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Posted By Gina Gunaratnam,
Tuesday 26 November 2024
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Author: Pas García
The Women in Physics Group (GEMF) of the Royal Spanish Society of Physics organised a symposium earlier this year. It was held in the frame of the XXXIX Biennal of the society in Donostia, Spain in July 2024. It aims to discuss issues related to strategies to increase the presence of women in physics, to make their achievements visible and to defend the interests and equal rights and opportunities of women physicists.
Pas García (left), president of the GEMF, introduced Ursula Keller (right).
The talk was entitled ‘Dual-comb generation from a single laser cavity’ - image: GEMF
Ursula Keller proposal and plenary presentation
Proposal for the theme of Dialogue 2: ‘Women's leadership in physics’ moderated by Itziar Otegui, head of outreach at CIC nanoGUNE. In this dialogue between a more senior (Ursula Keller from ETH Zurich) and junior (Irene Abril,
member of our group and PhD student at the University of Cambridge,
THANK YOU, IRENE!), the central challenges to achieve equality in
science were addressed. They reviewed the data, analysed institutional
strategies and highlighted that the process is stagnating. We must try
to move towards a new model of inclusive leadership in which the
importance of male allies is fundamental.
Symposium ‘Women in Physics’
As
part of the Physics Biennial, the Women in Physics Symposium was held
with the participation of 8 oral presentations. The GEMF symposium aimed
to discuss issues related to strategies to increase the presence of
women in physics, to make their achievements visible and to defend the
interests and equal rights and opportunities of women physicists. The
Symposium included an invited talk by Lorena Fernández,
computer engineer, director of digital identity at the University of
Deusto and STEAM disseminator, as well as an expert on gender and
science, especially in the field of ICTs.
PART 1: Moderated by Màriam Tórtola, secretary-treasurer of the GEMF.
- Marta Seror, of the Institute of Physics of Cantabria. ‘Traces and Trails: Women Professors of Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics in Spain’.
Marta
recalled that the percentage of female professors in physics is 15%,
and dedicated the presentation to the female professors of FAMN (Atomic,
Molecular and Nuclear Physics). In this study, she conducted a series
of interviews with active and retired female professors from Spanish
public universities, analysing the extent to which gender influences or
has influenced their scientific careers and academic trajectories. In
addition to the testimonies collected, another purpose of the study was
to locate and highlight female professors in this discipline. The
characteristics of this branch of knowledge make the physics of the very
small a field in which women have played and continue to play a
particularly relevant role.
- Míriam Comet-Donoso, Universitat de Barcelona, “No questions asked: gendered participation patterns in higher education in physics”
This
study was also carried out by M. Romagosa-Torrallardona UB, T.
Donoso-Vázquez,UB, A. T. Danielsson Stockholm University, P.
Folgueiras-Bertomeu UB and S. Estradé UB. The study addressed the
different dynamics in the participation of physics students in class
according to their gender. Women tend to ask fewer questions than men,
which reflects the social norms that prioritise obedience and
non-disruptive behaviour in women. In contrast, men tend to engage in
more explanatory discourse, in line with gender stereotypes that value
confidence and competitiveness. The study employed a mixed design
comprising quantitative observations (n=900) and, for the qualitative
part, a focus group discussion that corroborated these disparities in
classroom participation.
- Ana Xesús López Díaz, de la Universidad de A Coruña, “Gender
approach in university teaching: activities of the Grupo de Innovación
Docente Multidisciplinar para a Igualdade de Xénero (GIDMIX)”
This
work also carried out by A. Ramil (UdC), M. Carreiro (UdC), C. López
(UdC) and E. Aguayo (USC), highlighted the importance of teaching with a
gender perspective to improve the quality and social relevance of the
knowledge, technologies and innovations that are produced. It can also
stimulate critical thinking and develop competencies that enable
students to avoid gender blindness in their future professional
practice. However, diagnoses of the degree of integration in the
classroom reveal disparities between universities and, in general,
partial integration. Among the causes identified are the lack of teacher
training on gender issues and the lack of methodological guides on how
to introduce the gender dimension, as well as practical examples of how
to apply it in different subjects.
- Rocío Vilar Cortabitarte, of the Institute of Physics of Cantabria, ‘Strengthening equality and diversity at the Institute of Physics of Cantabria’.
S. Martinez, M. Ceballos, J. Piedra, J. Sáinz-Pardo, R. García, D. Herranz, L. Graafland, R. Domínguez,and K. Vaaiyapuri.
The talk presented the fantastic activities carried out by the Equality
and Diversity Commission of the IFCA (CSIC-UC), which earned them the
recognition of the second prize of the equality award granted by the
CSIC in 2018. The work of the commission was also awarded the VI
Equality Award of the University of Cantabria in 2022. The main
objective of this commission is to include the gender and diversity
perspective in the daily development of IFCA's scientific work.
