The year in Outreach activities
01 DECEMBER, 2024 | By Kristiane Bernhard-Novotny
As I revisited the advent calendars from past years, almost every story sparked my interest. One story particularly caught my attention: the FORMOSA demonstrator, which came to life thanks to a spontaneous cabling campaign – a perfect example of teamwork and dedication. This marked the starting point for me to contribute to outreach for our group, and it was also the first article we managed to place in the news section of home.cern – reaching a huge audience and showcasing our work to the world. It was a fitting start to a year that brought so many remarkable moments for our group.
The year began with an incredible acceleration of events. In March, CERN’s experimental areas, particularly the North Area, took the spotlight in global news. The CERN Research Board selected the SHiP experiment as the next flagship project, shifting focus, alongside NA64, from Kaon physics to dark-matter searches. The North Area continued to be a center of attention – celebrating not only its 50th birthday but also the centenary of former Director-General Herwig Schopper. Under his leadership, North Area experiments made groundbreaking contributions, including the uncovering of the proton spin puzzle, the EMC effect, and providing the first evidence of direct CP violation in neutral Kaon decays. Another milestone this year was the refurbishment of the CEDARs, specialized detectors used to identify particle species in mixed beams, which had been in service for over 40 years.
Meanwhile, the East Area saw significant activity. Two new proposals approved by the Research Board at its first session this year kickstarted the test-beam season. On the experimental front, the Water Cherenkov Test Experiment (WCTE) began operations, the ENUBET collaboration tested its full setup for the first time, and CLOUD continued its streak of producing Nature papers. Additionally, the first part of our virtual tour of the East Area is now online, with more to come soon.
In the Antiproton Decelerator (AD) hall, a flying proton trap made waves – quite literally. BASE-STEP, the portable trap, successfully completed its first flights, passing with flying colors. Soon, it may transport not just protons but also antiprotons.
And there’s more to come! Check out our YouTube channel and CERN’s Instagram for material that is already there and plenty more planned for the year ahead.
This advent calendar is an opportunity to highlight the incredible work happening across our group and to share these achievements with our colleagues.
Enjoy exploring, and stay tuned for more exciting updates throughout the month!