The RD51 MicroPattern Gaseous Detector School will take place from 27 November to 1 December 2023 at CERN. The school focuses on state-of-the-art MPGD technologies. Its programme comprises morning lectures by global experts in the field, which will give an overview of gas detector physics, MPGD technologies, simulation and modelling, readout approaches, manufacturing techniques and applications, as well as hands-on afternoon exercises on various technologies, with an emphasis on methodologies.

The school is targeted to PhD students and young scientists working on gaseous detectors or entering the field. Students are invited to present a poster with a short oral introduction during a dedicated session of the school. Thanks to the support from the RD51 Collaboration, registration is free for students. However, please note that accommodation, travel and other expenses have to be covered by the participants.

Applications for the school are open from now until 17 July 2023. Admission to the school is limited. The lecture sessions are open to the community and can be followed in-person or remotely via videoconference.

Visit the school’s website for more information and registration: https://indico.cern.ch/e/rd51mpgdschool

Contact: rd51.mpgdschool@cern.ch

Bookings are now open for group visits to CERN Science Gateway. More information and a link to the booking form are available here.

Aimed at engaging audiences of all ages, CERN Science Gateway will include immersive exhibition spaces, laboratories for hands-on experiments, and a large auditorium to host events for the scientific community and the general public.

CERN has a robust safety organisation in place, underpinned by the Safety Policy, which spans all areas of occupational health and safety, including environmental protection and the safe operation of CERN’s facilities.

In line with the Safety Policy and Safety Regulation SR-SO, which defines the responsibilities and organisational structure in matters of safety, CERN regularly sets safety objectives for the whole of the Organization. 

Benoît Delille, head of the HSE unit, explains the importance of this approach: “This annual exercise is a powerful means of setting priorities in matters of safety in all respects. It is based on lessons learned, trends and feedback from the Safety Officers and link persons, who bring crucial information from the field.”

The annual CERN-wide HSE objectives for 2023/2024, which were presented at the Enlarged Directorate meeting of 11 April, cover not only health and safety (HS) but also the “E” of HSE, i.e. the environment.  In addition to the traditional annual objectives, longer-term ones for implementation in 2025 and at the start of the third long shutdown (LS3, currently expected to start in 2026) have also been set. “Looking further ahead, the longer-term objectives will enable us to prepare for LS3 and make the improvements needed to ensure that it unfolds optimally,” explains Delille.

The objectives are the result of close collaboration between HSE and the departmental safety officers of other departments. The Safety Policy Committee (SAPOCO) has also contributed.

The environment objectives, which will be implemented around the end of Run 3 and the start of LS3, were first set in 2018 in CERN’s first public-facing environment report. They include objectives to limit the increase in electricity consumption to 5%, reduce Scope 1 emissions by 28% and limit the increase in water consumption to below 5% with respect to 2018. The 2023/2024 objectives concern the minimisation of effluents discharged into watercourses from CERN worksites and, in line with the Organization’s noise policy, the mitigation of the impact of noise emanating from CERN installations on neighbouring towns, in order to reduce complaints to a minimum.

In the area of occupational health and safety, CERN aims to have 40% of its personnel trained in life-saving actions by LS3. The corresponding short and accessible course is an essential cornerstone in the Organization’s medical emergency response strategy.  

Electrical safety reinforcement is another priority. A dedicated project will strive, inter alia, to increase awareness and reduce incidents of electrical origin.

Another objective is to reduce the number of incidents and incivilities on CERN’s roads and foster a culture of their safe, courteous and respectful use, whatever the mode of transport (see the recent dedicated Bulletin article).

As far as radiation protection is concerned, the long-term goal is to continue to limit the maximum annual personal dose to 3 mSv (i.e. half of the regulatory limit of 6 mSv for category B radiation workers) and to reduce the production of radioactive waste by taking it into account from the start in the design of upgrades and new facilities. For 2023/2024, the aim is to identify the old accelerator and experimental equipment that is currently in storage and perform radiological controls on it.

Emergency preparedness is another important long-term priority for the Organization, with specific actions planned before LS3, such as evacuation exercises in all accelerator and experimental areas and in the most-populated buildings, including the restaurants and hotels.

CERN’s HSE objectives provide a clear, CERN-wide framework for setting safety priorities. Our commitment at every level is key to achieving these goals. Making CERN a safe place to work starts with each and every one of us.

