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Students of the world unite – to analyze LHC data

The 9th International Masterclasses in particle physics kicked off today, linking high school students around the world by video-conference

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The 9th International Masterclasses in particle physics kicked off today.

Every year, more than 10,000 high school students in 37 countries spend a day analyzing real data from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at one of about 160 universities or research centres around the world.

In the classes, students gain insights into the international nature of modern research in an authentic environment. At the same time, they learn about the world of subatomic particles through easy-to-understand presentations by researchers in particle physics.

This year, the International Masterclasses will run until 22 March, and welcome new participants from the Middle East (Cyprus, Egypt, Palestinian Authority, and Turkey) as well as from Romania and Australia. This worldwide participation reflects international collaboration in particle physics. A videoconference at the end of the day of research will link students worldwide to either CERN or Fermilab to present their findings – just as real particle physicists do in international collaborations.

On 26 February, and on the 11, 12 and 19 March, CERN, along with Geneva University, will open its doors to students from the Collège Sismondi in Geneva, Switzerland, as well as two high schools in France: the Lycée Saint-Michel in Annecy and the Lycée Einstein in Bagnols-sur-Cèze. Together with CERN physicists, these teenage "physicists of tomorrow" will have the chance to find out more about the LHC detectors ATLAS, CMS, ALICE and LHCb.