Physics students visit CERN

Seventeen Year 13 Physics students have been inspired by a visit to CERN, (The European Organisation for Nuclear Research) home of the Large Hadron Collider.

During the visit the students discovered how CERN is helping to answer some of the most fundamental questions: how did the Universe begin? What are the basic building blocks of matter?

The UK has been a member of CERN since the organisation was founded in 1954. Executive Chair, Professor Mark Thomson, said “The scale of the science and technology at CERN is awe-inspiring. There is no doubt that seeing it at first hand, and meeting the people who work on the experiments, can influence young people’s future education and career choices.”

Mr van Dyk, Trip leader and Subject Leader of Physics said 'The trip to CERN gives students great insight into the practices and goals of elite physics research. The knowledge the students are exposed to on the CERN tour feeds into a number of different areas of the A-level Physics course. I often refer to the trip in lessons. The extra activities on the trip, such as the visit to the United Nations and to the Red Cross Museum, are fantastic for exposing the students to the wider world in ways that are hard to do in school.'

The trip made a great impression on the students who added their own observations;

'Being able to see the physics we learn in the classroom actually applied into real life is an experience I will never forget and furthered my questioning of the Universe and interest into the field of physics.'

Izzy

'We visited the UN building in Geneva, a building that used to be the headquarters for the League of Nations. The exterior was grand and impressive, while the inside was filled with artwork from artists around the world. The ceiling is meant to remind representatives of the range of perspectives that others in the room may hold, represented by the variety of colours which appear different when viewed from different angles.'

Jon

'The trip was really fun and has enriched my A level physics learning'

Hayden

'The Geneva UN building gave me a sense of importance of working together to resolve conflicts, which was inspiring'

James

'Perhaps the most interesting thing was the strong sense of community that exists with St Clement Danes, no matter the geographical location'

Maxwell

The trip was a great opportunity for the students to further their A level studies, and the students' accounts reveal how much they enjoyed their visit to CERN.

To find out more about CERN please follow the link below;

https://home.cern/