PART 2: Moderated by Ana X. López, vice-president of the GEMF.
-
Núria Garro, of Faculty of Physics of the University of Valencia, “Tornem als instituts: activities to make women in Physics studies more visible’”
The work was also carried out by M. Delgado, P. García-Martínez, S. Planelles and M. Tórtola, from the UVEG.
In this communication, the activity ‘Tornem als instituts’ was
presented, carried out by students of the Faculty of Physics of the
University of Valencia in the 22/23 and 23/24 academic years and
supervised by the professors of the Comissió d'Igualtat. The activity
consists of holding informative talks in secondary schools, with the
speakers being students of the faculty and the educational centres
targeted being those in which they themselves studied. In figures,
‘Tornem als instituts’ has been very well received: in the first two
editions, a total of 45 students, 40 women and 5 men, signed up for the
activity, and informative talks have been given in 34 schools in the
three Valencian provinces. The estimated number of students receiving
these talks is around 3,500.
- Màriam Tórtola, of the Faculty of Physics of the University of Valencia, ‘Meitner Project - Remembering the pioneers of Nuclear and Particle Physics’.
With
the participation of C. Escobar, N. Falcó, I. Laderescu, O. Mena, A.
Molina, R. Molina, M. Moreno, D. Muñoz, S. Orrigo, J. Palacios, S.
Pastor, D. Rodríguez, S. Rubio, B. Rubio, J. L. Taín and M. Villaplana,
from the Institute of Corpuscular Physics (CSIC / University of
Valencia).
Proyecto Meitner is a scientific dissemination initiative
with the aim of recovering and highlighting the contribution of the
great pioneers of nuclear and particle physics through the figure of
Lise Meitner. This project, which combines science with artistic
disciplines, includes activities as diverse as a play, a conference on
science and gender, a teaching mentoring programme, a science and art
competition, videos on social networks and a lot of educational material
to give visibility to women in science, bringing scientists of the past
and present in Nuclear and Particle Physics to all audiences. Proyecto
Meitner has received grants from organisations such as FECYT, CSIC, the
University of Valencia and the Provincial Council of Valencia, and has
been awarded the second STEAM Alliance prize for female talent by the
Ministry of Education and Vocational Training in 2023.
- Matilde Ariza Montes, from the ‘Pedro Espinosa’ Secondary School, ‘Women scientists with the gait of giants’.
In
this magnificent and inspiring presentation, Mati Ariza told us about
the activities that she has been carrying out in her school for some
time with the aim of making female profiles in the scientific world
visible so that students can discover references in fields such as
physics, thus encouraging scientific vocations from an early age. In
this work, hundreds of women of national and international relevance
have been searched for their achievements in science and, secondly, they
have been selected for their actions, which have been worthy of the
prominence they enjoy in the field of science. The work has led to the
creation of a database for subsequent publication as a reference book.
Participation of the European Physical Society (EPS)
We
would like to thank Gina Gunaratnam, Communication Coordinator,
European Physical Society, that sent us the fantastic calendars of
“Inspiring Physicist 2024” that we offered to participants.
Tags:
gender equality
Royal Spanish Society of Physics
RSEF
symposium
women in science
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Posted By Administration,
Friday 22 November 2024
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Author: Anna Lipniacka
NORNDIP, the Annual Conference of the Nordic Network for Diversity in
Physics, took place at the University of Bergen, Norway, in May 2024.
See: https://indico.cern.ch/event/1384666/overview
These
conferences typically have a balanced mixture of invited physics talks
and gender talks. Gender talks cover gender-balance reports from Nordic
Countries. Each conference has a special leading theme, in 2024 the
theme was "Microaggression", the leading theme of the 2025 conference
will be "Diverse trajectories - Challenging the norms in physics
research and culture”.
Below, a short report from the leading
themes of gender-talks. Adrienne Taxler reported on quantitative studies
of barriers to diversity in physics in academia, quoting sexual
harassment, hostile climate, microaggressions as often quoted problems.
Randi Gressgård reported on her studies of microaggressions in academic
institutions, noting that people of color and women are often subtly
marked as intruders even by persons with good intentions.
According
to studies, women and minority people are assumed to be inferior or
more junior in rank than they actually are, through little encounters
signalling lack of competence, skill or intelligence. Every female
professor I know was asked at least once "Are you a student here?"
during her professorship career, and not because of her young looks. It
is because only ‘When you look like what they expect a professor to be,
you are treated like a professor’. Siri Øyslebø Sørensen and Eva
Amundsdotter reported on the project GenderAct, an institutional project
running at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences of the
University of Bergen, Norway.
The gender (in) balance at the
Faculty is stable for the last 20 years. The project had as a first part
a task to understand the complicated causes of gender imbalance in this
specific environment, then mobilize for change and transform patterns
as the last step. During this process it was learned that resistance
towards the topic of gender as such is common in academic institutions.
