CERN Accelerating science

     
 

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Crystals channel high-energy beams in the LHC

Bent crystals can be used to deflect particle beams, as suggested by E. Tsyganov in 1976. Experimental demonstrations have been carried out for four decades in various laboratories worldwide. In recent tests, a bent crystal inserted into the LHC beam halo successfully channelled and deflected 6.5 TeV protons into an absorber, with reduced secondary irradiation.  >>

Peace is more than the absence of war

Last week, the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG) issued an infographic that gives a snapshot of what international Geneva does to foster peace around the world. Its publication was part of the UN’s ongoing campaign to show the remarkable breadth and depth of work carried out by Geneva’s international organisations, and it was released through the Twitter account @GenevaImpact with the hashtag #FridayInfographic. Michael Møller, Director-General of UNOG, blogged about it in the Huffington Post (see here).   >>

LHC Report: plumbing new heights

Following the end of the arduous 2015 proton run on 4 November, the many teams working on the LHC and its injector complex are naturally entitled to a calmer period before the well-earned end-of-year break. But that is not the way things work.     >>

Lead-ion collisions: the LHC achieves a new energy record

After the Bevatron (Berkeley, 1954) – which broke the energy barrier of billions of electronvolts – and the Tevatron (Fermilab, 1987) – which reached a trillion electronvolts – the LHC is now reaching the peta- (quadrillion) electronvolt level with its heavy-ion collisions (see here). However, one should remember that the average energy per colliding nucleon pair, within the 1 PeV “fireball”, is 5 TeV (compared to 13 TeV in the recent proton-proton collisions). >>

CERN's Technician Training Experience notches up another success!

The programme was set up almost three years ago to help address a Europe-wide shortage of highly skilled technicians, with the participants gaining valuable skills and experience in an international environment. It’s clear that the programme works: some of the technician fellows who have taken part are being snapped up by major science projects and the high-tech industry. >>

No speed limits in medical imaging and high-energy physics

Speed, or high time resolution, is becoming increasingly important, if not crucial, in the high-energy physics domain, both for particle acceleration and detection systems. Medical-imaging technology also vitally depends on high time resolution detection techniques, often the offspring of today’s large particle physics experiments. The four-year FP7 Marie Curie Training Project “PicoSEC-MCNet”, which draws to a close at the end of November, was designed to develop ultra-fast photon detectors for applications in both domains. The project has achieved important results that promise to trigger further developments in the years to come. >>

1 report, 6 authors? Easy!

In 2016, the CERN E-Publishing Service will be testing three co-authoring platforms to decide which is the most suitable for CERN. Whatever type of documents you co-write – scientific papers, internal reports or proceedings – a co-authoring tool will simplify the process. To make such a service available at CERN, the E-Publishing team needs your help. >>

Princess of Thailand returns to CERN

On Tuesday, 17 November 2015, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand visited CERN. Princess Sirindhorn was visiting the Laboratory for the fifth time, following her last visit in 2010. >>

Innovation meets entrepreneurship

On Thursday 26 November, CERN openlab hosted an event on innovation and entrepreneurship. It was organised in collaboration with the CERN Knowledge Transfer Group and IdeaSquare. >>

CAS course on Intensity Limitations in Particle Beams at CERN

The CERN Accelerator School (CAS) recently organised a specialised course on Intensity Limitations in Particle Beams, at CERN from 2 to 11 November, 2015.   >>

Highlights from e-EPS: PiA – Physics in Advent

With “PiA – Physics in Advent”, we have created a special and unique kind of advent calendar: a physics advent calendar. We introduce young scientists, and anyone who just wants to have a bit of fun, to 24 simple and yet ingenious experiments and physics puzzles. They aim to arouse interest in doing your own experiments and to inspire others. >>

From the CERN web: knowledge transfer, sustainability, CERN openlab and more

This section highlights articles, blog posts and press releases published in the CERN web environment over the past weeks. This way, you won’t miss a thing... >>

Computer Security: professionalism in security, too

At CERN, we apply a great deal of dedication and professionalism to all the work we do. This is necessary because of the complexity and sophistication of the devices we deal with. However, when it comes to computer security, we can all agree that there is room for improvement. >>

Ombud’s Corner: moral harassment – are you concerned?

Conflict happens, and in a large international organisation like ours it is often inevitable. Indeed, when it happens in the context of a confrontation of different ideas, opinions or methods it can be considered to be a healthy component of effective collaboration. Yet, when conflict becomes personal, when it is underpinned by unethical actions and hostile interactions, these interpersonal differences can rapidly deteriorate into moral harassment or bullying behaviour. >>

Lev Borisovich Okun (1929 - 2015)

Soviet and Russian theoretical physicist Lev Borisovich Okun passed away on 23 November, 2015, after a long illness. >>

Temporary reintroduction of border controls at French borders inside the Schengen Area

The French authorities have informed CERN that, in view of the upcoming COP21 Paris Climate Conference, France will exceptionally reintroduce controls at its borders with Schengen states for one month from 13 November to 13 December 2015. All border posts and crossing points between France and Switzerland will be affected by this measure. >>

Official News

End-of-year closure 2015/2016  
Temporary reintroduction of border controls at French borders inside the Schengen Area  
Official holidays in 2016 and end-of-year closure 2016/2017  
Extension of the pre-retirement programmes  
Official News relating to CERN Safety Rules  
110th ACCU Meeting  
Family benefits - Obligation to provide information  

Training and Development

Places available – Leadership programme (up to the end of 2015)  
Safety Training: places available in November and December 2015  
Places available - Personal development and communication courses (up to the end of 2015)  
Places available - Technical management courses (up to the end of 2015)  

Announcements

Annual closure of the CERN restaurants  
CERN’s 2016 Beamline for Schools competition starts on 17 November  
CERN Shop Christmas Sale  
Please exercise extreme caution at the Saint-Genis roundabout  

Events

Academic Training Lectures | The Art of Way Finding | 9-10 December  
CERN Library | Sandrine Saison-Marsollier, Corinne Pralavorio and Michel Spiro present "Si tu devais me dessiner l’Univers…" | 10 December  

Staff Association

2015 Five-Yearly Review : one last formal step, with the implementation to follow  
And after the elections!  
Offers  
Cine club  
Interfon