Welcome to LIP Outreach page!

LIP promotes the advancement of scientific knowledge for the general public, high school students and teachers, and advanced training within its specific areas of activity. The LIP Outreach Group is constituted by LIP researchers engaged with the necessity to promote scientific literacy in the society, and to find, motivate and train the scientists of tomorrow. It works in close connection with all other groups in LIP to help exploring their outreach opportunities and promote new activities, and additionally organizes specific regular actions that are beyond the specific scientific projects.

Our activities spread over different areas and for different targets, although we mainly focus in the school communities (teachers, students and families).

In this site you can find contents and resources prepared by the LIP Outreach team or links to sites particularly interesting. The contents/resources available here can be used for educational, non-commercial and non-profitable purposes. It is only request that a reference be made to the origin of

the contents/resources (e.g., (c) LIP, (c) CERN, etc).

All appropriated comments are welcome and should be sent to:

outreach@lip.pt

HEPTech network - TTN

Technologies developed for fundamental research in particle, astro-particle and nuclear physics have an enormous impact on our everyday lives. To push back scientific frontiers in these fields requires innovation. The scientific techniques and high-tech solutions developed by high energy physics can help address a wide range of real challenges faced by industry and society - from developing more effective medical imaging and cancer diagnosis from positron emission tomography techniques, to inventing the next generation solar panels from ultra-high vacuum technologies.

The HEPTech is a unique high energy physics technology transfer network (TTN). Bringing together leading European high energy physics research institutions (CEA, CERN, CNRS, CPAN, DEMOKRITOS, DESY, ELI-ALPS, ELI BEAMLINES, EPFL, ESS, GSI, IJS, IFIN-HH, INFN, INOVACENTRUM, KTN, NTUA, LIP, NTUA, SOFIA University, STFC, University of Belgrade, WEIZMANN Institute, WIGNER RCP) which work across a range of world-leading scientific areas in the field of Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Nuclear Physics. It is challenging and costly to carry further research and development focused in applications, products and processes and turn them into commercial opportunities. HEPTech, as a source of technology excellence and innovation, tries to bridge the gap between researchers and industry for the benefit of the economy and wider society. LIP, as a HEPTech node member, follows the various initiatives of HEPTech and maintains updated its knowledge about technology transfer and the paths of commercialization from fundamental research in high energy physics .

Industrial Liaison Officer - ILO

The ILO mandate is to support and actively promote national industry and R&D institutions to CERN, ESO, ESRF and contribute to their success in the procurement process. By doing this, the ILO may ensure a positive industrial return to Portugal impacting the national economy and the internationalization of Portugal´s industry know-how, products and services.

Radon concentration measurements are currently the focus of activity of LIP’s Radiation, Health and environment group. This radioactive gas, abundant in granitic areas, is recognized as a carcinogenic agent, and is appointed by the World Health Organization as the second leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoke. Knowing its concentrations inside houses is thus important from the point of view of radiological protection. In addition, Radon is the largest contributor for underground water radioactive pollution. Recent work of the group includes the development and test of low cost radon monitors, and field measurements in different locations in Portugal and in the municipality of Bibala, in Angola.

Several international organizations involved in radiation protection and public health, have produced new guidance, recommendations and requirements aiming better protection from radon exposure. With the new legislation, DL 108/2018 (Transposition of Basic Safety Standards Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM to national legislation) protection against indoor exposures to radon in both workplace and dwellings is clearly regulated and exposures to radon in dwellings are regulated for the first time. LIP researchers are part of the LabExpoRad at Covilhã, which can provide radon measurement services for the community. For this, the certification of our laboratory services is in preparation.

LouMu is a scientific research project combining particle physics and geophsics in order to map large geologic structures, using the Muon Tomography technique.

In its first phase, the work is developed at the Lousal mine (LouMu project). The partners in the projects are LIP – Laboratory for Instrumentation and Experimental Particle Physics, the Institute of Earth Sciences of the University of Évora, and the Mine of Science – Lousal Ciência Viva Science Centre, also with LNEG collaboration.