Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HIDDeN (Hunting Invisibles: Dark sectors, Dark matter and Neutrinos)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2020-10-01 do 2022-09-30
The ultimate goal of HIDDeN which will focus on revealing the (a)symmetries we have yet to discover, hence hidden (a)symmetries, and the particles on which they act, in particular the invisible sector, made of neutrinos, dark matter and other elusives.
The consortium consists of 12 Beneficiaries from 5 EU Member States and an Associated country (Switzerland); 25 Partner Organizations: 13 world-leading scientific institutions providing expertise in neutrino and dark matter experimental physics, including the two leading particle physics laboratories CERN and Fermilab, 5 Universities and Institutes from Developing Countries to provide specific expertise for research and training which is not otherwise present in the network and 8 Private sector enterprises: five technological and research-related ones and three with expertise in different aspects of communication. 1 of them is an SMEs.
The beneficiaries (partners) currently include 85 (>70) senior members and 46 postdocs (>30).
HIDDeN focuses on some of the most fundamental questions about Nature and human identity: what are humans and the rest of the Universe made of?
Although we have discovered much about what Nature is made of since the discovery of electrons, most of the Universe and its workings remains hidden to us: Neutrinos are the most abundant known fermion but the reasons why they have mass and mix are unexplained; we have evidence of Dark Matter (DM) but we do not even know which particle makes it up; particles and antiparticles show to behave differently (the so-called CP-violation) without a compelling reason; we see that, to a very large extent, in the Universe there are only baryons and not anti baryons, but we do not know why this is the case and why the Universe did not simply transform itself in a gigantic cloud of photons; Dark Energy dominates the energy balance of the Universe but we are far from even understanding what it is. These questions cannot find answers in the commonly accepted picture of particles and interactions, the Standard Model (SM), and are the first (and so far only) evidence that the SM needs to be extended to a more fundamental theory which contains additional elements and new interactions.
In summary, the ultimate mission of HIDDeN is to uncover the hidden sectors implied by the existence of non-zero neutrino masses, DM, and the baryon asymmetry, and to develop the New Standard Model of particles and interactions.
The consortium consists of 12 Beneficiaries from 5 EU Member States and an Associated country (Switzerland); 25 Partner Organizations: 13 world-leading scientific institutions providing expertise in neutrino and dark matter experimental physics, including the two leading particle physics laboratories CERN and Fermilab, 5 Universities and Institutes from Developing Countries to provide specific expertise for research and training which is not otherwise present in the network and 8 Private sector enterprises: five technological and research-related ones and three with expertise in different aspects of communication. 1 of them is an SMEs.
The beneficiaries (partners) currently include 85 (>70) senior members and 46 postdocs (>30).
HIDDeN focuses on some of the most fundamental questions about Nature and human identity: what are humans and the rest of the Universe made of?
Although we have discovered much about what Nature is made of since the discovery of electrons, most of the Universe and its workings remains hidden to us: Neutrinos are the most abundant known fermion but the reasons why they have mass and mix are unexplained; we have evidence of Dark Matter (DM) but we do not even know which particle makes it up; particles and antiparticles show to behave differently (the so-called CP-violation) without a compelling reason; we see that, to a very large extent, in the Universe there are only baryons and not anti baryons, but we do not know why this is the case and why the Universe did not simply transform itself in a gigantic cloud of photons; Dark Energy dominates the energy balance of the Universe but we are far from even understanding what it is. These questions cannot find answers in the commonly accepted picture of particles and interactions, the Standard Model (SM), and are the first (and so far only) evidence that the SM needs to be extended to a more fundamental theory which contains additional elements and new interactions.
In summary, the ultimate mission of HIDDeN is to uncover the hidden sectors implied by the existence of non-zero neutrino masses, DM, and the baryon asymmetry, and to develop the New Standard Model of particles and interactions.
The scientific progress of the project has been excellent.Good progress has been achieved towards the objectives in WP1 Neutrinos with 44 publications, WP2 Dark Matter with 54 publications, WP3 BSM with 48 publications, and WP4 Interfaces and symmetries with 33 publications. 71 publications have been produced in the framework of various WP. 22 publications are co-authored by the recruited Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs). 21 of these publications have been authored by 1 ESR and 1 by 2 ESRs. 16 of these publications by ESRs involve one single node, 4 involve two nodes, and 2 involve three nodes.
In WP5 Training activities successful activities have included local training, secondments, annual ITN events, and HIDDeN Virtual Institute. First ITN school and conference were organized by the Madrid UAM-IFT network node and took place online in May 2021. Second ITN school and conference were organized by the CNRS network node and took place at IJCLab, in Orsay in June 2022.
In WP6 Management the work has concentrated on the efficient management of the network and facilitating the recruitment of ESRs. The recruitment strategy of the network was very effective and successful. Available positions were advertised on the project website, in Euraxess, in InSPIRES and locally. The top-ranked candidates were selected for the shortlist and a series of interviews took place. Each node provided a ranked list of chosen candidates to be offered the position. The selection process was closely monitored by the HIDDeN Training Board, which ensured the compliance with the network rules. The choice of the selected candidates was finally endorsed by the HIDDeN Training Board, with the agreement of all beneficiaries, and the offers were subsequently made. During the recruitment process, gender and equality issues were taken into consideration, without taking precedence over academic and scientific quality.
