CERN welcomes Ireland as an Associate Member State Ireland has officially become an Associate Member State of CERN, following confirmation that it has taken all the necessary steps to ratify the Associate Membership Agreement and accede to the protocol on CERN’s privileges and immunities. The starting date of Ireland’s status as an Associate Member State is 22 October 2025. The ratification of the agreement, which was signed in May 2025 by the CERN Director-General, Fabiola Gianotti, and James Lawless, Ireland’s Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, marks the beginning of a new chapter in CERN’s relations with Ireland and opens up new opportunities. CERN’s collaboration with institutes from Ireland has a long history, dating back to the 1960s, when Ireland participated in bubble-chamber experiments at CERN. Since then, the country’s scientific community at CERN has made important contributions across a wide range of fields, including experimental physics, theory, medical applications and computer science. Major CERN experiments and facilities, such as ATLAS, CMS, LHCb and ISOLDE, have all benefited from Ireland’s involvement, and Associate Membership will ensure that the country’s contributions can continue and expand in the years to come. Irish representatives will now participate in meetings of the CERN Council and its committees, including the Finance Committee and the Scientific Policy Committee. Nationals of Ireland are eligible to apply for limited-duration staff positions and to CERN’s graduate programmes, and Irish firms can bid for CERN contracts, increasing opportunities for industrial collaboration on advanced technologies.
EPS Diversity Statement
Statement by the Executive Committee of the European Physical Society24th March 2025 The European Physical Society (EPS) has the mission to advocate and promote physics research and its contributions to the economic, technological, social and cultural advancement in Europe. As a federation of more than 40 National Physical Societies, the EPS engages in activities that strengthen ties among the physicists in Europe, in physics research, science policy and education. The EPS designs and implements programmes to develop the European physics community. It provides a forum to share best practices to promote physics, and thus support international collaboration and physicists worldwide. Fostering diversity and inclusion in the physics community is a core component of the European Physical Society’s mission. We thus firmly believe that diversity in perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences is essential for driving innovation, creativity, and excellence in physics and all related issues. Our constitution emphasizes the importance of providing equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age, disability, or socioeconomic background. By encouraging a diverse and inclusive environment, we can help to ensure that the brightest minds from all walks of life are given the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of science. We are committed to creating a supportive and respectful atmosphere where everyone feels valued and encouraged to reach their full potential. This commitment extends to our policies, programmes, and practices designed to promote equity, eliminate barriers, and support the professional growth of underrepresented groups. Because the EPS represents the whole European physics community, we stand united in our resolve to cultivate a culture of respect, collaboration, and mutual support. Diversity strengthens our society and we remain dedicated to building a more inclusive and equitable future for all members of the EPS and the wider scientific community.
News from the Ariaian Young Innovative Minds Institute
Art an Amazing Fact in Science Integrating art and imaginative methods into science education can enhance conceptual understanding in a variety of ways. Creative activities can spark curiosity and wonder and lead to deeper exploration of science topics that reveal students’ understanding beyond traditional tests. Students learn to think outside the box, explore different perspectives, and find innovative solutions, which are essential in scientific inquiry. Art-based science projects often involve collaboration, fostering teamwork, and communication skills that lead to deeper and more meaningful understanding. The book Art an Amazing Fact in Science is the second book related to the IYPT Physics Competition which was published by the Ariaian Young Innovative Minds Institute, after the IYPT Proceeding 2010-2011. This book is a collection of physics problem solutions from various IYPT tournaments that combine science, art, and creativity: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/79055176c1.html Reducing the Gap Between Science and Art, Creating Opportunities for Social Activities This is a link to find our several festivals and after introducing ISAC (Imagination in Science by Art in different Cultures) in two previous years now we have started our new event as ISAC Talk festival . We are going come together to hold various events in ISAC (Imagination in Science by Art in different Cultures) Talk Community which are useful in explaining scientific concepts by art especially when those concepts are complex. Community holds festival in different categories. By combining art and science, we can create powerful learning experiences that foster curiosity, understanding, and appreciation for the world around us. Ariaian Young Innovative Minds Institute (AYIMI) and ADIB Science and Technology Institute (ADIB) jointly in Iran, are the main organisers of this event. There are several working groups from different countries who will join us and the main aim of this event is giving annual grants to students who needs to participate in tournaments, conferences, etc. All related information and the rules are on our website: https://ayimi.org/en/
