It’s Round 2 for POPScience

The EU-funded POPScience project welcomed the three poets who are taking part in this year’s edition of the popular programme, which will also celebrate Researchers’ Night this year. During their four days of training at CERN, the three poets had the chance to meet several scientists and become acquainted with the Laboratory’s activity.

Poets Susanne Stephan and Deborah D’Agostino (top image), and Gwyneth Lewis (lower image) visit the CESSAMag project magnets (SESAME), guided by SESAME's Mohammed Abbeni.

During their visit to CERN from 15 to 18 June, Gwyneth Lewis and Susanne Stephan, both members of the Accademia mondiale della poesia (World Poetry Academy), and Deborah D’Agostino, representing the International Federation of Business and Professional Women, were introduced by inspiring CERN scientists to a variety of scientific topics – from how LHC magnets work to the fundamental laws of the cosmos, the antimatter mystery and dark matter and energy.

The poets will now work on poems inspired by science, which will be presented on 24 September at 6.30 p.m. at the “Made of shadow and light” event hosted by the University of Geneva in the framework of the 2015 POPScience programme. On that occasion, the Nobel laureate in Literature Gao Xingjian will present his anthology of poems and drawings created specifically for the POPScience project on the topic of “darkness”. The event will feature the participation of Sergio Bertolucci, CERN’s Director for Research and Computing. You can already book your place to take part.

by Susanna Wong