Welcome to the Daresbury Laboratory Accelerator and
Particle Physics Masterclass

(In-person March 11th 2025, Online 12th March 2025)

Who is it for?

This event is aimed primarily at A-Level Physics students as well as GCSE students considering studying science at A-Level.

We have run masterclass events for over 10 years and know how valuable they are for the students who participate. This year we will run our Accelerator and Particle Physics Masterclass on 11 March 2025. For those unable to attend, we also plan to run an online event on 12 March 2025.

Content

The event will be broken down into several sessions across the day and will include talks, tours and demonstrations. Every session will include the opportunity for questions and answers. Breaks will also be incorporated.

Outline Programme – In person

11 March 2025 

09:30 – Welcome and Housekeeping

09:45 – TALK and Q&A: The story of particle accelerators at Daresbsury Laboratory

What is a particle accelerator? What can we do with them? Why is Daresbury Laboratory built where it is? What work has been undertaken there over the past 60 years? What is the future of particle accelerators both here, elsewhere in the UK and around the world?

10:10 – TALK and Q&A: Electromagnetism for particle accelerators 

How do particle accelerators actually work? What is the science behind them? Learn about electromagnetic fields and how they shape our scientific discoveries.

10:35 – Carousel of group activities

Activity 1: Tour of CLARA Control Room and SURF lab

Activity 2: Accelerator Technology demonstrations

Activity 3: Tour of VISTA and Hi-Lumi

Activity 4: Careers panel

11:50 – TOUR and Q&A: Boulby Underground Laboratory

Virtual tour of the deepest lab in the UK, in a working mine where we test space technology, and hunt for Dark Matter.

12:20 – Lunch

13:00Talk: Quarks, Gluons and the Higgs Boson

by Prof Fred Loebinger, Emeritus Professor, University of Manchester

13:50 – Carousel of group activities (continued)

Activity 1: Tour of CLARA Control Room/SURF Lab

Activity 2: Accelerator Technology demonstrations

Activity 3: Tour of VISTA/Hi-Lumi

Activity 4 : Careers panel

15:00 Talk: What are we doing with CLARA now?

15:20 – EVENT ROUND UP and evaluation

Evaluation with quiz and spot prizes

15:45 to 16:00 – Event End – Depart Daresbury Laboratory

Outline Programme – online

12 March 2025

9:15 – Welcome and Housekeeping

9:20 – Talk and Q&A – The story of particle accelerators at Daresbury Laboratory

What is a particle accelerator? What can we do with them? Why is Daresbury Laboratory built where it is? What work has been undertaken there over the past 60 years? What is the future of particle accelerators both here, elsewhere in the UK and around the world?

10:00Talk and Q&A: Particle Sources

(photocathodes and some demonstrations) 

10:25TALK and Q&A: Electromagnetism for particle accelerators 

How do particle accelerators actually work? What is the science behind them? Learn about electromagnetic fields and how they shape our scientific discoveries.

10:50 – Introduction to Surfatron

11:05 – 10 minute break

11:15 – Introduction to Lancaster Particle Physics Package (LPPP)

11:30 – Student self led activity on LPPP

11:50 – Lunch

12:30 – Recap on morning

12:35 – TOUR and Q&A: Boulby Underground Laboratory

Virtual tour of the deepest lab in the UK, in a working mine where we test space technology, and hunt for Dark Matter.

13:05 – Introduction to Vacuum for Particle Accelerators

13:25 – 5 minute break

13:30 – Talk: Quarks, Gluons and the Higgs Boson

by Prof Fred Loebinger, Emeritus Professor, University of Manchester

14:20 – Early Careers panel session

14:45 – Talk: What are we doing with CLARA now?

15:10 – Evaluation and Event End

15:15- Event End

We are also on Twitter and Facebook so do join us using #APPMC during the event.