Author: Richard Zeltner When I first joined the EPS Young Minds Action Committee (EPS YM AC) in 2018, I was excited to contribute to the development of a programme which has a scope and vision that aligns very much with my own beliefs. I found it to be a valuable opportunity to gain insights into the operations and the management of a large scientific organisation, as well as to increase my professional network and gather experience in international scientific collaboration. Looking back at my time in the EPS YM AC, and as committee chair from 2020 to 2022, it is safe to say that my expectations on the professional learning and growth opportunities have been met. For example, during my time as chair, in particular, I had the pleasure to take on an active role in the organisation of the 2022 EPS Forum. This was the first time that I contributed to shaping a large scientific conference, taking responsibility for, and eventually chairing, several sessions. My engagement provided me with insights on many details of the logistics, budgeting and programming of the meeting that go unnoticed as a conference participant. It also allowed me to directly collaborate with senior and experienced delegates of the EPS and its national member associations. This extended my network in the wider physics community and was also a valuable learning opportunity on how to integrate many good ideas and visions of the meeting coherently into the programme schedule. I further initiated a webinar series together with Optica, allowing me to gain first-hand experiences in facilitating, managing and maintaining collaboration between scientific organisations. These, and many other, activities certainly sharpened and extended my skillset, benefiting my professional career beyond EPS Young Minds. Yet the very first associations that come to my mind when remembering my experiences in the EPS YM are actually about the people I have met and connected to. Personally, I completed all of my studies in Germany, and also after transitioning to industry, I never quite ventured out far enough to experience life abroad or academic systems in other parts of Europe and beyond. But the conversations I had about moving and living abroad, cultural diversity, different academic systems and struggles of the young minds I met, presented an incredibly enriching experience that helped me to vastly widen my perspective. This brought me a little bit closer to the 33 countries that are part of the EPS Young Minds network. I believe that most interpersonal skills cannot be learnt in the classroom or books. I have, however, found them to be highly valuable for my personal and professional growth. Connecting with people from different backgrounds and learning how to connect and relate to them, is a critical skill in today’s fast-paced and diverse work environments. My time in the EPS YM AC taught me many lessons on how to do so effectively.
EPS Plasma Physics Conference 2026: Final reminder for abstract submission
The 52nd conference will be set in the stunning city of Edinburgh from 29 June to 3 July 2026. The Annual Conference will be held across spectacular and unique venues carefully selected to host guests. The conference will be at the Edinburgh International Conference and Exhibition Centre, conveniently located in the centre of Edinburgh. Plasma physics topics that will be included in the 52nd conference programme include:
The 2026 EPS Plasma Physics Division prizes are announced!
2026 Hannes Alfvén Prize The EPS Plasma Physics Division (EPS PPD) is delighted to announce that Professor Philippa Browning of the The University of Manchester, UK, has been awarded the 2026 Hannes Alfvén Prize, “for innovative results that bridge astrophysical and laboratory plasmas addressing, through analytical insight and magnetohydrodynamic/kinetic modelling, the fundamental features of solar coronal heating, the onset of nanoflares, particle acceleration in magnetic reconnection, and relaxation of magnetic configurations in fusion devices.” 2026 Sylvie Jacquemot Early Career Prize The EPS PPD is also pleased to announce that the 2026 Sylvie Jacquemot Early Career Prize has been awarded to Elizabeth Grace from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), USA, “for pioneering development of a novel on-shot laser imaging technique that enables the capture of plasma dynamics with unprecedented detail, advancing the understanding of high energy density physics, and opening new possibilities for research in fusion energy and fundamental plasma science.“ Details about the winners can be found on the division’s website.
IUPAP Early Career Scientist Prize, in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 2026
Nominations are sought for the Early Career Scientist Prize in Atomic, Molecular and Optical (AMO) Physics 2025, which will be awarded by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics through the Commission C15 AMO Physics (https://iupap.org/who-we-are/internal-organization/commissions/c15-atomic-molecular-and-optical-physics/)
The January issue of e-EPS is out!
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Highlights of Nanometa 2026
We are pleased to share highlights from the Nanometa 2026, the 10th edition of the Nanometa Topical Meeting, that took place in Seefeld, Austria, from 6th-9th January. Over four days, the meeting provided an outstanding scientific experience, featuring more than 130 accepted papers, as well as industrial and breakthrough talks that highlighted the cutting edge of the field. The program included two parallel oral sessions and a poster session, fostering stimulating discussions and valuable exchanges among attendees. We are proud to announce that the 2026 EPS-QEOD “Research into the Science of Light” Prize was awarded to: In addition, three EPS-QEOD Travel Grant Student Awards were presented for outstanding student contributions: We warmly thank our sponsors Attocube Systems AG and NKT Photonics, as well as our exhibitors SI Stuttgart Instruments GmbH, Heidelberg Instruments, and Ekspla for their generous support. Special thanks go to Professor Orit Wolf for the unforgettable piano concert, in which she presented a collection of intimate piano miniatures. We are deeply grateful to all speakers, session chairs, reviewers, and participants for making this event scientifically rich and engaging. Thank you once again to everyone who contributed to the success of Nanometa 2026. We look forward to welcoming you to the 11th edition of Nanometa in January 2028 at the beautiful mountain resort of Seefeld, Austria.
