The PhysiScope appears in Nature Materials

The PhysiScope appears this month in the prestigious review Nature Materials. It is the subject of a three-page feature in the « Commentary » section and of the editorial entitled « Lessons in science education ». The article was requested by the magazine’s editors and written by the PhysiScope’s director Prof. Christoph Renner. This demonstrates that this MaNEP initiative for popularizing physics is unique and progressively building a strong reputation, even on an international level. A most rewarding situation for the whole PhysiScope’s team.
[ link to the article : http://www.nature.com/nmat/ journal/v8/n4/full/nmat2409.html ]

UniGE’s 450th anniversary celebrations

The Jubilee year of MaNEP’s home institution UniGE comprises many events, two of them involving contributions by MaNEP :

• 27 April to 9 May, 2009 : « Le Savoir au Centre », a stand with many activities including MaNEP’s demonstrating devices at the commercial centre Chavannes Centre (VD)
[ Learn more : link ]


• 13 June, 2009 : « La Nuit de l’Université » in two parts :
  15-22h : information stand, demonstrations at the PhysiScope, Mix&Remix exhibition on superconductivity at the Physics Institute and Science II, Geneva.
  22h-4h : Disco at UniMail with a VJ show featuring images of the 3 Geneva NCCR
  
[ Learn more : link ]

Sponsoring the CORPES International Workshop

MaNEP will be one of the official sponsors of the 2009 CORPES international workshop on Strong Correlations and Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy, that will take place in Zurich on 19-24 July, 2009.
[ Learn more : http://corpes09.web.psi.ch/ ]

Now available : newsletter on PSI facilities

The first issue of the PSI facility news was recently published. This quarterly electronic newsletter will keep you informed about news and scientific highlights from the PSI photon, neutron and muon user facilities. You can access it here : http://user.web.psi.ch/newsletter/09-01/
[ Learn more : http://corpes09.web.psi.ch/ ]
[ Contact : stefan.janssen@psi.ch ]

EuroPhysicsFun at UniGE

Since 2008, the PhysiScope ( link ) belongs to the European network Europhysics Fun ( http://www.europhysicsfun.org/ ) , as both share a common objective : finding attractive ways to popularize physics among the general public. This year, the EPF’s annual conference was thus organised by the PhysiScope’s team. It took place at the Geneva Physics Institute and lasted 5 days, from March 31st to April 4th. The participants from 14 countries were able to share their best practices and ideas, before performing in a joint show at « Le Savoir au Centre », a public event set up by the UniGE in a big Geneva commercial centre (click picture to enlarge).

Conference on nanotechnology

MaNEP’s experts are more and more sollicited to communicate science to the public. The latest example is MaNEP’s deputy director Prof. Christoph Renner (picture) who recently gave a conference entitled « Les nanotechnologies sont parmi nous » at the Institut National Genevois (ING : www.inge.ch ) ). As often with nanotechnology issues, the audience were especially interested in the potential risks involved. Prof. Renner had delivered this talk for the first time at CERN last October, and had also appeared in TSR’s science series « Histoire des Savoirs » ( http://www.tsr.ch/tsr/index.html?siteSect=750010 ). Last October, Prof. René Flukiger spoke about the applications of superconductivity, also at the ING.

Job position

Open PhD position at UniZH

The Physics Institute of the University of Zurich invites applications for a PhD position in experimental solid state physics. Applications and requests for information should be sent to Prof. Hugo Keller : keller@physik.uzh.ch
[ download announcement in PDF ]

Hello & Goodbye

Renald Cartoni has retired after over 40 years as a technician for the Physics Section in Geneva. In the last few years, he was also in charge of the logistics for MaNEP’s special events (Summerschool, Swiss Workshop Meeting, PR events…), both internal and external. Initially hired by Prof. Martin Peter, Renald’s efficiency and adaptability has been greatly valued and appreciated.

Silvia Seiro, a former PhD student with Prof. Oystein Fischer in Geneva is now a post doc at the Max Planck Institut für Chemische Physik fester Stoff, in Dresden (Germany).

Matthias Weller is now working for Bruker Biospin AG in Fällanden as a developper / researcher in the Magnetics Division, after his 6-year stay at ETH Zürich in the group of Prof. Ott, as PhD student and Post-doc.

Anne Rougemont, MaNEP’s Communication Officer, will be leaving at the end of April. Since 2005, she promoted MaNEP’s brand and research through public outreach events, media relations and by creating varied mediums (movie, exhibition, etc.). She was also the editor of MaNEP’s e-Newsletter and website, and was one of the initiators of the PhysiScope project.

[ MaNEP news, page 1 ]