IUT Hosts Conference on Research and Technology Collaboration Opportunities with CERN and SESAME.
On July 5th, 2023, a one-day conference was held in collaboration with the International Affairs Department of the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology, introducing the potentials for collaboration with CERN and SESAME in research and technology. The conference was organized by the IUT International Scientific Cooperation Center, in collaboration with IUT Departments of Physics and Chemistry, and was attended by a group of university experts and knowledge-based companies.
Dr. M. Mohammadzadeh Attar, the Vice Director of International Scientific Cooperation Center of MSRT , emphasized that introducing the areas of cooperation and capabilities of Iranian researchers to these international centers, as well as the services that these centers can provide for our country, was the foundation for this event. He pointed out that our country is a member of more than 70 international scientific institutions, for which annual membership fees are paid. It is expected that our researchers will be informed about and benefit from the common services of international memberships.
Dr. Mohammadzadeh Attar also added that Iranian researchers can participate in international-scale particle accelerator component manufacturing activities. He said, "Common areas of cooperation with two accelerator centers in Russia have been identified to establish light source laboratories and medical accelerators. We hope that our universities and knowledge-based companies will have effective activities in this field."
Dr. Attar noted that the lack of information dissemination to our scientists has contributed to some of the scientific problems in our country. He emphasized that the organization of this event by Isfahan University of Technology, with the aim of informing and developing international scientific and research activities, is commendable and appreciated.
Dr. Peiman Mosaddegh, the Director of IUT International Scientific Cooperation Center, presented a report on the process of past gatherings. He noted that the first SESAME meeting was held in Jordan in 2001, and the second conference was held in 2003 at Isfahan University of Technology. Dr. Mosaddegh referred to some of the most important communications and activities in the field of particle physics and accelerators, both at SESAME and world-wide. He explained that the operation of the first accelerators in 2017 and the start of activities by physics and electronics students since 2020 can be considered a turning point in our accelerator activities through collaboration with these centers.
Dr. Mosaddegh noted that hosting this conference can pave the way for scientific, active, and strategic cooperation in scientific diplomacy between our country and other countries, and can foster synergy between professors and the owners of accelerator fields.
During the conference, Professor Mahmoud Tabrizchi introduced the history of the SESAME scientific organization and the important role that Iran plays in this organization.
The event featured prominent scientific speakers such as Professor Giorgio Margaritondo from Switzerland's EPFL University and Dr. Maher Al-Attal from the SESAME Institute in the first section.
Other notable researchers from Isfahan University of Technology, the Max Planck Institute in Germany, the Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences, Isfahan University of Arts, and the Diamond Institute Oxford presented specialized scientific speeches in the field of accelerator component manufacturing, particle detection laboratories, and other related topics.
It is worth mentioning that there was also an exhibition of knowledge-based companies held on the side section of the conference. The exhibition aimed to showcase the capabilities of our country in the field of accelerators and advanced medical and industrial equipment.
Iran's membership in international projects related to accelerators, including being a founding member of SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) launched in Jordan with the participation of Middle Eastern countries, can be considered a turning point in the country's industries in the field of manufacturing equipment related to beam control and guidance.
This membership also provides us with a special opportunity to benefit from an advanced laboratory to study material structures.
CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) is the largest particle physics laboratory in the world, established in 1954 in Switzerland. It has 580 universities and research institutes from 80 countries as members. The immense CERN accelerator is the largest scientific project of mankind, in which Iran, especially Isfahan University of Technology, has played a significant role in launching the CMS laboratory of this project.
A Pictorial Recap of the CERN & SESAME Conference
