Turkish universities to host CERN scientists

ISTANBUL

The Turkish Experimental Particle Physics Community is set to host the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Istanbul’s Boğaziçi and Bilgi universities between Oct. 6 and 7 to discuss Turkey’s works on accelerators and high energy physics.

The Restricted European Committee for Future Accelerators (RECFA), a subgroup of CERN which develops long-term strategies in particle acceleration physics and related areas, will be visiting Turkey for the first time, with the event set to provide a platform where relevant technology and investments in Turkey will be discussed.

The scientists will discuss the future of CERN as well as Turkey’s integration process into the European accelerator technology world, a press release by the organizers has said, citing Erkcan Özcan, a member of faculty at Boğaziçi University and a member of the CERN/LHC ATLAS Experiment since 2006.

An open session, where European and Turkish particle physicists as well as representatives from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority and the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) will attend, is scheduled to take place at Boğaziçi University’s South Campus on Oct. 6 and a closed session will take place at Istanbul Bilgi University’s SantralIstanbul Campus on Oct. 7.

Özcan said Turkey’s history of particle physics dates back to 1954, adding that 2015 was a significant milestone for Turkey as it was accepted to CERN as an associate member, which paved the way for an opportunity for Turkey to establish important partnerships. With these meetings, Ercan said, Turkey now has the chance to reveal its potential to the world of particle physics.