Meet the leading Cern researchers

SCIENTISTS ARE likely to discover the elusive Higgs particle within the next few months, and a rare opportunity has arisen to meet the researchers leading the hunt.

The Royal Irish Academy and The Irish Times have joined up to run a series of four masterclasses that will involve some of the world’s most famous scientists, including Nobel Prize winners.

The events will take place next month during the Euroscience Open Forum, the largest scientific meeting to take place in Europe during 2012.

The forum will bring an estimated 5,000 delegates to Dublin on July 11th-15th, many of them leading scientists who will present talks on the latest research discoveries.

The masterclasses will run during the forum. Three will involve only 20 invited participants each, selected via an online application process.

Peter Doherty, who won a Nobel prize in 1996, will chair the first masterclass on Wednesday, July 11th, followed by anthropologist and Intel director Genevieve Bell, who will chair the class on July 12th. Nobel prize winner James Watson will chair the third masterclass on Thursday, June 13th.

These three events are more suited to young researchers who may draw inspiration from these leading figures in science, although anyone may apply for a place at these events.

The fourth class on Saturday, July 14th, will be much larger, allowing up to 190 people to participate. This will involve a panel of experts who will talk about the search for the Higgs boson, the mysterious sub-atomic particle thought to be the last missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle that is matter.

The panellists on the day will include Rolf-Dieter Heuer (left), director general of Cern, where the search for Higgs is under way. Belfast-born Steve Myers, who controls the 26km circuit used to find the Higgs, will take part along with noted UK physicists Frank Close and Themis Bowcock.

Those hoping to participate in any of the masterclasses to be held at the RIA should apply via its website, ria.ie, where full instructions are available.

The application also asks for a 100-word explanation about why you deserve a ticket for the event. Applications close on June 21st.

See also esof2012.orgfor a programme of Euroscience Open Forum events