The Webfest – CERN’s annual hackathon based on open web technologies – will celebrate its tenth anniversary this year. CERN is marking this milestone with a bumper edition: rather than taking place over a single weekend, this year’s Webfest will run online across July and August. This will enable participants to develop their ideas and projects over a longer period of time.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the last two years have seen the Webfest held online, with over 300 people from 63 different countries taking part in last year’s event. This year, the Webfest will continue in an online format, once again providing another opportunity for students from around the world to get involved. The last two years have shown how students from across the globe can work together successfully to innovate for positive societal impact.

The Webfest has been running annually since 2012, with the aim of encouraging collaboration between bright young minds. During the event, participants collaborate on innovative projects and design applications that could be beneficial to society. In previous years, participants have worked on a broad range of creative projects. Last year’s theme of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) saw several ideas pertaining to environmental impact, under the umbrella of SDG 13: climate action. Projects focused on nuclear energy, wildfire alerts, increasing understanding of climate change, and more.

As part of CERN’s Year of Environmental Awareness, the theme of the upcoming Webfest will be climate action and sustainability. Students taking part will be assigned to a challenge related to climate action, with the challenges set by a project linked to CERN. Students will work together in small teams to propose solutions for the challenge they have been set.    

The introductory session will be held on Friday, 8 July, with the winners announced in the closing session on Wednesday, 31 August. Between those dates, there will be two further feedback sessions, as well as workshops and networking sessions.

The World Wide Web was born at CERN; help us continue that legacy by joining us online to get involved in climate action and make a difference. Together, we can put technologies like the web, machine learning, data visualisation and more to use in the fight against climate change.

Find more information on the Webfest, including how to register, here. Registration closes on Tuesday, 5 July.

May was skin cancer awareness month and, as the days grow longer and we are more exposed to the sun, it is worth reflecting on the benefits and risks this brings.

The sun is the main source of natural ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The intensity of exposure to UV rays depends on many factors, such as season, altitude, duration and time of day. Although UV rays are neither seen nor felt, they have a direct impact on our physiology: notably, they help our skin synthesise vitamin D, which is key for good muscle, bone and dental health. Beyond a certain intensity, however, these UV rays have harmful consequences for us all. In the short term, frequent and prolonged exposure to the sun can induce unpleasant sunburn and conjunctivitis. In the long term, it can cause premature skin ageing, cataracts and – more seriously – skin and eye cancers. And UV rays are not the only risk associated with the sun: higher temperatures, humidity and sunlight can induce sun- or heat-stroke, and carrying out heavy work in the heat intensifies the strain on the human body.

Working outdoors and being exposed to the sun is considered an occupational hazard. Working near white or metal surfaces can further increase sun exposure through heightened reflection. In Switzerland, 1000 of the 25 000 new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer recorded each year are of occupational origin (Suva, 2022).

What can you do to protect yourself from the potential harmful effects?

Firstly, seek shade and avoid full exposure to sunlight between 11.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m., when the most harmful UV rays are at their strongest. Secondly, wear clothing that covers all exposed skin areas, if possible. You should also apply good quality sunscreen every two hours, minimum factor 30, to all parts of the body not covered by clothing, including lips and ears. If you must perform your activities in direct sunlight during June and July, wear a helmet or cap with a front visor and neck protection. If possible, carry out any outdoor duties early in the morning. If you work indoors, keep windows and shutters closed during the day where possible and follow these tips to beat the heat. And whether you work indoors or outdoors, it is vital to stay hydrated.

With the summer ahead likely to be hot and sunny, equipped with this knowledge you can take all necessary precautions to ensure you reap the benefits of the sunshine at work and at leisure while minimising the risks to your health.

For further information:

• Swiss Federal Office of Public Health – sun and UV rays (page automatically translated into English)
• Suva – sun, heat, UV rays and ozone (available in French only)

Through the theme “Parallel Worlds”, CineGlobe 2022 will explore the similarities that lie behind apparent opposites. Fifty-two short films from 17 countries have been shortlisted for the Jury’s Prize and the Public Prize in the various categories (fiction, documentary, youth and immersive).

