CERN UK Teacher Study Visit NV200
UK Teacher programme visit to CERN funded by STFC
Summary
PLEASE NOTE that both instances of the 2023-24 CERN UK Teacher Study Visit are full: however you can email to join a waiting list
CERN is one of the world's most renowned research sites, home to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) amongst a huge range of other scientific experiments, where the very nature of the universe is explored. Based on the border of Switzerland and France, on the outskirts of Geneva, CERN is at the heart of cutting-edge science that goes beyond fundamental physics.
In conjunction with generous support from the Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC), we can provide teachers from UK schools with an amazing opportunity to explore CERN, hear from scientists, engineers and others, and visit some of the most amazing experiments in the world. Typical visits include the antimatter factory, underground trips to experiments on the LHC such as CMS and ATLAS, alongside computing and data centres, as well as a series of lectures spanning particle physics, engineering, computing and medical physics. An example programme for the visit is given below, though each visit is slightly different, it gives you a flavour of what to expect.
The course itself is free and the cost of flights, hotel accommodation at CERN, and subsistence will be subsidised by the very generous funding through STFC (further information below).
The trip covers four days, starting on the evening of the first day with a welcome event and lectures. Then three full days of visits, lectures, underground trips and hands-on workshops will allow you to get under the skin of this amazing facility. The event finishes on Friday evening around 5 pm, so we strongly recommend that people stay over until Saturday morning.
Support is given both before, during and after the visit, to help you embed your learning and experiences from CERN into your teaching. In the summer term of 2024, we will have a series of short evening remote (online) sessions, including colleagues from CERN and UK-based facilities, who will be able to answer your students' questions, as well as be able to share your impact with teaching and research colleagues. The summer online sessions will be scheduled in negotiation with teachers on the course, to avoid busy periods around the summer exam season.
Key Information:
You MUST have permission from your school to attend this event before you apply. In the case of non-attendance, any unrecoverable costs incurred by STEM Learning and STFC may be invoiced to the school (such as for flights and accommodation).
PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ANY TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS until you have been both accepted onto the course AND received your first set of joining instructions
The entire course must be attended at CERN. This means that participants will need to arrive in Geneva before 6 pm on the Tuesday of the trip and not leave the CERN site until 6pm on the Friday at the earliest (ie no flights scheduled before 8 pm from Geneva). Hotel accommodation at CERN will be provided until the morning of the Saturday so as to make Saturday flights easier.
STEM Learning/STFC will reimburse or provide:
- Return flights from the UK to Geneva (up to £150 total) refunded post visit OR we can book flights on your behalf if you prefer
- Hotel accommodation at CERN (single ensuite rooms) (booked and paid for on your behalf) for four nights (Tuesday to Saturday)
- Daily subsistence contribution up to £25 per day (refunded by claim form post visit)
Again, please do NOT book any travel until your place has been confirmed and you have received the first set of joining instructions.
For any further information, please contact the course leader, Mark Langley on m.langley@stem.org.uk directly. Mark will also accompany the group on the visit to CERN and be on hand to support you throughout.
Who is it for?
This course is suitable for all secondary and post-16 STEM teachers in the UK, but particularly those teaching sciences, engineering and especially physics, up to A Level.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications for this course from teachers who have attended a previous UK Teacher Programme at CERN and also this course is not suitable for technicians to attend.
What topics are covered?
Exemplar programme from previous years (final programme will be distributed at a later date):
Tuesday:
- 19:00 - Welcome Drinks and introductions
- 20:00 - Basics at CERN
- 20:30 - Programme objectives
Wednesday:
- 08:30 - Synchrocyclotron visit
- 09:30 - Introduction to Particle Physics
- 10:45 - Coffee
- 11:00 - Introduction to particle accelerators
- 12:30 - Lunch
- 14:00 - Cryogenic test facility hall visit
- 15:15 - Low Energy Ion Ring (LEIR) visit
- 16:15 - Visit to computing data centre
Thursday:
- 09:00 - Visit to the Antimatter Factory
- 10:30 - Coffee
- 11:00 - Antimatter research lecture
- 12:30 - Lunch
- 14:00 - Hands-on physics experiments
- 16:00 - Visit Microcosm and GLOBE exhibitions
- 19:00 - Official Dinner of the UK Teacher Programme
Friday:
- 09:00 - Medical applications of particle physics
- 10:30 - Coffee
- 11:00 - Introduction to particle detectors
- 12:30 - Lunch
- 14:00 - Visit underground to ALICE or CMS service cavern
- 16:30 - Action planning and closing session
- 17:30 - The visit concludes with opportunities to socialise @CERN
How will you learn?
Face to face based in CERN, plus online session.
How long is this course?
Four days at CERN, plus three online 90 minute twilight sessions
Outcomes
- describe examples of contemporary physics and engineering such as how the principals behind detectors at CERN can be used for radiotherapy and how the fundamentals of the universe can be explored
- develop engaging and interactive approaches to core topics based around cutting edge science, engineering and computing taking place at CERN
- build a legacy, and plan local events as well as visits, linking with STEM Ambassadors, careers and research, to engage young people and other teachers with CERN and UK based research facilities