EPS Statement on International Collaboration in Quantum Science and Technology
As the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology draws to a close, the European Physical Society (EPS) executive committee would like to reaffirm the opinions published in the declaration “Europe and the Future of Quantum Science” issued by the EPS and its member societies at the beginning of 2025. As an umbrella organisation of European physical societies, the EPS represents the physics community across Europe, covering the EU-27 and beyond. We would like to emphasise in the present declaration the importance of cross-border collaboration and scientific openness in the development of quantum science and technologies. The disruptive nature of quantum innovation makes it a field where many actors, from research organisations to small and large companies, play a decisive role. These actors collaborate across countries and across sectors. Developments in quantum science and technologies consequently require frequent exchanges between academic researchers and industrial actors. This bidirectional exchange is essential not only to industrial progress but also to the development of fundamental science, creating a virtuous circle which supports scientific progress. We welcome the recognition of the strategic importance of quantum technologies for the scientific and industrial competitiveness of Europe. However, we worry that an emphasis on sovereign capabilities which excludes partnerships will have an undesirable effect on the position of Europe in quantum science and technologies.
The European Strategy for Particle Physics reaches an important milestone
Geneva, 12 December 2025. At its 225th session, the CERN Council received the recommendations for the update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics, the aim of which is to develop a common vision for the future of the field. The recommendations will be reviewed by the Council in the coming months. A final decision is expected at a dedicated Council Session in Budapest in May 2026. Launched in March 2024, the update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics (ESPP) process is designed to develop a visionary and concrete plan that greatly advances human knowledge in fundamental physics through the realisation of the next flagship project at CERN. This plan is geared towards attracting and promoting international collaboration and allowing Europe to continue to play a leading role in the field. The ESPP is a bottom-up process that involves the European particle physics community and includes national input from CERN’s Member and Associate Member States and from international partners. This input is assessed and consolidated by the European Strategy Group (ESG), a body appointed by the CERN Council. For the 2026 update of the ESPP, the CERN Council requested that the Strategy update should include the preferred option for the next collider at CERN and prioritised alternative options to be pursued if the chosen preferred plan turns out not to be feasible or competitive. The ESG drafted its recommendations during a dedicated meeting held in Ascona, Switzerland, from 1 to 5 December 2025. At its 225th session on 12 December, the Council thanked the ESG for its outstanding work and took note of its recommendations. It will assess them in the coming months, with a view to taking a decision in May 2026, at a dedicated Session to be held in Budapest. The recommendations address a broad range of topics and goals related to research in high-energy physics in Europe and beyond. The electron–positron Future Circular Collider (FCC-ee) is recommended as the preferred option for the next flagship collider at CERN. It would provide a platform for a visionary physics programme addressing many of the open questions in particle physics, notably about the Higgs boson, that are critical to understanding the foundations of the Standard Model and to opening up opportunities for discovering new physics beyond the Standard Model, while at the same time driving the development of new technologies that will have a significant positive impact on society. The ESG presents a descoped FCC-ee as the preferred alternative option for the next flagship collider at CERN. The full set of recommendations is available at this link. “During the strategy process we have seen a very strong engagement of the European particle physics community and beyond, expressing their views on the next flagship collider, on other physics and technology areas and topics of importance for our field. Based on this input, we had constructive discussions that, in the end, brought out a very clear picture and strong support for CERN to host the electron-positron Future Circular Collider, FCC-ee, as the next flagship project. In addition, many other important recommendations have been made for the future of our field,” said Karl Jakobs, Chair of the Strategy Secretariat. “The high-energy physics community passed an important milestone in the process, converging on important recommendations for the future of the field,” said Council President Professor Costas Fountas. “I’m looking forward to working with the Member and Associate Member States to establish a vision for the future of high-energy physics in Europe that will maintain a leading role for CERN and open up further long-term collaboration with international partners.” “The ESG recommendations represent a pivotal milestone in the Strategy process and for the future of the field,” said CERN Director-General Fabiola Gianotti. “The proposed strategic directions, in particular concerning the next flagship collider at CERN, will inspire the next generation of scientists and ensure that CERN and its international partners remain at the forefront of discovery and technology in our discipline.” The recently completed FCC Feasibility Study provides the basis for continued work on multiple aspects of the project. A decision by the CERN Council on the possible construction of the FCC is expected around 2028.
Europhoton 2026 : Save the Date!
The 12th EPS-QEOD Europhoton Conference on Solid-State, Fibre, and Waveguide Coherent Light Sources will take place from 21st to 25th September 2026 in the beautiful Bay of Arcachon, in south-western France. More info here.
The December issue of e-EPS is out!
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