This resistance takes forms of gender hostility - discomfort associated
with becoming aware/ conscious and gender blindness - strong belief in
meritocracy as neutral. There is a resistance to change and transform
gendered patterns that takes forms of undermining, distracting
attention, pretending, sabotage, avoidance, disclaiming. The
practical forms of resistance observed for this particular project in
interaction with leaders of the departments were: no open reactions,
just ‘whispering in the hallways’, action plan is approved, but not
followed up on, open critique in plenary meeting.
The next phase
of the GenderAct project will study the resistance to change, and how to
deal with it. The most optimistic report was by Maria Saline, a
coordinator of Gender Initiative for Excellence, GENIE at Chalmers
University in Gothenburg, Sweden. The project seems to be on a good way
to reverse barriers to female faculty hiring and retention by investing
in excellent hires.
Tags:
conference
diversity
gender equality
GenderAct
Norway
women in physics
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Posted By Administration,
Friday 22 November 2024
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Author: Amy Walker
EDP Sciences physics archives demonstrate enduring influence
As the year rapidly draws to a close and planning for next year’s resources begins, we are delighted to be answering queries about our multiple physics archive collections including Annales de Physique archives (1914 to 2009), The European Physical Journal - Applied Physics (EPJAP) archives (1998 to 2015) and, notably, our most substantial archive collection, the Journal de Physique archives (1872 to 1997). The latter contains 125 years of excellence - including seminal papers by Marie and Pierre Curie, Henri Becquerel and Louis de Broglie – and is still being cited frequently by modern day researchers, demonstrating the enduring influence of the science published within.
Find out more about our archives, including the most cited articles in the Journal de Physique archives collection.
Congratulations to Dr. Daniel Lincot, Awarded the 2024 Alexandre Edmond Becquerel Prize
EPJ Photovoltaics extends heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Daniel Lincot, our Honorary Editor-in-Chief, on being awarded the 2024 Alexandre Edmond Becquerel Prize. On September 23, 2024, at the 41st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, both Editors-in-Chief of EPJ Photovoltaics, Prof. Pere Roca i Cabarrocas and Dr. Jean-Louis Lazzari, joined in celebrating Dr. Lincot’s achievement. Together with the EDP Sciences Team, they commend Dr. Lincot for his well-deserved honor and his significant contributions to the field of solar energy.
Dr Daniel Lincot is awarded the Becquerel Prize- image credit: EDP Sciences
FLTR: Jean-Louis-Lazzari (EiC of EPJ Photovoltaics), Veronica Bermudez (Associate Editor of EPJ Photovoltaics),
Daniel Lincot (Honorary EiC of EPJ Photovoltaics), Pere Roca (EiC of EPJ Photovoltaics), Christophe Ballif, Chair Becquerel Committee
EPJ Web of Conferences now indexed in Scopus.
We are thrilled to announce that EPJ Web of Conferences has been accepted for indexing in one of the world’s largest abstract and citation databases of peer-reviewed literature, Scopus.
EPJ Web of Conferences is an open access publication series focused on publishing high-quality conference proceedings in the fields of Physics and related sciences. Read more about what the indexation means for the journal.
Discover recently published proceedings from EPJ Web of Conferences
Vilnius, Lithuania, August 25-30, 2024
A. Michailovas, J.I. Mackenzie, F. Pirzio and E. Cormier (Eds.)
EPJ Special Topics updates
The latest special topic in EPJ Special Topics is a 246-page technical design report presenting a detailed description of all aspects of the LUXE (Laser Und XFEL Experiment). This is published in open access, read it here.
Europhysics Letters news
In 2024, the journal EPL sponsored cash prizes again to the Best Activity Awards of the EPS Young Minds. See the article in the September issue of EPN.
EPL benefits from one of the largest collections of “transformative agreements” in the world. Many authors can therefore publish in open access in EPL free of charge, ensuring maximum dissemination of their work. Check the latest Editorial for details.
BOOK: 40 expériences de physique élémentaire issues des leçons de Marie Curie
It would be remiss of us not to mention a new book about one of our founders, Marie Curie.
This title presents lessons given by Curie to student Isabelle Chavannes, sourced directly from her notebook which was discovered in 2003. Published in French, the book reproduces the experiments taught to Chavannes using modern techniques, and includes related experiments which provide students and the science-curious with an easy way to understand essential concepts such as pressure, density, the weight of air, and more.
Discover a fun and progressive introduction to experimental physics by one of its most eminent figures, available in our Bookstore.
Tags:
distinction
EDP Sciences
EPS AM
EPS Associate Members
publication
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Posted By Administration,
Friday 15 November 2024
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image credit: PiA
Author: Arnulf Quadt
Göttingen, 1st November 2024 -
Dear "PiA - Physics in Advent" friends,
Under the motto "still 24 experiments until Christmas" we offer 24
entertaining physics experiments to do yourself again this year. Due to
the great interest from abroad, physics in Advent will, as in previous
years, also be available in English.
