Masterclasses on particle therapy
"The 2021 international masterclasses in particle physics are taking place online. Last Saturday the proposed challenge was the planning of a particle therapy session, for the first time in Portugal"
IPPOG's International Particle Physics Masterclasses are taking place online, due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. The solution found was the following: the participants carry out the proposed activities individually, using their own computers, and obtaining the necessary data online. Each small group of participants is supported by a tutor in a parallel zoom virtual room, with whom they can share their screen to ask questions and discuss the resolution of the proposed challenges. In the end, participants from different countries meet in the usual videoconference to discuss the results with researchers at CERN. On February 20 and 27, Masterclasses on the analysis of data from the CMS and ATLAS experiments of CERN's LHC were carried out.
Last Saturday, the Masterclass on particle therapy from GSI, Darmstadt, was held in Portugal for the first time. In this Masterclass, participants use software tools based on those professionally used to study and plan cancer treatments using different types of particles: x-rays, protons or carbon nuclei. This Masterclass aims to demonstrate the direct impact of fundamental research on medical applications. 39 students and 4 teachers participated in several cities, namely Vila Real, Viseu and Lisbon, accompanied by 9 tutors.
Images:
Some of the 43 participants and tutors
matRad planning interface
Part of the 143 videoconference participants