From 29 June to 3 July, come along to watch the films and help to name the winners of the Public Prize.

And there’s a lot more going on at CineGlobe besides the short films:

• Try out twice as much virtual reality as usual this year, with both interactive VR experiences and a VR cinema on offer.
• Learn the basics of cinema at our Tetra Pak Camera and Moviola Animation workshops.
• Take part in two special masterclasses: the first with Mark Levinson, producer of the documentary Particle Fever, and the second with Walter Murch, the film’s editor and a three-time Oscar winner.
• Join us in the evenings, from 9.00 p.m. onwards on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, for the screening of feature films (two of them in collaboration with our partners FIFDH and Filmar).
• Sign up for the Saturday evening Jury’s Prize and Public Prize awards ceremony, which will be followed by an aperitif with our specially invited guests and the festival’s filmmakers. Attendees will receive a pair of VR glasses to watch the winning immersive film.
• On Sunday, take part in a special evening, organised in partnership with CERN, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the discovery of the Higgs boson, one of the greatest scientific discoveries of the 21st century. A screening of Particle Fever, with Mark Levinson and Walter Murch in attendance, will be followed by a discussion with Fabiola Gianotti, CERN's Director-General.

A few tips for those who are interested:

• Registration is mandatory for the workshops, interactive VR experiences and special events (awards ceremony and Particle Fever and Higgs@10 evening). It is possible (and advisable) to sign up in advance.
• The short films in the “youth” category will be screened continuously every day. Don’t hesitate to bring your family.
• To make the most of CineGlobe, why not combine a workshop with a short-film screening?
• Feeling peckish? Thirsty? The Novae food truck will be serving tasty snacks and refreshments throughout the festival.
• As usual, thanks to our sponsors, all the festival activities (except for food and drinks) are free.

You can find the full programme and registration details at cineglobe.ch.

After a two-year hiatus, the CERN MusiClub is very pleased to announce that the Hardronic Music Festival is back!

For more than 30 years, Hardronic has been an opportunity for CERN staff, students, users and their friends and families to come to the site and enjoy live music, delicious food and cool drinks. This year's edition, featuring nine of the CERN MusiClub's finest bands, will take place on Saturday, 23 July 2022 on the Restaurant 3 terrace on the Prévessin site. Music will start at 3.00 p.m., and there will be lots more on offer to entertain you.

Thanks to the kind support of the CERN Staff Association and Management, entry to the festival is completely free. A regular free shuttle bus will also be provided from the Meyrin site thanks to the SCE department. What's more, 100% of the profits from the bar will support the work of AidforAll, a local charity helping poor communities with basic needs, education and emergency health care in Viet Nam, India, Laos and, most recently, Ukraine.

For more information, please check out the festival website: http://cern.ch/hardronic/

CERN’s Year of Environmental Awareness campaign will soon come to a close, with the last infographic on biodiversity to be published on 5 July. The campaign has been rich and varied, including 13 articles and 13 infographics spanning diverse subjects of environmental concern for the Organization.

Now is your chance to share your thoughts and feedback on the campaign by completing this short survey (please log in before clicking on the link, deadline 30 July).

The results of this survey will be presented on the occasion of the closing event on 15 September, for which further details will follow in due course.

Thank you for taking the time to share your views!

The 2021 CERN Annual Report, which highlights CERN's main achievements and activities from last year, was presented to the CERN Council in their June meeting.

You can read this, and previous, Annual Reports online here – paper copies are also available at the CERN Library.

On 7 July, CELESTA will be launched into space: this microsatellite is the first space mission driven by CERN, in collaboration with the University of Montpellier and the European Space Agency (ESA).

The CERN community is warmly invited to tune in for the launch of CELESTA on 7 July at 12.15 CET. Note that the launch requires exceptionally good weather conditions, which might mean that it is delayed by a few days, but the time will not change. The live footage will be made available in CERN restaurants, shared on CERN social media channels and available on ESA’s WebTV and Arianespace’s YouTube channel.

