On 25th and 26th March, the EPS organised its second Forum at the Henry Ford Building of Freie Universität Berlin in Germany. Prepared for more than a year, the EPS Forum welcomed 405 registered participants taken in charge by 8 EPS staff members and 9 student helpers. 213 master, PhD students and postdoc fellows from 35 different countries attended this second edition of the Forum. Unlike its first edition in Paris (2022), this event hosted a majority of young researchers (53.2% of attendees), mainly coming from outside the EPS community.

The EPS Forum (www.epsforum.org) proposed a series of conferences and workshops on the following topics: Atomic, molecular and optical physics for quantum technologies; applications of nuclear and particle physics to society; condensed matter and applications to industry; energy management, pollution and climate; artificial intelligence, brain inspired processing systems and applications; and photonics.

The first day (“Physics Meets Industry”, 25th March) was devoted to the employment of early career physicists in Europe and fostered direct exchanges with stakeholders of many industrial companies working in the above fields. It was opened by a plenary speech given by Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

The second day (“Fundamental Physics”, 26th March) hosted a general conference on physics, addressing the same fields from a fundamental perspective and starting with a plenary session that welcomed the Nobel Laureates Anne L’Huillier, Klaus von Klitzing, Stefan Hell and the ERC Scientific Council representative Nicola Spaldin. 64 early-career researchers, including several EPS Young Minds, could present their research during a poster session organised in the afternoon.

On the whole 70 invited speakers and round table panelists accepted our invitation to participate in the Forum. The preparation of this major event involved 40 representatives of the EPS Member Societies, Divisions and Groups, Associate Members, members of the EPS Executive Committee and of the EPS Secretariat. It also led to an efficient cooperation with the EPS Young Minds, who held a very successful Leadership Meeting, and the International Association of Physics Students.

This edition of the EPS Forum was financially supported by 19 sponsors and 11 exhibitors. It again demonstrated the possibility to make all the EPS components regularly work together over a year to promote the young generation of European physicists, to bridge the gap between academic research and industry, and to still advertise the latest developments in fundamental physics at the highest level.

Image credit: Bernhard Wannenmacher

A discussion between Klaus von Klitzing and Stefan Hell

Anne L’Huillier’s plenary talk

Coffee break at the exhibitors’ booth