PiA is designed for pupils
in grades five to ten and from 11 to 18 years of age. However, based on
the experience of previous years, parents, teachers, students or those
simply interested in physical phenomena also take great pleasure in it.
This year, adults in companies, departments and circles of friends are
also encouraged to join in as a team and solve the riddle. You can watch
a simple experiment every day from 1 to 24 December on YouTube, which
you can be easily do yourself using standard household materials.
Afterwards you will try to explain the phenomena, with four possible
answers. The next day, the solution is available - again via YouTube
video. If you wish, the results can be evaluated: individually, for a
school class or even for whole schools. The best participants, classes
or schools receive prizes. In addition to iPods, books and experiment
kits, there are also
- win a trip to Dallas for NBA basketball games supported by Dirk Nowitzki
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm7yY_a4nw4
- a trip to London to the Harry Potter film studios
- a jump in a vertical wind tunnel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyO_RNN2gYo
- a ride in a hot air balloon
- a flight in a glider
Since 1 November, anyone can now register at https://www.physics-in-advent.org or https://www.pia.eu Further information can be found there or at the social media channels:
https://www.facebook.com/PhysikImAdvent
https://twitter.com/PhysikImAdvent
https://twitter.com/PhysicsInAdvent
https://www.instagram.com/physikimadvent
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtm36YNHodlXx0mYLa8vUIw
or in the WhatsApp-channel https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCXItcAe5ViGzW9Zd15
In the past years, PiA has always been a great success: in 2022 about
70,000 registered participants (~50% female) from more than 72 countries
participated. Most of them were students from Germany, Austria or
Switzerland. The PiA YouTube and websites were visited more than 2.5
million times.
The project is supported by numerous people from science, television or politics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WntHPDlDiDI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPxyxsxGxV8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfBWC_977qE
Flyers and posters can be requested free of charge via the contact website:
https://physics-in-advent.org/contact
"PiA - Physics in Advent" is offered with the support of the Wilhelm
and Else Heraeus Foundation in cooperation with the German, Dutch,
Austrian, Swiss and European Physical Societies, the Association of
German Engineers, the German Aerospace Center, the MNU Association for
the Promotion of MINT Teaching, IUCAA (India), ECYGDA, IM3O, TUM, German
patent office, Global Sphere network, Science on Stage, Komm mach MINT,
Leifiphysik and MINT Zukunft schaffen. It takes place in cooperation
with the successful project "Maths in Advent" and "Krypto im Advent".
We are looking forward to your participation!
With best regards,
Arnulf Quadt, for the PiA team
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Posted By Admnistration,
Tuesday 12 November 2024
Updated: Tuesday 12 November 2024
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You will find below the activities of the members of the EPS Executive Committee and of the EPS Staff.
January
16 January: A. Di Ciaccio and A. Fantoni, EPS Executive Committee members, participated in the tenth preparatory meeting of the 2nd EPS Forum
17 January: Mairi Sakellariadou participated in a workshop dedicated to the International Year of Basic Sciences and Sustainable Development; online meeting with short presentation as elected President of the EPS
20 January: A. Di Ciaccio and A. Fantoni, EPS Executive Committee members, participated in the awards and distinction committee meeting
29 January: A. Di Ciaccio and A. Fantoni, EPS Executive Committee members, participated in the EPS Exec Committee board
February
Luc Bergé had the following activities:
Feb. 2: participation in the Technology & Innovation Group Meeting
Feb. 5: Meeting on the 2024 budget with the EPS Secretary General, President-elect and Honorary Treasurer,
Feb. 8: participation in a zoom meeting with the American Physical Society for the preparation of Council 2024
Feb. 16: participation in the EPS Young Minds Action Committee Meeting in Barcelona
Feb. 16: participation in the 16th WG3 Meeting (online)
Feb. 19: 11th Preparatory Meeting of the Forum
Feb. 22: Online Meeting with Commissioner Ivanova’s cabinet
March
1st March: Mairi Sakellariadou gave a short presentation on behalf of EPS at Herwig Schopper's birthday event at CERN
20 March : A. Di Ciaccio and A. Fantoni, EPS Executive Committee members, participated in the EPS Exec Committee board
22nd March: M. Sakellariadou participated online in the EPS-DPG hybrid meeting (Berlin)
Luc Bergé had the following activities:
March 7: Meeting with the EPS Secretariat for the logistics of the Forum
March 19: Attending the Award Ceremony of the DPG March Meeting in Berlin
March 22: Attending online the Meeting of the EPS European Integration Committee and the DPG
March 25-26: participation in the second EPS Forum
March 27: participation in the Council meeting - End of the current presidency.