The satellite’s payload is the Space RadMon, an instrument used to monitor radiation effects on electronics, entirely based on off-the-shelf components and calibrated at CERN’s irradiation facilities. The satellite itself has been tested at system level at CHARM, CERN’s mixed-field irradiation facility, showing the potential of this innovative approach for future space missions.

With CELESTA, CERN is seeking to showcase the impact of these technologies and facilities on society, in particular in the aerospace field. Learn more about aerospace applications of CERN technologies here.

Join representatives from ISIS to find out more about the company, potential job opportunities and the skills and talents they are now seeking.

The event will start at 11:00 CET on 1 July with a general presentation and will be followed by a Q&A session, come armed with your questions.

Please register here for the event to receive the zoom link.

About ISIS

ISIS Neutron and Muon Source is a world-leading centre for research in the physical and life sciences. It is owned and operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council. The centre produces beams of neutrons and muons that allow scientists to study materials at the atomic level using a suite of instruments, often described as ‘super-microscopes’.

More information on the Alumni website.

The latest edition of the "News from the Lab" event series will give an overview of the current state of the art in terms of machine learning on quantum computers with a focus on their application to High Energy Physics. It will take place on Thursday 30 June from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information on the talk and Zoom details, please visit the Alumni website. 

As the CERN catering services experience a gradual return to normal, CERN’s catering contractor Novae, the  SCE department (which manages catering contracts at CERN) and the Comité de Surveillance des Restaurants (CSR) are delighted to organise a presentation on catering at CERN.

The presentation will be given by Novae in room Bohr (40/S2-B01) on Tuesday 14 June 2022 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The presentation will highlight Novae’s purchasing policy, its sustainable development approach and its nutritional philosophy as well as the development of its plant-based offer. Food-lovers, including vegetarians and vegans, are invited to submit their questions and suggestions.

Come and help all CERN catering stakeholders improve nutrition at the Organization!  

For many of us, summer is the time for outdoor pursuits, hiking, biking and so much more. It also signals the return of little parasitic mites called ticks, whose bites can have severe consequences for our health through the transmission of various infectious agents. The most common infections caused by tick bites are Lyme disease* (Lyme Borreliosis), generally treatable with antibiotics, and tick-borne encephalitis** (TBE), which is rarer than Lyme disease with 5000 to 13 000 cases reported globally each year. Although there is no vaccine against Lyme disease, one does exist against TBE and it is recommended for anyone residing in or travelling to areas where the disease is prevalent. In Europe, the TBE vaccination is recommended in Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and Western Russia.

Ticks live all year round but are most active between March and November. They are generally found in damp, wooded areas and grassy fields, either in the long grass or on plants close to the ground. On human bodies, ticks like warm, moist areas where the skin is thin: behind the ears, around the neck, under the armpits, on the navel, in the groin, behind the knees or on the inner thighs. A careful inspection after any outing is essential.

How can I protect myself?

You can protect yourself from tick bites by following these few simple steps:

• Cover up: wear a long-sleeved top, long trousers, long socks, and closed-toe shoes. Choose light-coloured clothes, as ticks will be more visible on them.
• Spray your clothes, shoes, and skin with tick repellent (available in pharmacies).
• Examine your body whenever you might have been exposed to ticks (after a walk in the woods, a picnic on the grass, etc.).

What should I do if I have been bitten by a tick?

Don’t apply a salve or lotion as this could cause the release of the Borrelia bacterium, that is present in tick saliva and causes Lyme disease. Remove the tick immediately and carefully by:

• Using a tick-remover tool/card or fine-tipped tweezers.
• Grasping the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible without squeezing the tick. (Do not rotate the tool but pull outwards with steady, even pressure).
• Disinfecting the skin on and around the bite.
• Keeping an eye on the bite area for around six weeks.

