CERN, accelerator of motivation
Have your dreams ever come true? My dream did, when I was lucky enough to be allowed into the world’s largest particle physics laboratory and spend five whole days there.
François, in front of LEP's DELPHI detector, displayed in the LHCb cavern. François was given the opportunity to visit the experiment during his placement at CERN.
I’m a pupil in my last year at the Collège Jean-Jacques Rousseau in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois and was on a work experience placement at CERN from 16 to 20 December last year.
I’m so happy I was chosen because working alongside physicists and engineers of all nationalities was like a dream come true.
The first thing that impressed me was the size of the site, its infrastructures and facilities but also the fact that I was working in a prestigious, world-renowned organisation. I spent lots of time looking at the map and trying to find my way around... CERN's such a massive place !
Thanks to the people who took time to see me, I learned that the people working at CERN have very different but complementary professions, ranging from technicians to physicists.
I was amazed by their kindness and friendliness towards me. The people I met during my placement gave me an insight into their expertise and talked passionately and enthusiastically about their jobs. Thanks to them, and even though the physics is very complicated, I was able to familiarise myself with CERN and get a better understanding of its missions and of the LHC’s goals.
My time at CERN also made me want to do well at school, especially in physics and chemistry, so that one day I might be able to work in this kind of organisation and I will be the one passing on my knowledge to others. In other words: Ecole = MotivationCERN2!