For more detail on how these objectives will be implemented and tracked, see this webpage: https://hse.cern/safety-objectives

Musculoskeletal health refers to the performance of the locomotor system, which comprises our muscles, bones, joints and adjacent connective tissues. The term “musculoskeletal disorders” (MSDs) covers more than 150 different diseases and conditions, characterised by locomotor system impairments, often persistent pain and limitations in mobility and dexterity. These can reduce our capacity to work, our levels of well-being and our ability to participate in society.

MSDs are on the rise and are the leading contributor to disability worldwide, with lower back pain being the single leading cause. The World Health Organization (WHO)* estimates that approximately 1.71 billion people have musculoskeletal conditions worldwide. In France, MSDs have increased by 60% since 2003**.

The origin of most MSDs lies in a mismatch between the external load and the capacity of the human body to resist biomechanical and physiological strain. Ergonomics, but also rest and recovery, nutrition, hydration and fitness all play an important role in mitigating the risk of developing MSDs.

We are all potentially exposed to MSDs, whatever the nature of our work. We can actively help reduce the risk for ourselves by being aware, adopting a few simple habits and making sure our workplace is correctly designed and organised.

The prevention of MSDs falls within the remit of the CERN Medical Service, which offers workplace visits, provides dedicated advice and runs awareness campaigns.  

In this context, the Medical Service is organising an awareness campaign on 1 June in Restaurant 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will include advice on posture and demonstrations of simple tricks and ergonomic adjustments that may help improve comfort and health at work. Further, a series of short muscular awakening exercise classes will take place on 6 June from 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. in Building 40.

All the details of the 1 June campaign and the schedule for the 6 June muscular awakening exercise, as well as brochures and further information, can be found at: https://hse.cern/content/ergonomics.

* https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/musculoskeletal-conditions  

** Comprendre les troubles musculo-squelettiques | ameli.fr | Assuré

The CERN Alumni network invites you to a special virtual event on 8 June. This event will be hosted on CERN's LinkedIn page and simultaneously streamed on other social media platforms.
The speakers will celebrate this milestone and focus on highlighting how an experience at CERN serves as a transformative springboard for one's career.

Visit the CERN Alumni website for more information. 

The CERN MusiClub invites you to join us for “Music on the Lawn”, which will take place on Saturday, 10 June on the terrace of Restaurant 1 on the Meyrin site.

“Music on the Lawn” is an informal, free concert featuring bands from the CERN MusiClub. This year’s event will feature live music from:

• Blast from the Past
• Old Gits, Young Bloods
• Les Croque Monsieur
• CoverOps
• Nameless.

The music will start at 2.00 p.m. and last until around 7.00 p.m. Please note that, as on any other day, a CERN access card will be required to enter the site. We hope to see you there!

Don’t forget, as previously announced, the CERN MusiClub is also planning this year's Hardronic Music Festival, which will be held on 8 July on the terrace of Restaurant 3 on the Prévessin site. We invite you to save the date and stay tuned for full details, which will be coming soon.

The MusiClub would like to thank the Staff Association and the CERN Management for supporting these events.

CERN MusiClub

Heatwaves have become increasingly common at our latitude in the past few years. Recent trends show that heatwaves are now more frequent and more intense: it is no longer a matter of ‘if’ we will have one, but rather when it will occur, how hot it will be and how long it will last.

Heat may have an adverse impact on our health and work. A rapid rise in ambient temperature compromises the body’s ability to auto-regulate its own temperature and metabolic processes. Heat can cause dizziness and headaches, a sore throat, cramps, dehydration, exhaustion and changes in our behaviour.

The majority of these adverse health effects generally occur when the average temperature over 24 hours is high (above 25oC) and remains high for several consecutive days. Such a meteorological context is the first indicator that a heatwave might be around the corner: MeteoSwiss declares a heatwave when average temperatures exceeding 25oC are forecast for at least three consecutive days. This is also the context in which CERN would implement its new “heatwave action plan”, as described below. For reference, if this plan had been in place in 2022, it would have been triggered three times for a total of 16 calendar days.

