Taking Their Science into Parliament

Searching for elusive sub atomic particles, unravelling the mysteries of the Moon, visualising the results of atom smashing experiments and researching the next generation of particle physics experiments - what do all of these have in common?

Searching for elusive sub atomic particles, unravelling the mysteries of the Moon, visualising the results of atom smashing experiments and researching the next generation of particle physics experiments - what do all of these have in common? The answer is that all of these cutting edge science projects, funded by the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, are being worked on by young researchers in the UK., ,A number of these young researchers will be participating in a special event for MP's, illustrating the range of research and development that is taking place in the fields of science, engineering, technology and medicine. "Taking Science to Parliament", which takes place at House of Commons on Monday 17th March, aims to encourage young scientists to communicate their research with MP's and network with the wider scientific community. The afternoon session, in which the PPARC researchers are taking part, is sponsored by Robert Jackson MP. , ,Dr Jon Couchman, from University College, London, will present his research on the visualisation of high energy physics events at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), an advanced detector currently being built at CERN, the European Laboratory for Nuclear Research near Geneva. The LHC will increase our knowledge of the structure of matter and the forces of nature. When the LHC becomes operational in 2007 massive amounts of data will be generated by the different experiments. Visual investigation will be extremely important in identifying and analysing the resulting data from the millions of particle interactions that occur., ,Dr Sarah Dunkin, from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, will "Unravel the Mysteries of the Moon" in her presentation which explains vulcanism on the Moon. Sarah is deeply involved on a key instrument onboard SMART1, the European Space Agency's first mission to the Moon which is due to launch in July 2003., ,Dr Glen White, from Queen Mary University of London is working on "Keeping the Linear Collider (LC) colliding". The LC is the next generation electron-positron accelerator designed to , ,investigate in detail new phenomena such as Higgs or supersymmetric particle likely to be identified in the Large Hadron Collider being built at CERN. Glen's research specifically looks at maintaining the collisions between the electrons and positrons beams., ,Dr Angela Wyatt from University College, London is involved in the search for the elusive Higgs Boson - a sub atomic particle that could have a profound effect on our understanding of fundamental physics. Angela will explain her research on the CDF experiment at Fermilab in the USA. The discovery of this particle would help to answer one of the most fundamental questions in particle physics - "Why do particles have mass?", ,Prof. Ian Halliday, Chief Executive of PPARC said:, ,"It is encouraging to see events such as this where young UK scientists can talk directly to MP's. Young researchers are one of the UK's most valuable assets. They will undoubtedly contribute to the future wealth of economy through the development of advanced technology, whilst being at the forefront of future scientific discovery"., ,'Taking Science to Parliament' is organised by SET for Europe. Now in its fifth year a central aim is to present an exciting panorama of British Research and R&D at Westminster. The event takes place at the end of the UK wide National Science Week in March., ,Notes to Editors, ,Contacts,Gill Ormrod - PPARC Press Office,Tel: [phone]. Email: [e-mail],Photos of the PPARC researchers participating will be available after the event., ,Dr Eric Wharton - Taking Science to Parliament - http://www.setforeurope.org,Tel: [phone]. Email: [e-mail], ,If you would like to come along to the event then please contact Eric Wharton (contact details above). Please note places are limited., ,PPARC researchers and their MP's, ,Dr Jon Couchman: Eleanor Laing MP (Conservative: Epping Forest) ,Dr Sarah Dunkin: Mr Robert Jackson MP (Conservative: Wantage) ,Dr Glen White: Mr Robert Jackson MP (Conservative: Wantage),Dr Angela Wyatt: Dr Rudi Vis MP (Labour: Finchley and Golders Green), ,Further information on the PPARC posters, ,Visualising high energy physics events at the Large Hadron Collider., ,Dr Jon Couchman - University College, London,Email: [e-mail], ,High energy physics experiments often consist of two beams of sub atomic particles colliding with each other. The results of a single collision is measured by many detectors surrounding the interaction point and the information is read out digitally - this is known as an event., ,Experiments, such as Atlas at the LHC, will have huge computing facilities to read out, store and at a later date, analyse the many terabytes of data that will be collected from particle collisions created by the colliding two beams of protons., ,Jon's specific project, Atlantis, will produce computer software that will enable physicists to display a sub-atomic particle interaction and also indirectly aid them in their analysis of the events., ,For more details on the Large Hadron Collider see,http://lhc-new-homepage.web.cern.ch/lhc-new-homepage/ ,Searching for the Higgs Boson - CDF experiment at Fermilab, ,Dr Angela Wyatt - University College, London,Email: [e-mail], ,Particle physics aims to understand the nature of matter and its interactions at the most fundamental level. One of the major unsolved questions in particle physics is what causes fundamental particles to have mass. The Standard Model is our current picture of particle physics and the forces that hold all particles together. In this model the mechanism that enables particles to gain mass requires the existence of a currently undiscovered particle, the Higgs Boson., ,It is this search that Angela is involved in through her work on the CDF experiment at the Tevatron Collider at Fermilab in the USA., ,For further information on Fermilab please see http://www.fnal.gov/ ,Keeping the Linear Collider Colliding, ,Dr Glen White - Queen Mary, University of London,Email: [e-mail], ,The Linear Collider is the next generation electron-positron accelerator designed to investigate in detail new phenomena such as Higgs or supersymmetric particle likely to be identified in the Large Hadron Collider being built at CERN. Such heavy new particles should be produced when bunches of electrons and positrons are fired head-on and annihilate. In order to maximise the probability of the collisions, the electrons and positrons must be tightly packed and steered to as to hit each other accurately. However, ground vibrations tend to shake up accelerator components causing the bunches to jitter and misalign. Work has been underway for nearly three years by UK physicists and engineers based at Queen Mary, University of London and Oxford University (in conjunction with world-wide high energy physics laboratories) on detecting mis-aligned bunches and correcting the position of later ones using a beam position monitor., ,Unravelling the mysteries of the moon, ,Dr Sarah Dunkin, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory,Email: [e-mail], ,Sarah's presentation will explain the scientific importance of the Moon, and how knowledge of its formation and evolution has direct relevance to our understanding of the evolution of our own planet, the Earth, and that of the entire inner Solar System., ,Sarah will also highlight some of her own recent research into volcanism on the Moon, and how this will benefit from new data that will come from the European Space Agency's very first mission to the Moon, Smart 1 - due to be launched in July 2003., ,For further information on Smart 1 please see http://www.sci.esa.int/home/smart-1/index.cfm ,The Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) is the UK's strategic science investment agency. It funds research, education and public understanding in four broad areas of science - particle physics, astronomy, cosmology and space science. , ,PPARC is government funded and provides research grants and studentships to scientists in British universities, gives researchers access to world-class facilities and funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, CERN, the European Space Agency and the European Southern Observatory. It also contributes money for the UK telescopes overseas on La Palma, Hawaii, Australia and in Chile, the UK Astronomy Technology Centre at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh and the MERLIN/VLBI National Facility.

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