PHYSICS MATTERS! it is a fact, but it is also a monthly series of open LIVE colloquia, prepared by the Forum on International Physics (FIP) of the American Physical Society (APS)  [Physics_Matters][opinion] [SIF-article].

Initiated during the COVID time, these on-line colloquia, are part of the “Physics for Development” program, and support international engagement for and by developing communities. Since November 2020, we have produced 40 PHYSICS MATTERS colloquia on popular science topics and accessible worldwide via zoom. Those scientific expeditions aim at transcending geographical borders and stimulating the frontiers of knowledge! After the main speaker has made their presentation there is ample time for the online audience watching via zoom to ask questions of the speaker.

The colloquia series targets a broad audience, from early career scientists to members of the public with curious minds eager to learn more about science. The PHYSICS MATTERS colloquia series involves research centers initially selected from within the partner countries of the SESAME project (Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) in Jordan.

The establishment of the SESAME Light Source in Allan, Jordan, is the result of an extensive scientific and diplomatic effort, in the middle of conflict and now a war zone! Although extremely challenging, this light source has been in operation since 2008. The 5 operating beam lines are welcoming 157 scientific proposals, which were received in response to the 6^th call, which closed in September. 2023, for beam time to be used between January and Jully 2024.  

That resilient spirit resonates in each PHYSICS MATTERS episode. The colloquia series has revisited the SESAME journey from its origins (see the July 2022 gathering of 17 pioneers and friends of Herman Winick honoring his life-long engagement; or in January 2023, when Eliezer Rabinovici elaborated on the whole process, which took decades to enable that light in the Middle East). “In the 1990’s, it has been a worthy challenge to bring around the table the conflicting middle east scientists and diplomats” said Ada Yonath, Nobel price 2009 of crystallography. Prestigious scientists, including Chris Llewellyn-Smith, Eliezer Rabinovici, and Rolf Heuer, have enriched PHYSICS MATTERS with profound insights, aligning with the spirit of Science for Peace. Andrea Lausi and Gihan Kamel highlighted SESAME's achievements in 2021, while Zehra Sayers and Kirsi Lorentz emphasized its regional impact in 2022.

We have travelled virtually though each member country of the SESAME, but emphasizing specific scientific excellence. Our scientific expeditions have also opened more routes through Iran, Pakistan and Palestine [SIF article].

Beyond LIVE expeditions, our episodes delve into paleontology, paleoanthropology, and cultural heritage, harnessing light and neutron sources to illuminate the past.

PHYSICS MATTERS scientific topics also explore the societal challenges, we use photon and neutron beams to understand the structural/atomic phenomenology, and this allows the gates of innovation to be opened. We're addressing environment and health, pushing boundaries for universal benefit in our daily lives, guided by sustainable development principles.

PHYSICS MATTERS has covered upcoming projects such as Light Sources in Africa and the Caribbean, inspired by SESAME's pioneering model, fostering ambitious endeavors.

Beyond exploring scientific cases, we also focus on particle accelerators, which are the tools to generate synchrotron light and their resulting discoveries [WG14]. The ever-increasing energetic acceleration of charged particles enables us to reach today unforeseen frontiers, with thanks for advanced particle accelerators. As a matter of fact, particle accelerators are the bases of more than one-third of the Nobel Prices in Physics and Chemistry [CBI]! Particle accelerators have largely shaped human knowledge! From well-known High Energy Physics Accelerators probing the standard model, to light or neutron sources, acting like “large microscopes”, particle accelerators describe nature from the micro to the macroscopic levels.

Hence, we've spotlighted global particle accelerators, including Brazil's SIRIUS and Spain's ALBA, nations associated with SESAME. In November 2023, Physics Matters held a colloquium on accelerator contributions to Science and Society!

Transferring such knowledge will be the topic of the April 2024 forum, introducing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC), as a complement to in-person schools, to develop education in Africa, with the African School of Fundamental Physics and Applications (ASP).

As well, later this year, we will join forces with the Institute of International Education (IIE), where women in STEM are playing an essential role. The role of women in science has been emphasized during a satellite meeting in 2023 LIVE from Jordan [Virtual]. It expanded on an earlier Physics Matters presentation ,which portrayed the role of scientific women in the Middle East in June 2021 [Gihan].

These educational colloquia complement the PHYSICS MATTERS episodes, which have shone a spotlight on higher education in Pakistan and Iran, while emphasizing their local centers of excellence.

In addition, we have joined forces and gained momentum with other international organizations like Physics-Without-Frontiers (PWF), Engineers-Without-Borders (EWB) or the Union on International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP). The IUPAP has celebrated its 100 years anniversary and its renovated vision on some Physics Matters episodes [FIP Newsletters]. Similar to the FIP, “the mission of the IUPAP is to assist in the worldwide development of physics, to foster international cooperation in physics, and to help in the application of physics toward solving problems of concern to humanity is more important than ever”, said Silvina Ponce Dawson, president designate of IUPAP.

Prominent organizations such as CERN, IUPAP, and UNESCO have collaborated to spearhead the International Year of Basic Sciences and Sustainable Development (IYBSSD), aimed at fostering education and advancing sustainable development goals.

In March 2024, we're honored to host the UNESCO Basic Science head to discuss SDGs and the new International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD).

In conclusion, FIP's overarching goal is to expand the audience of PHYSICS MATTERS, facilitating the transfer of knowledge between developed and developing communities, while simultaneously empowering the latter. The SESAME light source, amidst conflict-ridden regions of the Middle East, stands as a symbol of resilience and collaboration, bringing together scientists from diverse backgrounds in the pursuit of scientific discovery. Embodying the spirit of human knowledge transfer, PHYSICS MATTERS serves as a catalyst for curiosity and enlightenment, fostering a community of open-minded individuals committed to advancing science for the betterment of humanity. Together, we can contribute to an educated and peaceful world, where the pursuit of knowledge transcends boundaries and promotes understanding and cooperation on a global scale.

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References

[Physics_Matters] “When Physics Matters!“ by C. Darve, Societa Italiana di Fisica, SIF Prima, Feb. 2024

[Opinion] “How Can We Scientists Engage In Building a Worthy Scientific World?“ by C. Darve, APS

[SIF-article] " An epic journey across the quantum landscape to the APS March Meeting", by C. Darve - Societa Italiana di Fisica, SIF Prima Pagina, 4 April, 2023

[WG14] IUPAP Working Group 14 on Accelerator Science, https://iupap-wg14.web.cern.ch/  

[CBI] "Could particle accelerators help the environment? Students to propose innovative ideas", by N. Delerue and C. Darve, Societa Italiana di Fisica, SIF Prima Pagina, Sep. ‘23

[Virtual] , APS March Meeting Satellite Sites Increase Virtual Meeting Attendance by Nearly 20%, APS Newsletter, 2 June 2023

[Gihan] SESAME: the new adventure of the Middle East women scientists , Physics Matter June 2021.

[FIP Newsletters] FIP Newsletters 2023