April
April 11&12: Mairi Sakellariadou visited the EPS headquarters in
Mulhouse. She worked on the website renewal project with
Ahmed Ouarab and Gina Gunaratnam
April 11: Alessandra Fantoni
participated in the online e-EPS board meeting ; Luc Bergé participated
in the online workshop on BPU11 Congress - Publications.
April 12:
Alessandra Fantoni, Anna Di Ciaccio and Luc Bergé: Participation in the
EPS Executive Committee online meeting : Luc Bergé: online participation
to the Technology & Innovation Group meeting
April 18: Interview for candidates to the conference manager position at EPS
April
24: Anna Di Ciaccio, Participation in the EPS Awards and Distinctions
Committee online meeting. Production of a short document with guidelines
for the EPS prizes
May
7th May: Alessandra Fantoni, Anna Di Ciaccio, Luc Bergé participated in the online meeting between ExComm and EPS D/G chairs
7th-8th May: Anna Lipniacka participated in the conference of the Nordic Network for Diversity in Physics, NORNDiP, financed by NordForsk.
Alessandra Fantoni also had following activities:
9th-10th May: Nuclear Physics Division Board meeting in Oslo
14th-15th May: participation in the Energy Group meeting at Cadarache and visit of ITER
17th May: participation in the online meeting of the Editorial Board e-EPS newsletter
June-July-August
Luc Bergé prepared a call for receiving proposals to recruit the next EPS president-elect
Anna di Ciaccio participated in a meeting of the EPS HEPP division and sent a proposal for an EPS Historical Site
4th July: Alessandra Fantoni participated in the EPS Executive Committee meeting (online)
10th July: Alessandra Fantoni participated in the EPS Group Salaries meeting (online)
September
Luc Bergé had the following activitites:
September 6th: Participation in the TIG meeting (online)
September 18th: Organisation and participation in the 1st meeting of the Presidential Search Committee (online)
September 10: Mairi Sakellariadou participated in the panel discussion: “Collaboration, Outreach, and
Engagement for the 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and
Technology” Bologna on SIF annual meeting
September 16th-20th: Alessandra Fantoni participated in the NPA-XI conference in Dresden with talk on EPS&NPD
September 23rd-27th: Alessandra Fantoni participated in the Second ANP conference in Thessaloniki with talk on EPS&NPD
September 25th: Alessandra Fantoni, Anna Di Ciaccio and Luc Bergé participated in the EPS Executive Committee Meeting (online)
October
October 2nd: Alessandra Fantoni and Luc Bergé participated in the EPS Meeting with EPS Member Societies
October 14th: Alessandra Fantoni and Luc Bergé participated in the working group on EPS salaries
October 22nd: Luc Bergé organised and participated in the 2nd Presidential Search Committee
Anna Di Ciaccio had the following activities:
Participated in the meeting between the executive committee and EPS member societies.
Participated in the Science Europe meeting with the NSFC
Participated in the Governing Board meeting of Science Europe
Participated in the 2024 European regional meeting of the global Research Council of Science Europe in Tallin
Anna Lipniacka had the following activities:
Participated in the meeting between the executive committee and EPS member societies.
Participated in a preparatory meeting for the next conference for the Nordic Network for Diversity in Physics (NORNDIP),
that will take place in May 2025, in Gothenburg Sweden, at the Chalmers
University. This will be the seventh yearly conference of this network.
28th-29th October: Alessandra Fantoni organised and participated in the 88th NPD Board meeting in Orsay
November
Anna Di Ciaccio had the following activities:
Nov 1th: chair of the meeting of the Distinctions and Awards Committee
Nov 13th: Participation to the Exec Committee meeting
Nov 19th-20th: Participation to the High Level Workshop of Science Europe - Budapest (Hungary)
Nov 20-22th: invitation to the Science World Forum - Budapest (Hungary)
Luc Bergé had the following activities:
November 13th: Participation to the Executive Committee of the EPS
November 22nd: Meeting with the EPS Secretary General in Mulhouse about the EPS salaries
November 27th: Third online meeting of the EPS Presidential Search Committee
November 7th-9th: Mairi Sakellariadou participated in the Falling Walls Science Summit 2024
November 13th: Alessandra Fantoni participated in the EPS Executive Committee (online)
November 19th: Alessandra Fantoni participated in the NuPECC Long Range Plan Symposium at Bruxelles with a talk on the EPS-NPD activities
December
December 17th: Luc Bergé participeted in the TIG Board meeting
December 17th: Anna Di Ciaccio organised a meeting on the reactivation of the EPS-Alessandro Volta Prize
Anna Di Ciaccio took part in the discussions on the formulation of the EPS Quantum Statement
Members of the EPS Executive Committee:
Mairi Sakellariadou
(EPS President), Luc Bergé (EPS Past-President), Anne Pawsey (EPS Secretary General), Karin Zach, Anna
Lipniacka, Andreas Schopper, Katharina Lorenz, Christian
Beck, Alessandra Fantoni, Stuart Palmer, Anna Di Ciaccio, Eugenio
Coccia, Ian
Bearden and Roberta Caruso.
