The Higgs boson on tour in Italy
In October and November 2012, several researchers from the Italian Institute of Nuclear Research (INFN) and the University of Bologna took part in “Higgs on Tour” - a series of events proposed by Graziano Bruni, the head of INFN Bologna, and Ivano Dionigi, Chancellor of Bologna University, and created and organised by Barbara Poli.
The event was a great success, with over 2,400 students and members of the public participating in Forli, Reggio Emilia and Bologna, and with a full house at every event. “The comments we received from students and accompanying teachers were enthusiastic. Needless to say, we are very pleased with and proud of the result,” says Fabrizio Fabbri, an INFN researcher in Bologna and one of the speakers at the event.
The “Higgs on Tour” show was presented by Patrizio Roversi, a very popular Italian TV presenter. It included a video link with CERN, during which ATLAS and CMS researchers were able to give a taste of the activities going on in the experiment control rooms. For its third and final leg in Bologna on 17 November, the show was joined by CERN's Fabiola Gianotti and Joe Incandela, the ATLAS and CMS Spokespersons. CERN theorist Alvaro de Rujula was also on stage in Bologna, where he was awarded a gold “Sigillum” in recognition of his commitment to the popularisation of science by the University's chancellor.
Photos and videos of the event are available here.
