b'Member News March 2024 17Local NetworksLocal network visits CERNOn Saturday, 11 November members of thewere a virtual reality video IET Switzerland Local Network (LN) enjoyedof the Atlas experiment; a hands-on experiment a fascinating day out at CERN, the Europeanshowing the duality ofIET Switzerland LN Chair, Jeff Hunter, left and Gerard Lambert, IET Switzerland LN Organization for Nuclear Research, with theirwave and particle forms ofHonorary Treasurer, right French and Italian counterparts. photons; a video wall of the first few seconds after theCERN: accelerating Big Bang; and real bits and pieces of the accelerators. scienceOur local network aimsThe data centre visit wasBy enabling talented physicists, to raise awareness ofJeffs personal highlight. Heengineers and technicians from said: Getting a close-up lookaround the world to collaborate, science, engineeringat CERNs very own dataCERN is pushing the frontiers of and technology inand internet connectivityscience and technology for the the local area and towas amazing. Realising thebenefit of humanity.magnitude of all the data that promote the IET. WeveWhere Art meets ScienceCERNsgets collected was mind- The website states:been to CERN a fewdistinctive and famous monuments blowingespecially when times before and itquickly by IET members andwe learned that none of the never disappoints! their guests from Switzerland,data is ever discarded. At CERN, we probe the France and Italy. fundamental structure To meet CERNs strictPersonal reflections of the particles that LN Chair, Jeff Hunter regulations, we had toCERN is such an amazingmake up everything supply personal details of Its always one of the hardestall attendees at least oneplace, with a myriad of brightaround us. We do so events to organise, especiallymonth in advance, said Jeff.young minds from all overusing the worlds largest with attendees coming fromOnce people had signed up,the world, said Jeff. There many different locations, allincluding from our neighbouringis something wonderful and most complex several hours away. But weIET local networks in Franceawe-inspiringabout it. scientific instruments.know that with CERN we areand Germany, we just hadI got the distinct feeling playing our ace card! to hope they would be ablethat more discoveries like As expected, after promotingto come along on the day. the Higgs boson are waitingThe scale of the experiment the event on IET EngX, all 21to happen. Its not possibleis colossal. The Large Hadron available places were filled veryMemorable exhibits to rush these things, butCollider (LHC) is the worlds The tour comprised visits toknowing that all the datalargest and most powerful particle CERN Science Gateway (theis stored, I do feel thatacceleratora 27-kilometre ring main site), the operationsperhaps we will get thereof superconducting magnets. centre and the data centre. sooner than expected. Gerard Lambert, who is theThere should be more Honorary Treasurer of thecentres like this. Yes, the Switzerland LN committee,initial costs are very high, helped Jeff organise thebut the potential benefits for Insights into CERNs legendary Global Computer NetworkForerunnervisit. He said: For me, themankind can be enormous.to the Internet most memorable exhibits Read more at: theiet.org/meet-our-volunteers'