Members of the EPS Staff:
Anne Pawsey (EPS Secretary General), Xavier de Araujo,
Milan Milicevic, Ophélia Fornari (working with Sophie Baumann), Chahira Boudeliou, Gina Gunaratnam, Ahmed Ouarab, Jean-François Kammerlocher and Amy Guibal (currently replacing Adriana Zerafa.)
Members of the EPL Staff:
Frédéric Burr (EPL Staff Editor), Kevin Desse and Tomy Zede.
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Posted By Gina Gunaratnam,
Tuesday 22 October 2024
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Author: Lorena Ballesteros Ferraz and Gina Gunaratnam
Lorena Ballesteros Ferraz is postdoctoral researcher
at the Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Modélisation, CNRS Unité
8089, CY Cergy Paris Université in France. She participated in the writing of the editorial of the EPS calendar of inspiring physicists in 2024, together with Sébastien Mouchet and Riccardo Muolo. They are engaged in gender equality and inclusion in physics.
How did you get to know the European Physical Society?
As
a bachelor’s student at the Complutense University of Madrid, I was
fortunate to have several professors who were actively involved in the
management of the Spanish Physical Society. Through their connections, I
gained access to the society’s publications, sparking my interest in
the field. Later, when I pursued my PhD in Namur, Belgium, I was
introduced to Europhysics News through the Belgian Physical Society,
further broadening my engagement with the European physics community.
Could you describe your current field of research in a few words?
I
am currently focused on various aspects of measurements in quantum
physics, where, unlike in most everyday situations, measuring
fundamentally disturbs the system's state. For instance, when we measure
the temperature of an oven, the measurement does not alter the
temperature. However, in quantum physics, measuring the state of an atom
changes that state. My research explores different techniques for
extracting information from quantum states, ranging from weak, where the
disturbance is minimal, to ideal strong measurements. Additionally, I
am interested in understanding the energetic balance involved in these
measurement processes.
What are the challenges of your field?
Quantum
physics is a fascinating and deeply intriguing field. Despite its
status as one of the most reliable theories in science, it remains
highly counterintuitive, leading to rich and ongoing debates about its
interpretation and real-world implications. Among the most surprising
aspects of quantum physics is the role of measurement, which continues
to be a subject of intense discussion and diverging interpretations. On
the technological front, the challenge lies in refining measurement
protocols to achieve greater precision and energy efficiency. These
advancements hold significant potential for future applications,
including the development of more sensitive sensors and the advancement
of quantum computing.
How would you encourage students to work in this field?
I
find quantum physics, particularly the study of quantum measurements,
to be an incredibly exciting and intriguing field. I encourage students
who enjoy thinking outside the box and grappling with counterintuitive
phenomena to join and contribute to the evolution of this discipline.
Quantum physics also has a bright future, with numerous advanced
applications on the horizon. Therefore, I also suggest students
interested in driving technological innovation to explore this field and
be part of its development.
Why is it important for you to encourage girls to study physics?
Early
in my education, even during the final years of secondary school, I
noticed that I was one of the few women pursuing a path in science and
technology. This trend continued as I began my degree in Physics. I
believe this imbalance exists because women are not sufficiently
encouraged to pursue these fields. However, research shows that
diversity is crucial for advancing scientific innovation. The
involvement of women in our field is not only essential for the progress
of science, but also for empowering young girls to pursue their dreams
without being constrained by traditional gender roles.
More info
Tags:
diversity
EPS Emmy Noether Distinction
gender equality
inclusion
outreach
young physicists
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Posted By Administration,
Tuesday 22 October 2024
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Author: Anne Pawsey
EPS members are invited to nominate candidates for EPS Fellows and
EPS Honorary Members. These distinctions will be conferred at Council
2025
EPS Fellows
EPS Members are invited to
nominate EPS Individual Members as EPS Fellows. Individuals whose
achievements in physics, whether in research, industry or education
and/or through commitment to the EPS warrant specific recognition are
eligible to become EPS Fellows.
More information about EPS Fellows, including the list of current EPS Fellows and the rules for nomination, is available on the EPS website.
Nominations can be submitted electronically via this website
Honorary Members
EPS Members are invited to nominate outstanding individuals as Honorary Members of the EPS.
Distinguished persons whose outstanding achievements in physics or a
related science whom the European Physical Society especially desires to
honour can be elected EPS Honorary Members. In addition, distinguished
individuals whom the EPS may desire to honour for exceptional service to
the Society in furtherance of its aims and objectives shall also be
eligible to become Honorary Members.
