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

• EPS calendar of inspiring physicists 2024

• Opinion letter by Sébastien Mouchet, Lorena Ballesteros Ferraz and Riccardo Muolo in Europhysics News

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.

Author: Alicia Palacios

Nominations are being sought for the Young Scientist Prize in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics which will be awarded by the AMOPD Division of the EPS for the fourth time in 2025. The award ceremony will take place during the fifteen European Conference on Atomic and Molecular Physics (ECAMP XV) to be held in Innsbruck, Austria, June 29 – July 4, 2025.

Deadline for nominations is 15th November 2024.

More info

• Call for nominations
• Website of the EPS AMOPD
  

Authors: Monica Constantin and Enrique Sánchez-Bautista

The European Physical Society (EPS) is pleased to announce that the EPS Citizen Science Competition has four winners, who receive travel grants to each visit one of the two most renowned research centres in Europe: CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) or EGO-Virgo, Pisa (Italy).

During September 2022, over 350 science enthusiasts joined the competition and participated in two different citizen science projects. They made classifications using real data from CERN and EGO-Virgo facilities in the fields of High Energy Physics and Gravitational Wave Astronomy respectively. These challenges were conducted through the Zooniverse platform, the world’s largest and most popular platform for citizen science projects, that support real researchers to make groundbreaking new discoveries.

The awardees were selected after a rigorous analysis of the number and quality of the classifications they conducted and the motivation letters expressing their genuine interest to visit CERN and EGO-Virgo. The names of the awardees were officially announced on the REINFORCE website and can be consulted here. The awardees will travel in March 2023 and will have the chance to spend one full day at CERN or EGO-Virgo, enjoying guided tours through the research facilities, including visits to the control rooms, labs, etc., accompanied by in-house scientists and engineers.

The EPS Citizen Science Competition was launched in the framework of the Surrounded by Science project, an EU-funded project which aims at fostering out-of-school science activities which can increase the interest in science to the general public. We encourage you to visit the Surrounded by Science website, subscribe to its newsletter and follow it on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Spotify in order to stay up-to-date with new citizen science competitions and activities!

Author: Duarte Esteves

On the evening of 1st July 2022, the Lisbon EPS Young Minds section organised the second edition of the “Young Minds Movie Night”. Just like the previous edition, this event took place in the cloister of the Lisbon Museum of Natural History and Science. This outreach activity targeted a broad and general audience, and the main goal was teaching Physics to everyone in a fun and relaxed way.

In the spirit of the previous edition, this activity consisted of two parts: the screening of a film and a light talk on the subject. This time, the 1981 BBC documentary The Pleasure of Finding Things Out, starring the famous physicist Richard Feynman, was exhibited. The participants were invited to bring their own blankets and watch the documentary with their friends and family while enjoying the complimentary popcorn and beverages we provided.

Afterwards, Prof. Mário Pinheiro, from our home institute, Instituto Superior Técnico of the University of Lisbon, gave an exciting lecture titled “Off the Beaten Path: Celebrating Feynman — the Great Explainer”. After briefly introducing some important aspects of Feynman’s childhood, including some that were also mentioned in the documentary itself, Prof. Pinheiro shared some anecdotes that conveyed Feynman’s particular views on what it means to really learn and understand something, including, for instance, the famous Feynman technique for learning. Subsequently, Prof. Pinheiro highlighted some of Feynman’s main contributions to Physics, such as his role in the development of Quantum Electrodynamics, for which he won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965.

Thus, with this event, it was possible to introduce our audience to an inspiring physicist from both a personal and a professional point of view. In the end, the feedback was very much positive, confirming once again that this event model, combining the screening of a film and a lecture by an expert, is a very effective way to promote Physics to the general public and certainly warrants a third edition in the near future!


image: Daniela Pereira

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