Contact your doctor if:

• You have been bitten by a tick and are pregnant or immunocompromised (immunosuppressive treatment, HIV, etc.).
• Your child under the age of eight has been bitten.
• The tick remained implanted in your/their skin for more than 36 hours or you were unable to remove it.
• You don’t know when it became implanted but it was full of blood at the time of extraction.
• A red rash, which does not itch, develops and spreads around the bite site (more than 3 days and up to several weeks afterwards).
• You have symptoms such as unexplained pain, fever or fatigue, joint pain, neurological disorders, or the appearance of a red rash elsewhere in the days and weeks following the bite.

If you are worried about a possible tick bite or have flu-like or unusual symptoms after being bitten by a tick, please consult your doctor or a pharmacist.

Also don’t hesitate to contact the Medical Service if you have any questions: infirmary.Service@cern.ch

________________

Further information:

General information on Lyme disease and TBE – OFSP (available in French only)
General information on tick bites

Mapping the risk of tick bites in France – INRAE (available in French only)
Mapping the risk of tick bites in Switzerland – OFSP (available in English and French)

Vaccination against TBE in France (available in French only)
Vaccination against TBE in Switzerland (available in French only)

________________

*https://piqure-de-tique.ch/la-borreliose-en-bref/ (automatic translation available in English)

**https://piqure-de-tique.ch/la-fsme-en-bref/ (automatic translation available in English)

Three months ago, the CERN Innovation Programme on Environmental Applications (CIPEA) was launched as a call to the CERN community to come up with new ideas and suggestions for building technology-driven projects addressing critical environmental challenges. Since the programme kicked off in March, CERN’s Knowledge Transfer (KT) group has received (and is still receiving, until 10 June) numerous very interesting proposals from members of the CERN community relating to the four main areas of focus of the CIPEA programme: renewable and low-carbon energy, clean transportation and future mobility, climate change and pollution control, and sustainability and green science.

The response illustrates the commitment of our community towards environmental challenges: no effort has been spared in harnessing the extraordinary competences available within the Organization to tackle environmental issues in depth, without geographical restrictions and going well beyond simple changes in everyday practices.

So, what can CERN do to fight climate change and protect the environment on a global scale? How can accelerators, detectors and IT technologies contribute to a more sustainable future?

Find out the answers to these questions at the CIPEA Innovation Day on 27 June, which will give a bigger stage to the submitted ideas and celebrate the creativity of the CERN community.

The CIPEA Innovation Day will start at 10 a.m. in the Main Auditorium with an introduction by the CERN Management to kick off the event. It will be followed by presentations of the most promising ideas submitted in response to the CIPEA call, their possible integration into CERN’s long-term strategy on environmental applications, and a few selected examples of ongoing flagship projects in each of the four main areas of focus.

In the afternoon, the event will continue at IdeaSquare, where all the new proposals and ideas will be presented and discussed in a friendly environment. Brainstorming and direct contributions from the attendees will be welcome. These exchanges will pave the way towards the next phase of the CIPEA programme: implementing the selected projects.

Whether you are an environmental activist, a creative innovator or just keen to learn how CERN’s activities can have a positive impact on society outside high-energy physics, don’t miss the opportunity to come to the CIPEA Innovation Day!

Find out more on the event’s Indico page.

The "Arts at CERN" programme is looking for scientists, engineers and staff to participate in their activities. You will spend time with guest artists in order to exchange ideas about your work, get involved in their artistic projects and discuss common interests.

If you're interested in taking part, please send an e-mail to info.arts@cern.ch by 30 June. 

Registration is now open for the CERN Accelerator School’s "Advanced Accelerator Physics" course, organised from 6 to 18 November 2022 in Sevrier, France.

The course will be of interest to physicists and engineers who wish to expand their knowledge of accelerator physics and technologies as well as their professional network. The programme offers core lectures on accelerator physics in the mornings and a practical course with hands-on tuition in the afternoons. Participants will select one afternoon course from the three available options.

A successful participation in the course requires some basic knowledge of accelerator physics or experience acquired through professional work.  Advanced concepts will be introduced, which require knowledge of classical mechanics, electrodynamics, as well as mathematics for physics or engineering at university entrance level.