In addition to individual measures that are communicated during the heat awareness campaigns organised by HSE (see below*), CERN has developed an Organization-wide heatwave action plan consisting of a set of preventive and corrective measures designed to mitigate the effects of sustained high temperatures on its personnel during a heatwave. They will only apply during heatwave periods defined according to official meteorological forecasts, which are monitored closely by the HSE unit, and when deemed compatible with the needs of individual services.

During a heatwave period, personnel will be offered the option of specific flexible measures, such as the possibility of extended teleworking (under OC 7 per chapter II. 7 – heatwaves will be considered a “specific circumstance”), as well as possible adjustments to the eight-hour working day between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. (excluding shift work provisions). Hourly recuperation and hydration breaks may also be organised. These measures will of course be discussed with or defined by supervisors, depending on the individuals concerned, the workplace context and the activity.

Furthermore, the main air-conditioned (A/C) and ventilated auditoriums and meeting rooms may be booked in the afternoons to provide temporary space for office-related tasks. Installation on a large scale of A/C is not planned, given legal constraints but also environmental considerations (A/C units lead to increased energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions), as well as health and safety issues.

The activation and end of the heatwave action plan will be announced on the home.cern and hse.cern websites, as well as on posters displayed on restaurant screens (shown below) and in messages on the site entrance screens.  

For full details of the heatwave action plan and measures, see this webpage.

Safety comes first, whatever the weather.

______________

* How to beat the heat

We all feel the heat differently. Whenever high temperatures in the work environment become difficult to bear, the following ’Beat the heat’ tips can help avoid unpleasant symptoms:

• keep windows and blinds closed during the day;
• use an office fan;
• hydrate yourself regularly;
• take regular breaks;
• seek a cooler environment, if possible. The maximum difference in temperature between indoor and ambient (outdoor) conditions should not exceed 8oC;
• keep heavy physical tasks to the minimum during the warmest hours, and wear light clothing, if compatible with your work.
• When working outside, wear sunglasses, sunscreen and appropriate clothing.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding or suffer from a chronic illness, we advise you to consult your doctor to define any additional measures that may be appropriate.

Would you like to find out how to use CERN Library services and resources available at CERN (accessing e-books and e-journals, borrowing books, requesting documents, etc.)?
Do you want to learn how to publish following the Open Access policy and get some insight into Open Science?

If so, enrol for one of the short information sessions offered by the CERN Scientific Information Service every three months. The next session will take place on 13 June and is open to anyone working at CERN.

For any questions, feel free to reach out:

library.desk@cern.ch

open-access-questions@cern.ch

open-science@cern.ch

Spectacular advances in modern astronomy have opened our horizon to an unexpected cosmos: a dark, mysterious universe, populated by enigmatic entities we know very little about, such as black holes, dark matter, and dark energy. 

In this public conference, Gianfranco Bertone – Professor of Theoretical Astroparticle Physics at the Center of Excellence in Gravitation and Astroparticle Physics, University of Amsterdam (GRAPPA) – will discuss how the new science based on gravitational waves may hold the keys to unlocking these mysteries. Bertone will highlight the surprising connections between the study of the universe on the largest scales and the physics of the infinitely small. 

The talk is a fascinating introduction to cutting-edge findings in recent cosmology, that could soon revolutionise our understanding of the universe and of the role we humans play in it.

For more information and registration, visit the event’s Indico page.

1 June 2023 | 8 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.
Globe of Science and Innovation, CERN
Presentation in English | Event recorded

The COVID-19 pandemic might seem like a distant memory for most of us, but the effects unfortunately linger for some: many people infected with COVID-19 have medium or long-term symptoms. If these symptoms last for at least three months after infection, we speak of “long COVID” (“post-COVID” or “COVID long” in French). To date, no pharmacological treatment has been found. The Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG) are undertaking a post-COVID study to evaluate the effectiveness of a new immunotherapy drug called temelimab. They are seeking 200 volunteers to take part in this study, as uptake has so far been low.

If you are suffering from post-COVID symptoms and would like to take part in the study, you can find out more on the HUG’s dedicated webpage (in French): https://www.hug.ch/actualite/participez-etude-sur-levaluation-dun-traitement-du-post-covid.

Did you know that the CERN Library grants you access to the Chicago Manual of Style?

The Chicago Manual of Style will provide you with general guidelines for preparing books and articles, along with citation, spelling, punctuation and abbreviations guidelines.

You can access it here.