More information, including the list of current EPS Honorary Members and the rules for nomination, is available on the EPS website.
Suggestions for honorary membership should be sent to the Honorary Member selection committee care of the EPS secretariat secretariat@eps.org. Nominations for the honor to be conferred in 2025 should be received by 31st January 2025.
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Posted By Administration,
Monday 21 October 2024
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Authors: Riccardo Muolo & Gina Gunaratnam
In 2024, the EPS released a calendar of "Inspiring Physicists". Read
the interview of Riccardo Muolo, postdoctoral researcher at the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Japan. He wrote the editorial of the calendar, together with Lorena
Ballesteros Ferraz and Sébastien Mouchet. They also published an opinion letter about the Matilda Effect in the Society's magazine EPN.
How did you get to know the European Physical Society?
Some
colleagues in Namur, Belgium, told me about the society and its monthly
magazine, so I checked it out and I was impressed by all the
initiatives regarding outreach and education.
Could you describe your current field of research in a few words?
My
field is complex systems, at the edge between physics and applied
mathematics. More specifically, I study the emergence of collective
behaviors, such as synchronization, in an ensemble of elementary units.
They way in which such units interact with each other shapes the
collective dynamics, which is way richer than the individual ones. The
whole is much more than the sum of its parts.
What are the challenges of your field?
Until
now, we have developed solid theoretical tools, but what is missing is a
bridge towards observations and experiments. There are some models with
many variables claiming that they explain certain phenomena, but to me
they don’t make much sense because they work only for a specific
phenomenon with variables and parameters chosen ad hoc. I think
the main challenge now is to build models closer to reality that are
still meaningful and can help us not only explain, but also understand,
what we observe.
How would you encourage students to work in this field?
Be
curious. The field of complex systems is intrinsically
interdisciplinary and gives the chance to work with researchers from
many different fields. Besides the technical skills that are required to
carry out any research in physics and mathematics, in complex systems
the key is to be curious and open minded: one has to be able to
communicate with scientists from sociology to biology, meaning that we
need to understand different approaches and ways to treat problems. It
can be hard at first, but in the end it is so rewarding.
Interdisciplinary research is very exciting!
Why is it important for you to encourage girls to study physics?
I
think that we need science to reflect the composition of society. So
this is related to have more girls in physics, but in general to have a
more diverse and heterogeneous environment. This mainly for two reasons.
First, because only a truly diverse environment can foster new ideas
and tackle the many challenges ahead of us. If we put in a room only
people with the same mentality and background, we are missing a whole
lot of perspective. Second, because, whether we like it or not, science,
and physics in particular, is a tool of power. Our research shapes the
future in good and in bad, and our discoveries have a tremendous impact
on society. Given its importance, we need everybody at the table and we
must keep it democratic and transparent as much as possible.
Short Bio
I
studied physics (Bachelor) and applied mathematics (Master) in
Florence, Italy. For a year, I was PhD student of biology at the VU
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, but then moved back to mathematics starting a
PhD in Namur, Belgium. After my graduation, I moved to Tokyo for a
postdoc, position that I currently hold.
Besides my academic
activity, I’m involved in an outreach project in Italy called “Penne Amiche della Scienza” (the Italian version of the US Letters to a Pre-scientist) in which we connect a scientist with a primary or middle
school class and have them write letters to each other.
Tags:
diversity
EPS Emmy Noether Distinction
gender equality
inclusion
outreach
young physicists
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Posted By Administration,
Monday 21 October 2024
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FLTR: Elisabetta Paladino, Anna Di Ciaccio, Petra Rudolf, Pas Garcia Martinez and Sara Pirrone - image credit: S. Pirrone
Author: Sara Pirrone on behalf of the SIF-CPO
The
2024 edition of the National Congress of the Italian Physics Society
(SIF), which brings together around 800 Italian physicists for a whole
week, was held in Bologna from 9 to 13 September. The Congress, composed
of plenary plus 7 parallel sessions dedicated to different fields of
physics, represents the meeting point of the scientific community, where
Italian researchers, teachers and students find their common
background. During the Congress, Round Tables are also organized on
specific topics, and particularly this year the SIF Equal Opportunities
Committee (CPO) has planned the Round Table entitled: Actions towards Equal Opportunities in European Physical Societies, moderated by Anna Di Ciaccio, member of the SIF CPO.
The invited participants were Pas García Martínez, Chair of the "Women in Physics" group of the Royal Spanish Physical Society, Elisabetta Paladino, invited as representative of "Women for Quantum", Sara Pirrone, Chair of the CPO of the Italian Physical Society and Petra Rudolf, Chair of the Equal Opportunities Committee (EOC) of the European Physical Society (EPS).
