Ichinoseki Linear Collider Bulletin
ILCNews vol.22 Sep 2017
Ichinoseki’s Science Café
Since 2016, researchers have come together to casually talk science over coffee at ‘Ichinoseki Science Café’. This year, the first gathering was held in Hanaizumi Library on July 29th, 36 participants including junior high school students attended.
Lecturer Satoru Yamashita who is actively pushing for the realization of the ILC, talked about the recent trends in domestic innovation as follows;
Trends of the World
In Europe, discussion of the next five-year plan concerning particle physics research will begin in the summer of 2018, until then, the Japanese government needs to decide the direction of the ILC. This is a crucial year for the ILC.
Trends of the Government
MEXT Panel of Experts for the ILC established by MEXT (the Ministry of Education, Sports, Science and Technology) are researching ways to attract the ILC to Japan.
Members of the non-partisan Federation of Diet Members for the ILC visited the United States in May and reconfirmed the cooperative relations between Japan and the United States. They are planning to visit Europe in October.
Trends of Researchers
In order to reduce construction costs, the ILC’s construction will start off at 20km and gradually expand. This will officially be announced at the International Committee for Future Accelerators (ICFA) in August in China and November in Canada. This is a big step towards the government’s decision to host the ILC and negotiate with each country.
Trends in Tohoku
The Tohoku ILC Preparations Office is examining how to improve the environment in which the ILC can be established. The main considerations are making full use of existing infrastructure so that the local burden is minimized and analyzing fields where private companies can enter.
PICK UP NEWS
Junior High school Students are the forefront of Science and Research
Ichinoseki Science Kids
On August 19th and 20th, Ichinoseki Library held “Ichinsoeki Science Kids” which involved ILC “karuta” competitions, ILC paintings and an ILC special exhibition which displayed characters supporting the ILC.
This event was held in conjunction with the Ichinoseki Beer Festival so there were many people from all over the country visiting making it a great opportunity for ILC promotion.
Special ILC classes for Junior High School
Special ILC classes for Junior High School students were carried out across the city. On July 4th, Hanaizumi (first grade) and Ichinoseki Junior High School (second grade) students were given a lecture by researcher Masakazu Kurata of KEK.
A cloud-chamber experiment was also carried out, and so the students were able to learn about the importance of the experiment.
Science Class by Professor Saito of JGU
Mr. Takehiko Saito, a professor at the JGU (Johannes Gutenberg University), conducted an ILC science class (sponsored by the Iwate Prefectural International Linear Collider Promotion Council) from June 18th to 24th in the prefecture. Students of Akoogi Elementary School (5th grade), Oohara Elementary School (6th grade),Okutama Elementary School (6th grade) and Higashiyama Elementary School (all grades) received a class on the theme “From the Earth to the Universe and to the small world”.
NEWS CLIPPINGS
The 7th meeting of MEXT Panel of Experts for the ILC
The 7th meeting of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)’s Panel of Experts for the ILC was held on July 28th. At the conference, survey analysis on large-scale international collaboration cases were reported along with the confirmation of the draft report on the “Working Group for Organization and Management”.
As a matter of future consideration, a review of the research facility CERN and studies by researchers around the world will be deliberated to plan for the gradual expansion of the ILC from 20km to its final total length.
Four Junior High School Students Research Abroad
Ms. Sakura Sugawara of Daito Junior High School visited the European research facility, CERN for six days. She participated as one of the second graders of the ILC Club as part of “Japan ILC 2030” project sponsored by Iwate Nikkei.
Sendai, Miyagi Science Day 2017
“Academic City, Sendai Miyagi Science day 2017” was held on July 16th. Tohoku Conference for the Promotion of the ILC had their booth “ILC Fair Day” which was aimed at elementary school students. Children enjoyed ILC picture stories, “karuta” competitions and ILC ring throwing.
Summer Festival “ILC Uchiwa”
During the summer, “ILC Uchiwa (traditional fans)” were distributed throughout Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures at various local festivals (planned by Iwate Prefecture ILC Promotion Council). The fans were decorated with local mascot characters.
ILC Event at AEON Mall Morioka South
On July 29th – 30th “Let’s Learn Together about the ILC” (sponsored by AEON MALL Morioka South) was held. In addition to a lecture given by Associate Professor Tomoyuki Sanuki of Tohoku University, there was an exhibition and booth where you could experience what the ILC research facility would look like through VR (virtual reality) .
Ichinoseki Daiichi High School, the Model School for ILC Promotion
In Iwate Prefecture, four high schools were designated as ILC Promotion Model Schools to play a role in a wide range of fields. Some of the activities include attracting more momentum for the ILC and fostering interest in younger generations. In Ichinoseki City, Ichinoseki Daiichi High School was designated and researchers are planning to deliver lectures before the event.
Visiting Lecture: ILC Seminar
On July 3rd, second graders of Ichinoseki Daiichi High School were given a seminar on the ILC by NPO Ihatov Practical Space Center (sponsored by the Southern Regional Development Bureau of the Iwate Prefectural Government).
Enquiries
Please call or email the ILC Promotion Division if you have any questions about content in this newsletter or other matters.
TEL: 0191-21-2111 (internal lines 8646 and 8647)
E-mail: ilc@city.ichinoseki.iwate.jp