May 29 2014
Physicists convene to discuss findings, theory, and future directions
EVENT: Hundreds of physicists from around the world will gather in New York City June 2-7 to discuss the origin of mass, supersymmetry, and other mysteries of matter and the universe at the second annual Large Hadron Collider Physics conference. LHCP, co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and Columbia University, will feature talks on: the latest experimental findings from the Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest and most powerful particle collider; the implications of the first direct evidence of inflation in the early universe recently reported by the BICEP2 experiment; the legacy of the Tevatron collider at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory; LHC heavy-ion experiments; and theoretical analyses that relate experimental results to key physics questions to help point the way to future research directions. Don't miss this opportunity to interact with world-leading physicists. Time will be set aside for one-on-one interviews as needed.
WHEN: June 2-7, 2014
WHERE: Columbia University, Alfred Lerner Hall and International Affairs Building
SPECIAL EVENTS:
Screening of "Particle Fever," Wednesday, June 4, 7:00 p.m. (doors open at 6), Alfred Lerner Hall (Roone Arledge Auditorium)-A documentary film recounting physicists' search for and recent discovery of the elusive Higgs boson, a particle essential for the existence of mass. Prior to the film, attendees can visit interactive exhibits and talk with physicists. A panel discussion with the film's featured physicists and director Mark Levinson will immediately follow the screening. Free and open to the public, but registration is required: https://www.columbia.edu/
"The Road to Discovery," Friday, June 6, 1:30 p.m., Alfred Lerner Hall (Roone Arledge Auditorium)-A session dedicated to future explorations at the Energy Frontier. The session will begin with an overview talk summarizing the physics and options that lie ahead, given by Fabiola Gianotti, former spokesperson for the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, followed by a panel discussion/debate featuring key representatives from Europe, Asia, and the U.S. The debate, moderated by New York Times science correspondent Dennis Overbye, will feature lively discussion of competing demands and limited resources in the context of an updated strategic plan just released by theU.S. Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5). Follow this link to see a complete list of panelists, which includes P5 chair UC Santa Cruz physicist Steve Ritz, and submit questions you would like raised as part of the debate: https://www.bnl.gov/world/
SELECTED SCIENTIFIC TALKS:
Welcome and overviews, including "Selected Highlights and Prospects in Hadron Collider Physics" and "LHC status & prospects," Monday, June 2, 8:30-10:15 a.m.
The latest measurements on the Higgs boson from LHC's ATLAS and CMS experiments, Tuesday, June 3, 9-10:15 a.m.
The implications of the BICEP2 results for particle physics and what LHC can do, Saturday, June 7, 11:15-11:50 a.m.
Summary talks including future prospects on the experimental and theoretical side, Saturday, June 7, 11:50 a.m.-1 p.m.
Full details and agenda can be found at the conference website: https://www.bnl.gov/world/
Detailed timetable of talks and other events: https://indico.cern.ch/
REPORTER REGISTRATION:
Reporters interested in attending talks or interviewing scientists should contact Karen McNulty Walsh, Brookhaven National Laboratory Media & Communications Office, [email protected], 631-344-8350, or Beth Kwon, Columbia University's Director of Communications for Science, [email protected], 212-854-6581.
Brookhaven National Laboratory serves as the U.S. host laboratory for the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, and plays multiple roles in this international collaboration, from construction and project management to data storage, distribution, and analysis, funded by the DOE Office of Science (HEP). For more information about Brookhaven's role, see: http://www.bnl.gov/ATLAS/
Columbia University physicists have played an integral role in the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, with physicists holding top leadership positions for the U.S. ATLAS construction project and operations program, overseeing the some 500 physicists throughout the United States. In addition, Columbia physicists developed electronics for the ATLAS detector at Columbia's Nevis Labs.