Last weekend the Physics Department and 26 future scientists and engineers took off to Geneva in the early hours of Friday to visit CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, which is one of the world’s largest and most respected centres for scientific research centred around furthering our understanding of particle physics research. Here we got to explore the tunnels that house CMS (the detector on the hunt of Muons), explore their new interactive museums and build our own cloud chambers to hunt for particles ourselves!
“It was so much fun to see physics applied in real world scenarios. It was such a great opportunity to have an introduction to particular physics, in such an eye opening way.” – Future FHS scientist
“The professor who ran it was so inspiring and engaging” – Future CERN employee
We were also welcomed by Geneva University for a hands on experience to explore equilibrium (where we were at the heart of the experiments)! We also explored the wonderful museums and institutions of Geneva with Year 11 pupils touring the British Red Cross Museum and the Sixth Form guided around the UN, before wrapping up with a CERN quiz night that led to some wonderfully creative team names worthy of a bonus quiz point, such as conCERNed about the UN budget crisis and the quantum-plators. Despite the weather trying to dampen our spirits, this did not happen! The reviews are in and we all thoroughly enjoyed the experience!
“I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!”
“100/10”
“The trip was amazing, funny and very interesting!”
“Some very memorable moments like making videos in the square and falling asleep with your friends in a pile after a long and adventurous day.”
“Our trip to CERN and around Geneva was an unforgettable experience that I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to go to. From visiting one of five UN headquarters and learning more about its history to seeing particle accelerators and learning how they worked, we are leaving feeling enriched and with firsthand experience of particle physics. Our stops at a lecture at the University of Geneva and our questionable dinner choices made the trip all the more fun and we are leaving today with our only regret being that we don’t have longer to spend here. A massive thanks is also in order to our amazing teachers who were kind enough to take us on their weekend. All in all, we had an amazing trip and can say that we have definitely learnt more about physics.”
Miss Ballie-Whyte, Lead Engineer and Teacher of Physics
