Inspiring Science Education

On the 11th of February 2014, Professor Christine Kourkoumelis who is also the ATLAS experiment Outreach and Educational co-Coordinator presented the ISE project to about 50 participants, high-energy physics researchers from many universities, during an ATLAS dedicated session at CERN.

The following day seven Greek high schools for all over the country took part in a virtual visit to the other big experiment at the LHC, the CMS. The schools which were connected remotely to CERN were: the 3rd Junior High Schol of Alexandroupolis,the 4th High School of Volos, the52nd Junior High School of Athens,Ellinogermaniki Agogi (a partner), the Experimental Junior High School of Patras,the Giannopoulos High School of Athens and the Junior High School of Platanias (Crete). About 500 students in total had the privilege to be guided to the 'heart' of the experiment -100m underground- which has been opened up for scheduled maintenance- by the senior physicist Dr. A. Tsirou. Following the underground tour, the students had the opportunity to send via chat and ask the most popular questions which were answered by two researchers located at the CMS control room. In addition Prof. Kourkoumelis took part from the CERN TH room and answered many questions, some of them having to do with providing complimentary information about the Higgs discovery and the ATLAS experiment in general.

The simultaneous remote connection to ten different locations worked extremely well and the students send afterwards enthusiastic remarks. This way the schools teachers who were also present were helped to define their ISE action plans.

The next event of similar type involving at least five different Greek schools from different locations in the country and a visit to the ATLAS control Centre is already scheduled for the 11th of March 2014.