Updates from EDP Sciences
We are delighted to see the early signs of spring returning here in Les Ulis, Paris. Here we share a few updates regarding recent conferences, and a shift in our social media presence towards platforms that support our values of professionalism, transparency, and community-driven dialogue. From Strangeness in Quark Matter to Nuclear Chemistry for Sustainable Fuel Cycles : EPJ Web of Conferences publishes two notable proceedings from French events “SQM 2024 – The 21st International Conference on Strangeness in Quark Matter was held in Strasbourg, France, June 3-7, 2024 This 2024 edition marked the 21st in the series and was held in France for the first time. It was also the first fully “in-person” edition since the pandemic. A total of 280 participants from 26 countries convened at the Palais de la Musique et des Congrès in Strasbourg to discuss recent experimental and theoretical advancements during a week-long programme including 210 oral and poster presentations. The focus of the Strangeness in Quark Matter Conference is on the role of the strange and heavy-flavour quarks in the field of ultra–relativistic nucleus–nucleus collisions, Quark Gluon Plasma physics and in astrophysical phenomena. Specific time is devoted to open questions and new developments as well as lectures dedicated to graduate students and young scientists.” If this EPJ Highlight has piqued your interest, you can read the full proceedings in open access now. B. Hippolyte (chair), C. Cheshkov, R. Guernane and A. Maire (Eds.), 21st International Conference on Strangeness in Quark Matter (SQM 2024), Strasbourg, France, June 3-7, 2024, EPJ Web of Conferences 316 (2025) Organised by the French Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), the 6th International ATALANTE Conference on Nuclear Chemistry for Sustainable Fuel Cycles (ATALANTE-2024) was held in Avignon, France, Sept 1-6 2024 The event explored “subjects and issues that cover almost all the fields of the nuclear chemistry related to the nuclear fuel cycles: The full proceedings can be read in open access now. P. Guilbaud (Ed.), 6th International ATALANTE Conference on Nuclear Chemistry for Sustainable Fuel Cycles (ATALANTE-2024), Avignon, France, September 1-6, 2024, EPJ Web of Conferences 317 (2025) Nurting community dialogue on social media EPL is now on Bluesky Please follow https://bsky.app/profile/epljournal.bsky.socialfor the latest news and articles, including Free-to-Read Editor’s Choice and Perspectives. EDP Sciences leaves Twitter/X The academic world is changing, and so are we. On 31st January 2025, EDP Sciences left Twitter/X as part of the #HelloQuitX movement, in favour of prioritising platforms that support our values. This decision reflects our commitment to professionalism, transparency, and community-driven dialogue. Follow us on LinkedIn, BlueSky, and our website for the latest updates. Perpetual access to digital archives We would like to take the opportunity to remind you that value is still being found in our digital archive collections, and that purchase of these gives perpetual access to this valuable science. Journal de Physique digital archives (1872 to 1997) We were delighted to conduct research in 2024 and discover that many articles in the Journal de Physique archives are still being cited today. The collection includes research from pioneers in physics, including Nobel laureates such as Marie Curie and Louis de Broglie, both of whom were instrumental in founding EDP Sciences in 1920. Discover the Journal de Physique archives, including the most cited articles in the collection. Annales de Physique digital archives (1914 to 2009) For many years, Alain Aspect, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2022, was the Editor in Chief of the Annales de Physique. This collection now forms part of the archive of The European Physical Journal (EPJ), an ongoing series of peer-reviewed journals covering the whole spectrum of physics and related interdisciplinary subjects. Learn more about the Annales de Physique archives.
Call for Nominations: 2026 John Stewart Bell Prize for Quantum Mechanics
The Centre for Quantum Information and Quantum Control (CQIQC) at the University of Toronto, Canada is reaching out to the leading quantum research centres and associations worldwide to announce the opening of nominations for the 2026 John Stewart Bell Prize. Previous winners include: John Preskill (Richard P. Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, California Institute of Technology); John Martinis (professor of physics, UC Santa Barbara, USA); Ignacio Cirac (Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics), Peter Zoller (University of Innsbruck), Ronald Hanson (TU Delft), Sae Woo Nam (NIST), and Anton Zeilinger (University of Vienna). We are pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the 2026 John Stewart Bell Prize for Research on Fundamental Issues in Quantum Mechanics and their Applications. This prestigious award recognises significant contributions in the field of quantum mechanics, particularly those published in the six years preceding the award year. About the Bell Prize The Bell Prize honours advances in quantum mechanics, including (but not limited to) quantum information theory, computation, foundations, cryptography, and control. It covers theoretical and experimental work. Funded by the University of Toronto’s Centre for Quantum Information and Quantum Control (CQIQC), the award will be presented at the biennial CQIQC conference in August 2026, where the awardee will deliver a prize lecture. Nomination Process Nominations must include the nominee’s name, affiliation, a statement of their contribution’s importance, and relevant literature citations (published or in press between August 2019 and August 2025). Deadline August 30, 2025. For more information, you can read the complete Call for Nominations. *Please note that self-nominations are not permitted.