For any question, please contact: library.desk@cern.ch

On 1 June, take part in the Challenge Mobilité by opting for an environmentally friendly way to get to work – on foot, in a carpool, by bike or on public transport – it’s entirely up to you. The challenge is an initiative of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region where the French parts of the CERN site are located.

So, on 1 June, why not hop on your bike, don your running shoes or consult the bus timetable? And if you want to go a step further, try out some of the highly original extra challenges suggested here (in French only).

This "News from the lab" event will focus on digital applications, one of the five target areas of the Knowledge Transfer Group. The talk will briefly remind the CERN KT approach, method and tools before giving some insights on opportunities for CERN digital technologies. It will provide various examples of successful projects and collaborations undertaken with industry.

25 May - 6 p.m.

Registration on the Alumni website

The CERN Service Management support team (SM team) is pleased to invite you to the 4th Service Management Forum at CERN. The event will take place on Thursday, 8 June at 10.30 a.m.. It will be an exciting opportunity to discover the latest updates in Service Management at CERN, featuring informative presentations and a useful hands-on workshop.

You can find a detailed agenda of the event as well as a Zoom link on the Indico page.

The forum will focus on the ServiceNow integration with CERN-specific software such as JIRA, InforEam, JOB, and data sources, which allows you to maximise the benefits of the ServiceNow tool as an interface with users and your fit-for-purpose tool.

The event will also address the CERN Service Status Board and the Outages, to help you stay up to date with service incidents, interventions, and changes. This will allow you to take appropriate actions in a timely manner in the event of a service disruption.

The forum will once again provide an excellent opportunity to find out how colleagues have leveraged ServiceNow functionality to its fullest potential. In this vein, Gilles Bollinger and Vincent Gilquin will share their experiences, their tips and best practices with Site Services, Mobility Services, and Housing Services.

Finally, a hands-on session will allow you to learn how to configure your service keywords to optimise the results of the CERN Service Portal.

We look forward to seeing you at the forum!

Pint of Science is an annual global science festival that gets researchers to share and discuss their findings with people in their local pub, bar, cafe or other public space. The first edition of Pint of Science took place in May 2013 in just three UK cities. It quickly took off around the world and now happens in nearly 30 countries and over 400 cities.

For the first time, CERN is taking an active part in some of the many Pint of Science events that are being organised in neighbouring France and Switzerland.

We’ve planned three amazing nights for you to learn about CERN, meet our scientists and have a drink with them. To participate, you don't need any prior scientific experience, just come and enjoy our scientists’ interactive presentations!

For more information and to register: 

#pint23

https://indico.cern.ch/e/pintofscience2023

Entrance is free of charge. Registration is recommended for the event in Saint-Genis-Pouilly.

As part of the 2024 Terre de Jeux sporting event, the Cessy town hall is organising a ColorRun on Sunday, 14 May 2023, in aid of Monts Jura Handisports (monts-jura-handisports.fr).

The race will start in the centre of Cessy and will follow the path to LHC Point 5 and back.

Activities are planned on the car park at the entrance to Point 5. The organisers will take the necessary measures to ensure participants’ safety. 

Although every effort will be made to keep the inconvenience caused by the race to the minimum, some traffic disruption is possible. If you are working on the site on Sunday, 14 May, please drive carefully and observe the roadsigns in place.

CERN will host the second stage of the 2023 Tour du Canton de Genève for the first time since 2004. The 8,9 km race is open to all and will start by the Esplanade des Particules before briefly crossing across CERN, taking in the Swiss countryside and vineyards near Satigny, and then returning to CERN for the finish.

More information and registration at http://www.courir-ge.ch/.

The organising committee is still looking for volunteers to ensure the event’s success – please contact christian.burlet@cern.ch if you would like to help out

Registration is open for the 51st edition of the CERN Relay Race. The event will take place on Wednesday 31 May at 12.15 – it is always a beautiful, sunny day. The Staff Association clubs will be running information stands and activities in front of Restaurant 1, and food and drinks will be provided by Novae.

Sign up here for the Relay Race or here for the Nordic Walking event – you can also scan the QR code on the poster. If you do not intend to run, please note that the organising committee is still looking for volunteers to help with the event – please contact roddy.cunningham@cern.ch.

We look forward to welcoming you at the starting line!

For many of us, warmer days bring outdoor pursuits, such as hiking, biking and so much more. They also signal 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)