Hampton’s Sixth Form Physicists had the opportunity to visit the European Council for Nuclear Research (CERN), during a trip to Geneva over the half term holidays, one of the world’s largest and most respected centres for scientific research.
Situated along the banks of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps, Geneva is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. On day one, Hamptonians kicked off the trip with a walking tour, which allowed them to familiarise themselves with the history of the city. They visited St Peter’s Cathedral, a central site in the Reformation of Geneva’s protestant church, and explored the Old Town with its cobbled streets, picturesque squares and historic buildings. In the evening, pupils had the chance to sample a cheese fondue, Switzerland’s most famous food!
Day two saw the pupils visiting the CERN Science Gateway, where they were able to explore the many exhibits at the visitor centre. The scientists enjoyed a guided tour of the scientific centre, where physicists and engineers probe the fundamental structure of the universe using some of the world’s most advanced scientific instruments. Hamptonians had the opportunity to visit the building of the Compact Muon Solenoid (one of the main detectors at CERN), giving them a close-up view of the tools used to probe fundamental particles. The tour guides shared some fascinating knowledge about the work that scientists undertake at CERN, and it was a unique experience to be only a few doors away from the working Large Hadron Collider, a marvel of engineering and the most powerful particle accelerator in existence.
Hamptonians also made the short trip across the border to Lyon in France, where they visited the Musée Ampere, a science and technology museum devoted to the history of electricity, and explored the anthropology exhibits at the Musée des Confluences. Their final day was spent on Lake Geneva, appreciating the city’s beauty and architecture from the water. They also visited the History of Science Museum, which offered insights into historical scientific instruments and fields such as astronomy and meteorology.
The trip offered the aspiring scientists a perfect blend of hands-on scientific discovery, cultural exploration, and breathtaking scenery—a memorable experience which will hopefully enrich their future study of Physics.
Mr Daan Fuldner, Physics teacher and organiser of the trip, praised the Physicists for the enthusiasm they showed throughout the visit to both Switzerland and France:
Back to All ArticlesIt was fantastic to see the enthusiasm for Physics from the forty Sixth Formers in Geneva – their excellent questions and engagement with the museums and labs we visited will have brought to life their A Level studies and hopefully allow them to appreciate and understand the subject even more going forward.