EPS Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Prizes 2025: Call for nominations
EPS Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Prize 2025 OBJECT: The EPS Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Prize recognises outstanding research contributions in the area of statistical physics, nonlinear physics, complex systems, complex networks.CANDIDATES: One or two persons that have made independent or convergent ground-breaking and agenda-setting contributions for the development of the field. Prize winners can have any nationality.NOMINATIONS: Self nominations will not be considered. The nominators must send an email attaching a letter with a brief description of the most important research contributions of the candidate and a list of up to 6 key publications (maximum 2 pages) to the Chair of the board Raffaella Burioni (raffaella.burioni@unipr.it) with the subject header “EPS-SNPD award nomination”. We encourage nominations of scientists from groups currently underrepresented in Statistical and Nonlinear Physics.DEADLINE: 30th May 2025 EPS Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Early Career Prize 2025 OBJECT: The EPS Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Early Career Prize recognises outstanding research contributions in the area of statistical physics, nonlinear physics, complex systems, complex networks.CANDIDATES: One or two persons in their early career stage (defined as having obtained the PhD degree less than 6 years ago at the time of nomination) that have made independent or convergent ground-breaking contributions for the development of the field. Prize winners can have any nationality.NOMINATIONS: Self nominations will not be considered. The nominators must send an email attaching a letter with a brief description of the most important research contributions of the candidate and a list of up to 6 key publications (maximum 2 pages) to the Chair of the board Raffaella Burioni (raffaella.burioni@unipr.it) with the subject header “EPS-SNPD award nomination”. We encourage nominations of scientists from groups currently underrepresented in Statistical and Nonlinear Physics.DEADLINE: 30th May 2025 Further information is available on the website of the Statistical and Nonlinear Physics Division of the EPS.
Connecting and Supporting the Physics Community Across Europe
Promotion and Advancement of Physics in Europe The European Physical Society is a well-established organisation with a long history of promoting physics in Europe and fostering collaboration among physicists. It acts as a federation of national societies and a learned society for individual members, with a dual focus on advancing scientific excellence and influencing science policy. Key priorities include building a strong European physics community, supporting physicists at all career stages, disseminating information through various publications and platforms, and adapting strategically to the evolving global landscape. The YoungMinds project exemplifies its commitment to engaging early-career researchers, while EPSPhysJobs highlights its role in career development. The EPS actively seeks to increase its visibility and impact, working with policymakers and fostering international cooperation. The 2010 Strategy Plan provides a detailed roadmap for achieving these goals through focused actions in scientific excellence, federation, membership, and collaboration.
Gražina Tautvaišienė: Education in physics and astrophysics opens many opportunities for a professional career
In 2024, the European Physical Society released a calendar of inspiring physicists. Gina Gunaratnam, EPS communication coordinator and initator of this project, interviewed Gražina Tautvaišienė, president of the Lithuanian Physical Society. Professor Tautvaišienė works as an astrophysicist at the Vilnius University (VU) and is also vice-president of the International Union of Astronomy since December 2024. The European Physical Society is a well-known organisation for all physicists. It cooperates with national physical societies to promote physics, to support physicists worldwide, and to foster international collaboration. My first encounter with EPS activities probably occurred in 2000 when the EGAS 32 conference was organised at our Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy in Lithuania. I started to follow EPS activities more closely when I became a vice-president of the Lithuanian Physical Society in 2007. International collaboration is very important for such a small country as Lithuania. EPS has divisions covering all main fields of physics. As EPS unites scientists from 42 National Physical Societies, it is an essential platform for developing international collaboration. Lithuanian scientists often need collaboration to access large international infrastructures like CERN, ESO, ITER, etc. Collaboration is also important in order to prepare large groundbreaking research projects, networking, and mobility. We are very glad that quite many international conferences of EPS have been organised in Lithuania. We had the 14th European Conference on Atoms, Molecules, and Photons (ECAMP) in 2022. This conference brought together atomic, molecular, and optical physics experts to discuss recent developments and research in the field. In 2024, we held the 11th EPS-QEOD Conference “Europhoton”, where the latest developments in solid-state physics, optical cables and waveguides were presented. In 2025, we will host the 51st EPS Conference on Plasma Physics. An outstanding example of a close relationship with EPS was the inauguration of the Grotthuss Laboratory as the EPS Historic Site in Žeimelis, Lithuania. This is the first EPS Historic Site in the Baltic states. The Lithuanian Physical Society was established in 1963. The main goal of our society is to unite Lithuanian physicists, coordinate and support their activities in order to contribute to the development of physics research in Lithuania and take care of physics teaching in universities and other