailed lectures on energy and related technologies, complemented by topical seminars on the most to-date developments in such topics as...

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Physics for Development Conference

The first Physics for Development Conference is being held at the Palais des Académies, in Brussels, on 11-12 October this year. The meeting – which will look at research and teaching in those countries with a low overall standard of physics funding – aims to create innovative approaches in this area to benefit the global physics community...

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World’s largest Cherenkov telescope begins operation

The High Energy Stereoscopic System [HESS] II began operation on 26 July this year. The Namibia-based Cherenkov telescope will, in conjunction with the four smaller telescopes which make up the HESS observatory, study high-energy gamma ray sources such as pulsars, supermassive black holes and supernovae...

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PETRA III X-ray microscope reveals to record resolution

PETRA III is now the world’s most advanced X-ray microscope, with a record-breaking resolution of 10 nanometres. The light source – located at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron [DESY] – can see down to structures ten thousand times thinner than a human hair...

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European Commission measures improve access to research

New measures to improve access to European scientific knowledge were outlined by the European Commission last month. It is hoped that this greater access will make it easier for businesses and researchers to build on the results of publically funded research...

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Öktem elected first female Balkan Physical Union president

Yeşim Öktem was voted President of the Balkan Physical Union during an election, held in Constanta, Romania, on 6 July this year. Öktem, an associate professor of Physics at Istanbul University, will be the first female president of the Balkan Physical Union. Her term will last three years...

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Nominations open for Flerov Prize for nuclear physics

Nominations are now open for the 2013 G.N. Flerov Prize. The commendation is to be given to individuals in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of nuclear physics. The award – which is sponsored by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research [JINR] – was established in 1992 in memory of Georgy Nikolaevich Flerov, the Russian nuclear physicist...

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European Court of Auditors prints Horizon 2020 opinion

An opinion on the Rules for Participation and Dissemination for Horizon 2020 has been published by the European Court of Auditors [ECA] on 25 July…

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EC communication to reinforce ERA

The European Commission adopted a communication on the European Research Area [ERA], entitled ‘A Reinforced European Research Area Partnership for Excellence and Growth’, on 17 July this year...

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Science education training receives funds from EC

Science View is organising three training courses for science teachers in 2013, funded by European Commission Comenius Grundtvig Grants. The training courses are as follows...

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ICAN launches newsletter

The International Coherent Amplification Network [ICAN] project has launched a newsletter. The first issue – published earlier this year – provides news and information on the ICAN project and its events...

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PhysHOME 2012

Physics by Hands-On Minds-on Experiments [PhysHOME] was held at the Department of Physics Education, Charles University, on 20-23 June this year. During the workshop, educators and teachers shared ideas and projects; compared viewpoints; and made steps towards possible future collaborations...

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Space science themed student contest lifts off

Odysseus – the pan-European space-science contest for 14-18 year olds – has officially launched. Participants- in teams of up to five students and one teacher – are invited to design and demonstrate a space-themed project...

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Featured in EPN

Recent highlights from EPN:

Magnetic Resonance Imaging: a success story for superconductivity

by R. Aarnink & J. Overweg

Merging incompatible materials
by H. von Känel

Neutrinos and the hunt for the last mixing angle
by T. Ohlsson

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Symposium on Strategy for Particle Physics

The CERN Council Open Symposium on the European Strategy for Particle Physics will be held in Kraków, Poland, on 10-12 September this year. The event, held in anticipation of the Update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics, aims to review the status of particle physics research and the preparation for future facilities...

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Cold and Ultra Cold Molecules conference

The “Cold and Ultra Cold Molecules” research conference is being held in Obergurgl, Austria, on 18-23 November this year. The conference will cover topics within this emerging field, such as the production of cold and ultracold molecules; applications for precision spectroscopy; few-body and many-body quantum physics; chemical physics...

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Second European Gender Summit

The Second European Gender Summit is being held at the European Parliament, in Brussels on 29-30 November this year. The summit will provide an arena for the discussion of how gender is viewed in the culture of research and innovation...

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