Physics@FOM Veldhoven 2014 brings Dutch physicists together
On Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 January 2014 about 1.900 physicists came to the congress Physics@FOM in Veldhoven. In addition to plenary lectures from the internationally renowned scientists Prof.dr. Ursula Keller, Dr. Andreas Heinrich and Prof.dr. David Nelson, there were more than 200 lectures and 400 poster presentations from physicists who work in the Netherlands. Dr. Josephine Scholten, director of the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU), presented the FOM prizes to four top scientists.
For 100 young researchers, the congress had already started on Monday evening with the master classes from well-known foreign scientists. On Tuesday morning the other 1.800 scientists streamed inside. Ursula Keller kicked off the congress with a lecture about how she is using ultrarapid laser techniques to find answers to fundamental questions in quantum mechanics. The second plenary lecture was held as usual after the Tuesday evening dinner. Andreas Heinrich told the audience about his research into single atoms and atom clusters on surfaces. His work could, for example, be used in very small data chips. The third plenary speaker, David Nelson, closed the congress with a lecture about the physics of population genetics and evolution.
During the rest of the congress there was a broad choice of lectures across a wide range of research areas as well as plenty of opportunity to network or to take a look at the posters. The jury chose Roel Tempelaar's poster as the best one this year: he received the Physics@FOM Veldhoven Poster Prize 2014. Anyone who wanted to roll up their sleeves could carry out a physics experiment. For example, you could find out for yourself what happens if you drop a raw egg from a height of three metres into a tray full of cornstarch mixture or what happens if you fire an air pistol into such a mixture.
On the Tuesday evening, Josephine Scholten presented the four FOM prizes 2013. Dr. Martin Frimmer received the FOM Physics Thesis Prize. The FOM Valorisation Chapter Prize and the FOM Valorisation Prize for application-oriented research went to Dr. Adam Lassise and Prof.dr. Freek Beekman respectively. The Minerva Prize was awarded to Dr. Katerina Dohnalová.
The entire congress was reported on in four editions of 'The Daily Issue'. The humorous newspaper was made on the spot by an editorial team that tried to report on where they were and what was happening at the congress in just a few hours. You can read the Daily Issue via our website.
The next Physics@FOM Veldhoven will take place on 20 and 21 January 2015.
Additional information
- Further information about the Congress can be found at www.fom.nl/veldhoven
- Further information about the FOM prizes can be found at www.fom.nl/prijzen
- All plenary lectures and master classes can soon be viewed here
- Photos (credits Bram Saeys)