It is recommended that participants register as soon as possible. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis due to limitations in the capacity of the hotel facilities.

For more information and application, please visit the school website.

Registration is now open for the CERN Accelerator School’s « Introduction to Accelerator Physics » course organised from 18 September to 1 October 2022 in Kaunas, Lithuania.

This introductory CAS Course makes up the core teaching of all CAS courses and is the ideal opportunity to be introduced to the field of particle accelerators. The course will be of interest to staff and students from laboratories and universities, as well as companies manufacturing accelerator equipment. It will focus on various aspects of beam dynamics and will provide an introduction to the underlying accelerator systems. Key topics will be consolidated through a series of discussion sessions and tutorials, and topical seminars will complete the program.

Besides the educational component, the course will be an opportunity to network with other students and lecturers in the field of accelerator physics.

It is recommended that participants register as soon as possible. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis due to limitations in the capacity of the hotel facilities.

The first registration, before the end of July, is a confirmation of interest. Beginning of August 2022, the course will be confirmed or cancelled after a review of the situation. Only then will the registration become a commitment to pay and to organise travel.

For more information and to apply, please visit the school website.

The CERN MusiClub is pleased to announce that, as part of the “Fête de la musique” 2022, the club will be organising “Music on the Lawn” on Saturday 18 June on the terrace of Restaurant 1, on the Meyrin site. Music will start at 14h and finishes around 18h.

“Music on the Lawn” is a free rock concert featuring bands from the CERN MusiClub. This year’s event, the first since 2019, will feature RPM2, Diracula and the Canettes Blues Band, plus a DJ set.

After a two-year hiatus, the CERN MusiClub is also planning this year's Hardronic Music Festival to be held on 23 July on the terrace of Restaurant 3. We invite you to save the date and stay tuned for full details coming soon.

For more information on the CERN MusiClub see here.

As of 1 June 2022, Gates A and C will no longer be staffed by guards at all times, but at certain times only on a random basis.

Use of these two gates by car will henceforth be limited to owners of duly registered vehicles, who will have to place their access card against the card reader when entering the site.

The intercom system will continue to be available to allow communication with the security service in the event of problems.

The Staff Association is organising a public meeting specifically for the Associated Members of the Personnel (MPAs).

Monday 30 May at 2.00 p.m.
Council Chamber (503/1-001)

This meeting will be an opportunity to give you the latest information on subjects of concern to MPAs such as COLA, taxation, EXAS status, etc.

If you are unable to attend in person, you can also participate via Zoom here.

Don't miss this opportunity to get up to date with the latest news and to speak directly to representatives of the Staff Association.

You’ll find more information by clicking the following link: https://indico.cern.ch/event/1158082/

Join the audience of the presentation of "Your adventures at CERN" via videoconference (connection details on Indico) or in person at the CERN library (building 52, first floor) on 2 June at 4 p.m. 

"Your adventures at CERN", written by Letizia Diamante and illustrated by Claudia Flandoli, turns you, the reader, into a protagonist, inviting you to choose between the role of a researcher, a student or a tourist to browse through the book's many games and quizzes. The bizarre adventure it tells will teach you brain-tickling facts about particles and science wonders, and make you explore the unsolved mysteries of the Universe. 

Join the audience of the CERN KT webinar on the High Energy physics Ventilator (HEV) and High Performance Low Cost Ventilator (HPLV) on 2 June at 4 p.m. Connection details and a presentation of the event are available on the Indico page. 

The HEV is a high-quality, low-cost, versatile ventilator, which was originally designed by a team of CERN scientists and collaborating institutes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), awarded funding to a collaboration between the UK, Brazil and CERN to redesign the HEV, working towards the goal of making high quality medical equipment more widely available in low and middle-income countries.  The HPLV further advances the HEV development towards regulatory approval and commercial implementation. 

The webinar will describe the HEV conceptual design, the performance evaluation of the prototypes and the development of the HPLV towards commercial implementation and adaptations for low- and middle-income countries, with a focus on Brazil.