Between June 9th – 14th 2024, CERN Geneva hosted the first edition of the CERN Romanian Teacher Programme (RTP), dedicated to physics professor in the pre-university education system in Romania. CERN RTP is coordinated by the Faculty of Physics of the University of Bucharest together with the Horia Hulubei National Institute of Research-Development for Physics and Nuclear Engineering and the Education, Communication and Outreach CERN group.
The program brought together 27 professors teaching in high-schools across the country, who thus had the chance to find out more about the newest discoveries in the physics of elementary particles and high energies from trainers and researchers in the field. The sessions and workshops focused on the themes of research approached at CERN, including the contribution of Romania to the program, as well as on theoretical and practical notions concerning the physics of elementary particles and activities (with support materials) which can be approached with pupils.
The presentation sessions, visits and labs were conducted by Romanian and foreign researchers and teaching staff who either work at CERN or collaborate with CERN. The activity and interactions are designed in such a way that, at the end of the program, physics professors who attend the program become ambassadors and pass on the information and knowledge to future generations of physicians, engineers, IT specialists, and also to colleagues.
More information about the programme are available here.
The team that runs the Romanian Teacher Programme, coordinated by the University of Bucharest in collaboration with Horia Hulubei National Institute of Research-Development for Physics and Nuclear Engineering and ECO Group CERN, brings together researchers and teaching staff from different CERN teams, institutes and important universities in the country and abroad.
This first edition of the CERN national program dedicated to professors in high-schools is financed through the CERN-RO module (PNCD IV – the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization/ The Institute of Atomic Physics), project DUROCERN – Discover the Universe with Romania@CERN (DUROCERN), partnered by the Institute for Spatial Sciences –INFLPR branch, the Horia Hulubei National Institute of Research-Development for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Physics (UB) and the National Institute of Research- Development for the Physics of Materials(INFM).
The national coordinator of CERN RTP is Roxana Zus, teaching staff at the Faculty of Physics of the University of Bucharest and designated representative of Romania to CERN Teacher and Student Forum. The team that contributed to the success of the program includes the researchers from Horia Hulubei National Institute of Research-Development for Physics and Nuclear Engineering: Călin Alexa, Marina Rotaru, Alexandra Tudorache, Valentina Tudorache, and teaching staff from the UB Faculty of Physics: Mădălina Boca, Andreea Croitoru, Mihaela Pârvu, Oana Ristea, and PhD student Ioana Duminică. The team was also supported by Raluca Sibinescu (UB), Andreea Cârstea (UB), Cristina Melinte (IFA) and the UB administrative staff.
The team coordinated by Călin Alexa and Roxana Zus continues to make efforts for the approval of an annual budget which would finance the three educational programs at CERN dedicated to teaching staff, students and pupils at high-school level.