educational institutions. We organise the National Conferences on Physics every two years, which attract about 600 participants. Every year, we support the physics olympiad and summer school “Fotonas” of schoolchildren. We organise annual public events dedicated to e.g. Quantum Day and European Researchers Night. Various recent events marked the UNESCO International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development. Now we prepare for the UNESCO International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. I liked sciences that required logical thinking. Physics is exactly like that. However, physics is a very broad science, and I had to decide which field to turn to. And here, the decisive role was played by the meeting of the Lithuanian Astronomical Union at the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory, which I attended after finishing the 10th grade. There, I won a place on the Lithuanian team for the meeting of young astronomers of the Soviet Union. Then my path to astronomy began. All summer, I studied astronomy at the Kaunas Public Library, studied constellations, and read various books. By the way, being a schoolchild, I really liked reading books, especially about scientists, politicians, and artists and how they lived and worked. The story of Marie Curie was very memorable. She was an inspiring role model for me. Currently, together with my colleagues, I am working on improving methods for determining the age of stars. Knowing the age of stars is very important in many aspects. It is very important to know it in order to clarify the evolution of our and other galaxies, the evolution of stars, the characterization of exoplanets, etc. The period for such investigations is very favourable because NASA’s TESS telescope is now orbiting in space and is providing important asteroseismic information for determining the stellar age. If robust seismic pulsations could be detected in all stars, there would be no problems in stellar age determinations. However, it is not possible to reliably record the pulsations of many stars, and other methods must be sought. Among these are the so-called chemical clocks – the abundance ratios of various chemical elements. The Science Council of Lithuania is funding our research “Chemical elements as clocks for determining the age of stars”. We are analysing the use of the abundance ratios of carbon and nitrogen and yttrium and magnesium chemical elements in order to determine the age of stars. Several other projects also are on the way, including the one on the investigation of planet-hosting stars. There are many challenges. As Lithuanian folk experience says – the deeper into the forest, the more trees… Much is expected in the field of exoplanet search and research. This is a relatively new field of research. Incredible planets are being discovered around other stars which are not found in our solar system. The question arises of how planets form and what their characteristics depend on. Several space telescopes have been launched into space and are planned for exoplanet research. As Vice President of the International Astronomical Union, I am entrusted with the coordination of space and ground-based research. Here, my experience in coordinating the Europlanet telescope network, which currently unites 17 observatories with medium-sized and small telescopes, will come in handy. Ground-based observations for space missions require a lot of time, and smaller telescopes are very suitable for this. I plan to significantly expand the Europlanet telescope network, which also includes the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory in Lithuania. Lithuania, as a country with strong traditions in astronomy, opens up very wide opportunities for research and international cooperation. The first observatory in Lithuania was established back in 1753. The Vilnius University Astronomical Observatory is one of the oldest in Europe. At that time it had over 100 different instruments. Currently, the VU Molėtai Astronomical Observatory is also no less known. It operates the largest telescope in Northern
2024 EPS Emmy Noether Distinction: Call for nominations
Emmy Noether, with her fundamental and revolutionary work in the abstract algebra and on conservation laws in theoretical physics, is an exceptional historical figure for all generations – past, present and future – of physicists. The laureates of the Emmy Noether Distinction are chosen for their capacity to inspire the next generation of scientists, and especially encourage women to pursue a career in physics. Attribution criteria therefore focus on the candidate’s: • research achievements• endeavours to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women in physics• coordination of projects and management activity• service to the scientific community and research administration Nominators are encouraged to address these four points in their proposal. Commencing 2022, the EPS Emmy Noether Distinction for Women in Physics is to be awarded once a year, to two distinguished women in physics. Namely, the Emmy Noether Distinction will be awarded to an early- and mid–career laureate, as well as to a more advanced candidate, as a Distinction for her full career. The selection committee, appointed by the EPS Equal Opportunities Committee, will consider nominations of women in physics working in Europe for the 2024 Edition of the Emmy Noether Distinction as of the nomination deadline of 31st March 2025. To make a nomination, apply via this site or submit the following documents to the EPS Secretariat: Download the distinction charterRead more about the EPS Emmy Noether Distinction
News from MPL
10,000 times faster than traditional methods: new computational framework automatically discovers experimental designs in microscopy Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) framework which autonomously discovers new experimental designs in microscopy. Read the complete press release here. The MPL is an EPS Associate Member.