In WP7 Communication and Dissemination the network has disseminated research results in high impact peer-reviewed scientific journals. Public lectures and visits to schools have been organized. The HIDDeN website has also been used to disseminate project related information.
In WP5 Training activities successful activities have included local training, secondments, annual ITN events, and HIDDeN Virtual Institute. First ITN school and conference were organized by the Madrid UAM-IFT network node and took place online in May 2021. Second ITN school and conference were organized by the CNRS network node and took place at IJCLab, in Orsay in June 2022.
In WP6 Management the work has concentrated on the efficient management of the network and facilitating the recruitment of ESRs. The recruitment strategy of the network was very effective and successful. Available positions were advertised on the project website, in Euraxess, in InSPIRES and locally. The top-ranked candidates were selected for the shortlist and a series of interviews took place. Each node provided a ranked list of chosen candidates to be offered the position. The selection process was closely monitored by the HIDDeN Training Board, which ensured the compliance with the network rules. The choice of the selected candidates was finally endorsed by the HIDDeN Training Board, with the agreement of all beneficiaries, and the offers were subsequently made. During the recruitment process, gender and equality issues were taken into consideration, without taking precedence over academic and scientific quality.
In WP7 Communication and Dissemination the network has disseminated research results in high impact peer-reviewed scientific journals. Public lectures and visits to schools have been organized. The HIDDeN website has also been used to disseminate project related information.
HIDDeN has been able to attract highly talented young people to a research career at the forefront of scientific and technological developments, has helped them to develop their full potential via a structured and coherent training and has fostered their growth as individuals. The ITN has given them: 1) Confidence to tackle essential questions on the nature of the universe and to be the main agents of fundamental discoveries, 2) Rigorous scientific skills (solid, broad background in a specific research area) and problem-solving skills, which can be applied both to a scientific or industrial R&D questions, 3) Logical thinking, critical capacity, independence, 4) Transferable skills such as management, organisation, communication, and 5) Exceptional outreach and dissemination skills.
HIDDeN is actively contributing to structuring doctoral/early-stage research training at the European level and to strengthening European innovation capacity in many ways. HIDDEN has built a unique pan-European training activity focus on revealing the (a)symmetries we have yet to discover, hence hidden (a)symmetries, and the particles on which they act, in particular the invisible sector, made of neutrinos, dark matter and other elusives.
The project has built on existing collaborations and has helped in creating new long-lasting ones among members of beneficiary and partner organizations, amplifying the projection and richness of European research, without forgetting research, training and technology transfer with third country participants. The non-academic sector has contributed to the doctoral/research training. The training activities offered by our private sector partner organizations have been fully integrated to the network program.
Scientifically the network is thriving and the recruited ESRs keep actively collaborating throughout the network and publishing articles focused on the ITN themes. The ITN members are making world leading contributions in several of the latest theoretical and experimental developments. The participation of partner organization is encouraged and supported in many way and are involved in the work of all boards/committees. Especially through the Partner Board, they can express their views on project related matters.
In addition to collaborating scientifically and producing publications co-signed with beneficiary team members as described above, the Partner organizations have contributed to organizing our annual events Every year, the beneficiaries use network “solidarity funds” for financing the participation of one senior and one junior member of the partner organizations in the annual events.
Partner organizations have also had a major impact in the progress of the project through the organization and hosting of secondments.
HIDDeN is actively contributing to structuring doctoral/early-stage research training at the European level and to strengthening European innovation capacity in many ways. HIDDEN has built a unique pan-European training activity focus on revealing the (a)symmetries we have yet to discover, hence hidden (a)symmetries, and the particles on which they act, in particular the invisible sector, made of neutrinos, dark matter and other elusives.
The project has built on existing collaborations and has helped in creating new long-lasting ones among members of beneficiary and partner organizations, amplifying the projection and richness of European research, without forgetting research, training and technology transfer with third country participants. The non-academic sector has contributed to the doctoral/research training. The training activities offered by our private sector partner organizations have been fully integrated to the network program.
Scientifically the network is thriving and the recruited ESRs keep actively collaborating throughout the network and publishing articles focused on the ITN themes. The ITN members are making world leading contributions in several of the latest theoretical and experimental developments. The participation of partner organization is encouraged and supported in many way and are involved in the work of all boards/committees. Especially through the Partner Board, they can express their views on project related matters.
In addition to collaborating scientifically and producing publications co-signed with beneficiary team members as described above, the Partner organizations have contributed to organizing our annual events Every year, the beneficiaries use network “solidarity funds” for financing the participation of one senior and one junior member of the partner organizations in the annual events.
Partner organizations have also had a major impact in the progress of the project through the organization and hosting of secondments.