Pas Garcia Martinez
presented the activities of the Specialised Group “Women in Physics”,
created in 2002 according to the guidelines of IUPAP (International
Union of Pure and Applied Physics). She presented statistics and figures
on the presence of women and men in physics in Spanish universities, as
well as projects and initiatives to improve the balance. Among them:
the organization of biennial conferences "Women in Physics", where only
women can be speakers; the organization of webinars on different related
topics; a calendar dedicated to women scientists; the application of
the "Women in Physics" program, and of the Equity Plan actions against
sexism and violence.
Elisabetta Paladino,
presented the "Manifesto of Values" written and supported by the
international group W4Q (Women for Quantum), composed of more than 200
women senior professors in the broad field of quantum physics. The W4Q
Manifesto of Values aims to make the quantum scientific community aware
that despite "social policies" (i.e. regional, national, and EU
initiatives) in the field of gender equality, in many cases the change
is only symbolic. The aim is to achieve real change, to question the way
research (quantum) is currently conducted, and to open a dialogue for
change.
Sara Pirrone presented figures and
statistics on the gender balance in academia and research organizations
in Italy and summarised the main actions carried out by the CPO-SIF from
2017 to date, dedicated to concrete support for gender equality. Among
them: the organization of dedicated facilities for childcare offered
during the Annual National Congress; the creation, since 2020, of the
annual "Laura Bassi" award to promote the talent of women in physics;
the realization of the SIF Gender Budget report, analysing data from the
Annual Congress since 2010, showing the presence of women in different
roles (chair, invited speaker, section president).
Petra Rudolf
illustrated the actions of the EOC of EPS, as The Emmy Noether
Distinction for Women in Physics; The Code of Conduct for EPS
conferences; Round tables, seminars, and workshops on career
and gender issues and how to face harassment. She presented also many
ongoing actions, as well as: Cooperation with EPS Divisions &
Groups, monitoring projects for Gender Fairness in Physics, increasing
participation of women in committees, addressing the number of women
nominations for EPS Prizes/Awards, and promoting young women and
minorities. Besides, the Train-the-trainers workshop is in preparation for 2025.
After
the talks, a debate was opened, and many interesting questions and
comments came from the audience on different subjects. From the
discussions, some points were highlighted, among these, for example, the
need to continue to realize activities not only in the field of Equal
Opportunity, but also to extend actions related to the inclusion of
diversity, ethnicity, and, last but not least, the serious matter of
harassment. Besides, the relevance of collaboration among different
organizations was highlighted.
Tags:
congress
EPS EOC
EPS Equal Opportunities Committee
gender equality
SIF
young physicists
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Posted By Administration,
Monday 21 October 2024
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Authors: Andreas Dinklage (AP), Hana Barankova (IP), Eva
Kovacevic (IP), Mervi Mantsinen (EC) and Monica Spolaore (PP) (Prize
coordinators respectively for the Alfvén-Prize (AP), Innovation Prize
(IP), Early Career Prize (EP) and PhD Prize (PP))
The EPS Plasma Physics Division asks you to consider nominating a suitable person or persons for the:
- 2025 Alfvén Prize
- 2025 Innovation Prize
- 2025 PhD Research Award
- 2025 EPS-PPCF Sylvie-Jaquemot Early Career Prize
which will be presented at our next annual conference, to be held in Vilnius, Lithuania in 2025, (July 7th -11th).
The deadlines for nominations are:
- Alfvén Prize: Monday, November 11th 2024 (23:59 central European time).
- Innovation Prize: Friday, February 14th 2025 (23:59 central European time).
- 2025 PhD Research Award : call open from October 1st to November 22nd 2024
- 2025 EPS-PPCF Sylvie-Jaquemot Early Career Prize: Friday, February 28th 2025 (23:59 central European time).
The descriptions of the prizes and the relevant nomination forms can be found at http://plasma.ciemat.es/eps/awards
Please note that nominations from previous years will not automatically
be considered for this year's prizes, but we encourage you to re-submit
any still suitable and promising nomination that has so far been
unsuccessful.
The international physics community has a diverse
and global membership, and both nominees and recipients of EPS awards
need to reflect that diversity to ensure that all physicists have an
opportunity to be recognized for their impact in the field. Nominations
of individuals from groups that are historically underrepresented in
physics, such as women, LGBT+ scientists, scientists from a Black or
other minority ethnic background, scientists who are refugees or have
been displaced from their country of birth, disabled scientists, and
scientists from institutions with limited resources, are especially
encouraged.
Nominees for and holders of EPS awards are expected to
meet certain standards of professional conduct and integrity. In
particular they have an obligation to avoid fabrication, falsification
and plagiarism, and they have an obligation to treat people well, which
prohibits abuse of power, requires fair and respectful relationships
with colleagues, subordinates and students, and eschews bias, whether
implicit or explicit. Violations of these standards may disqualify
people from consideration or lead to revocation of awards.
Tags:
awards
call
EPS Plasma Physics Division
EPS PPD
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