Visit to the Large Hadron Collider, CERN

The team of Professor Sir Tejinder Virdee FRS

A visit to see the experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, CERN including the Compact Muon Solenoid whilst they are down for maintenance.

The tour includes visits to the Science History Museum on the banks of Lake Geneva and scientific sites in the Old City.

Visit itinerary and overview:

Thursday 16 May

Attendees organise own transport to Geneva. Friends have a block booking for accommodation in Ferney-Voltaire, a small town in France conveniently located for CERN, Geneva airport and the centre of Geneva. Ferney-Voltaire is the accommodation centre following the positive feedback from Friends previous CERN trips.

19.00 Welcome drinks in the hotel
20.00 Dinner for the group, Ferney-Voltaire

Friday 17 May

From 7.30 breakfast (11€ per person per day, to be paid direct at end of stay)
8.30 Private coach transport to CERN
9.00 Exclusive tour of the CMS experiment including underground facilities and the CMS device itself
11.30 “CERN’s Large Hadron Collider construction and future studies from a civil engineering perspective”, bespoke lecture from John Osborne, Senior Civil Engineer, Future Accelerator Studies, CERN
12.45 Lunch in the CERN canteen (to be paid direct on day)
14.00 Overall presentation of CERN, the LHC and visit laboratories and experiments above ground
16.30 Private coach transport back to hotel
Evening - Dinner for the group, Ferney-Voltaire

Saturday 18 May

From 8.00 breakfast
10.00 Private coach transport to Geneva
10.30 Guided tour of Museum of History of Science
13.00 Guided tour of the archaeological site in the foundations of St Peter's Cathedral Court St

Lunch

15.30 Guided walking tour featuring the history of scientific discovery in the Old City of Geneva
Evening - Closing Dinner in Geneva

Sunday 19 May

From 8.00 breakfast
This is the end of the formal activities however there is an exclusive guided tour available at the Chateau de Voltaire in Ferney-Voltaire for the morning.

Latest

Managing Black Swan Risks

The Black Swan theory describes an unpredictable event characterised by extreme rarity, severe impact, and the widespread insistence it was obvious in hindsight. Members heard from the expert who has advised the UK Government on managing Black Swan risks.
What lies beyond the Higgs boson?

Our esteemed expert Professor Sir Tejinder Singh Virdee FRS covered 'What lies beyond the Higgs boson?' in this exclusive event for Members and their guests. Sir Tejinder Virdee is one of the founding fathers of the CMS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider which in 2012 shared the credit for discovering the elusive Higgs boson.
Friends 2021-22 Programme Appeal

Friends are reliant on event revenue and Memberships therefore our income is depleted through the pandemic. On the horizon is the 2021-22 programme. To create this, we need your support to provide a wealth of knowledge for a further year. We do hope you can help - click here to donate!
“Thanks to Imperial”

This inaugural talk was by the new Friends of Imperial College Chair, Professor David Southwood CBE. He described how, thanks to Imperial and the great institution that it is, it set him off on a career which took him all over the globe and even (vicariously) to Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and to the stars beyond.

Meet the authors at the Great Exhibition Road Festival

These literary festival style interviews are with authors of new, recently published or soon to be published books.
Visit to the Large Hadron Collider, CERN

A visit to see the experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, CERN including the Compact Muon Solenoid whilst they are down for maintenance. The tour includes visits to the Science History Museum on the banks of Lake Geneva and scientific sites in the Old City
Friends Summer Party

Exclusively for Members and your guests our Chair, Roderick Rhys Jones, and Professor Alice Gast, President of Imperial College London, will be welcoming you to the Friends Summer Party to celebrate another successful year.
Life on Mars

Evidence of organic matter on Mars, changing concentrations of methane, lakes beneath the ice are all indicators that life could have been present on Mars and may be still.
Behind-the-scenes @ London DNA Foundry, Imperial West White City

The London DNA Foundry is a core facility at Imperial College which specialises in the design, assembly, verification and functional characterisation of synthetic DNA for academic and industrial clients.
A life in bioscience research: from stem cells to policy and beyond

Professor Welham will be talking about her research interests in stem cells – and the potential they offer to humanity – before considering the role of Biological Sciences Research Council and how bioscience research is helping address 21st century challenges.
Coding against contagion: fighting epidemics with computers

The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the second biggest in history - and it shows no sign of being contained soon. Hear how can we fight this with coding.
Behind-the-scenes @ British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence

There has never been a better time to study the roots of cardiovascular disease or to pursue transformative new game-changing therapies.
Aircraft Electric Propulsion: Volting into the air

In the last two years over 100 credible electric and hybrid-electric aircraft projects have been launched. Two-seater electric aircraft are already flying, as well as a multitude of small drones. Ric Parker will examine the possibilities for large passenger aircraft to use electric, hybrid-electric and fully electric propulsion
Fragile Lives: a heart surgeon reflects

Author and surgeon reflection on his work as a heart surgeon who has helped to develop and refine the use of heart pumps, artificial hearts and circulatory support technology.

Drugs, booze and politics: finding a balance

Professor David Nutt, a well known proponent of drug law reform, talked about evidence-based analysis of the harm to the individual and wider community arising from alcohol, tobacco and a range of drugs, and how this is or should be used to inform policy at the national level.
Our committee

The committee of Friends of Imperial College
Black holes, entropy and strings

A full lecture theatre heard why black holes are amongst the most extraordinary objects in the universe.
Chirality and the future of electronics

Dr Jess Wade BEM, Imperial physicist, explained how in the right circumstances carbon could make a great replacement for silicon in a new wave of electronic devices.
Join Friends as a Member

Join as an annual Member and enjoy a range of benefits including free live streamed lectures, exclusive ‘fireside chat’ mini-lectures, reductions on ticket prices for in-person lectures and special Member-only visits. Click here for full details.
Friends Christmas Party

Exclusively for Members and their guests, we held an entertaining hour of short talks, music and fun. For those Friends who had missed our social post-lecture drinks this year, this was (virtually) for them.
Genomic Medicine: Report from the forefront

Biomedical research has become a booming area of science with major implications for just about every aspect of medicine. In this lecture, we learnt if we are ready for them.
Behind-the-Scenes @ Physics Plasma Group

A Members-only exclusive Behind-the-Scenes visit to the largest university-based pulsed-power generator, MAGPIE, at Imperial College London
Cure: mind over body

At this soirée, our Members were fascinated by author Jo Marchant's talk on alternatives to prescription drugs. The question 'can our minds really heal our bodies?' was dicsussed and it engaged everyone.
Privacy Notice

PRIVACY NOTICE