CERN
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The image that most people have of CERN is of its enormous accelerators and their capacity to accelerate particles to extremely high energies. But thanks to some cutting-edge studies on beam dynamics and radiofrequency technology, along with innovative construction techniques, teams at CERN have now created the first module of a brand-new accelerator, which will be just 2 metres long. The potential uses of this miniature accelerator will include deployment in hospitals for the production of medical isotopes and the treatment of cancer. It’s a real David-and-Goliath story. >>

This week’s Council meeting was dominated by discussions about the long-term, sustainable future of CERN. Key points are progress on the Medium-Term Plan, the successful LHC restart, and enlargement. >>

The first Stable Beams on 3 June were followed, to the accompaniment of thunderstorms, by the start of a phase known as the “intensity ramp-up” which saw the LHC team deliver physics with 50 bunches per beam. Time was also taken for a special five-day run devoted principally to the LHCf experiment. This week (15-19 June) the beam-based programme of the machine and its experiments was stopped temporarily for regular maintenance work. >>

The one-million-euro Millennium Technology Prize promotes technological innovations that improve the quality of people’s lives. A series of panel discussions are being held worldwide to draw attention to the themes of the prize and to promote nominations for high-calibre candidates for the 2016 award. For the first time, IdeaSquare has been chosen as one of the venues and CERN people are invited to take part. Save the date: 30 June, 3 p.m. >>

CERN’s online maps, MAPCERN, now have the added bonus of Google Street View, thanks to the new release of images of many CERN sites captured by Google. >>

AIDA-2020, the largest EU-funded detector R&D; project, kicked off at the beginning of June with a meeting at CERN (see here). The aim of the project is to advance detector technologies beyond current limits by sharing the high-quality infrastructure provided by 52 partners from 19 countries. >>

On Friday, 12 June, the brand-new Building 774 on the Prévessin site was officially opened by Rolf Heuer, Director-General of CERN, and Stéphane Donnot, sous-préfet of Gex, together with Serge Moulon, deputy mayor of Saint-Genis-Pouilly, and Aurélie Charillon, mayor of Prévessin-Moëns and a member of the Conseil départemental de l’Ain.   >>

The CERN Accelerator School (CAS) and MedAustron jointly organised a course on Accelerators for Medical Applications in Vösendorf, Austria between 26 May and 5 June 2015. The course was held at the Eventhotel Pyramide on the outskirts of Vienna, and was attended by 76 participants from 29 countries, coming from as far away as Canada, China, Lithuania, Thailand, Ukraine and Russia.   >>

What initially began as a football tournament between German institutes involved in nuclear research has developed into ASCERI (Association of the Sports Communities of the European Research Institutes), which aims to contribute to a united Europe through regular sport meetings, bringing together members of public research institutes at the European level. The members come from over 40 research institutes (see here) spanning 16 countries. >>

As in previous years, thirty or so runners from CERN took part in the Tour du Canton de Genève (more information here, in French only). >>

Thanks for reading this. But I wonder, what do you expect? Why did this generic title catch your interest? Of course, you might read our articles on a regular basis and it is the “Computer Security:” that brought you here. But still, was there anything else? You should stop reading here... unless you believe this text is meant for you. Or if you are curious. Or if you expect to learn something. Actually, that’s it. “New_invoice.zip” taught more than 40 people at CERN a lesson... the hard way. >>

We have learned with great sorrow of the passing away, on 11 May, of Michele Ferro-Luzzi, an engineer well-known to many physicists working at CERN from the late 1960s to the early 2000s. >>