Fundamental Research innovates Technology"The discovery of the Higgs particle with
cutting edge technologies at CERN"
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Today 30-40% of the Western economy at least touches concepts related to quantum physics, of which the fundamentals have been discovered less than 100 years ago. Where do we come from? How is everything around us built? Where is the universe evolving to? Answering these dramatic questions to members of our society, requires dedicated skills and worldwide scientific collaboration. CERN brings scientists from around the world together to seek answers. From our quest for new insights in the very basics of Nature, new technologies emerge that could radically change our daily way of life as well as defining our future industry. Historical examples are the World Wide Web, the innovation of touch screens, medical scanners, and many others. Unfortunately, Europe does not even spend 2% of its GDP on scientific research... a value too small for the predicted benefits. If one does not stimulate the search for new insights in the fundaments of our universe, humanity has lost one of its most powerful drives to stimulate progress in technology. I'm reachable and available to everybody to discuss these themes. Jorgen
D'Hondt
Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
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General
statements
Research in the
fundamentals of our Universe requires the construction of complex,
unique
and extremely large experiments. Worldwide scientific and open
collaborations among universities and laboratories are crucial to
reveal Natures secrets. Our sophisticated tools are rich sources of new
concepts, innovation and groundbreaking technologies, which benefit
various applied research disciplines and eventually find their way into
many applications that have a significant impact on the knowledge
economy and society.
CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (website), leads the research of the smallest building blocks of Nature and their relation with the largest structures in the Universe to understand our profound origin, the Big Bang. Today we know very well how all matter in our solar system is build, and that our Universe is 13,8 billion years old and is growing. Transferring our technology and knowledge to the society is important for CERN (website). Studies showed that for every 1 euro CERN procurement contracts paid to industrial firms another 3 euros are generated of additional business mostly in fields as medicine, solar energy, accelerators, detectors, electronics, IT and software. As an example, more than 30,000 accelerators are active worldwide, of which less than 200 are designated for research purposes. Typically it takes 10 to 20 years before our innovative technologies in fundamental physics reach the market of applications. It is crucial that the seeds for fundamental research are planted in a good soil, namely an adequate education system where scolars are supported to innovate and seek answers within a spirit of scientific freedom, keeping in mind the ethics of science.
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (website) together with its French speaking sister university, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, is the university of the capital of Europe. It is situated in the second strongest economic region in Europe in terms of GDP per capita. The university provides a solid, affordable and sustainable education system at the highest level in a truly international environment. Thousands of researchers have been trained to participate in as well as to lead the scientific innovations in our society.
In the heart of Europe the Young Academy of Belgium (Flanders) emerged this year to bring together starting academics in constructive debates on their relation with science policy, science communication and interdisciplinary research. It is crucial that emerging scientists participate in the creation of the scientific environment. It will define their future, as well as the future of our society and have a significant impact in how humanity evolves.
CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (website), leads the research of the smallest building blocks of Nature and their relation with the largest structures in the Universe to understand our profound origin, the Big Bang. Today we know very well how all matter in our solar system is build, and that our Universe is 13,8 billion years old and is growing. Transferring our technology and knowledge to the society is important for CERN (website). Studies showed that for every 1 euro CERN procurement contracts paid to industrial firms another 3 euros are generated of additional business mostly in fields as medicine, solar energy, accelerators, detectors, electronics, IT and software. As an example, more than 30,000 accelerators are active worldwide, of which less than 200 are designated for research purposes. Typically it takes 10 to 20 years before our innovative technologies in fundamental physics reach the market of applications. It is crucial that the seeds for fundamental research are planted in a good soil, namely an adequate education system where scolars are supported to innovate and seek answers within a spirit of scientific freedom, keeping in mind the ethics of science.
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (website) together with its French speaking sister university, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, is the university of the capital of Europe. It is situated in the second strongest economic region in Europe in terms of GDP per capita. The university provides a solid, affordable and sustainable education system at the highest level in a truly international environment. Thousands of researchers have been trained to participate in as well as to lead the scientific innovations in our society.
In the heart of Europe the Young Academy of Belgium (Flanders) emerged this year to bring together starting academics in constructive debates on their relation with science policy, science communication and interdisciplinary research. It is crucial that emerging scientists participate in the creation of the scientific environment. It will define their future, as well as the future of our society and have a significant impact in how humanity evolves.
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Achievements
&
mandates
in
the Year 2013
Vrije Universiteit
Brussel (website): the
university in the capital of Europe
- Professor in Physics
- Director of the Inter-university Institute for High Energies (website)
- President of the Physics Department (website)
- Chair of the
Advisory Board of the Physics Department
- Chair of the Education Committee of the Faculty of Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences
- Member of the Council of the Faculty of Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences
- Member of the PhD Committee of the Faculty of Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences
- Principle
Investigator of the Strategic Research Project "High-Energy Physics" (website)
The CMS experiment
at CERN (website):
discovering the fundaments of Nature with more than 3500 scientists
from
182 institutions or universities from 41 countries worldwide
- Secretary of the Collaboration Board
- Chair of the International Committee, seeking
new collaborators in our scientific enterprise
- Chair of the Career Committee, exploring and
stimulating the career opportunities of our researchers
- Member of the Tracker Institution Board
- Member of the Steering Committee for the Tracker Phase-2 Upgrade
International
- Belgian delegate to the European Committee for
Future Accelerators (ECFA) (website)
- Representing Belgium in the Restricted-ECFA (website)
- Representing Belgium in the International
Particle Physics Outreach Group (website)
National
- President of the Young Academy of Belgium (Flanders) (website)
- Member of the Committee for International Collaboration of the National Funding agency, FWO (website)
- Principle Investigator of the project "Contribution to the CMS experiment at CERN", Belgium (Flanders)
- Member of the IUAP Fundamental Interactions organization board
- Accompanied Prime Minister Dr. Elio Di Rupo for
a visit to CERN, June 2013
- Keynote talk at the Academic Opening of the Belgian Inter-universitary Programme "Master in Nuclear Engineering", September 2013
- Numerous media appearances (television, radio,
written press) and outreach presentations
Awards in 2013
- Young Scientist 2013, World Economic Forum
- Recognition for Science Communication 2013, Royal Academy of Belgium (Flanders)
- European Physical Society HEPP prize 2013 for the CMS Collaboration
- The Higgs particle discovery is quoted "Breakthrough of the Year 2012" by Science Magazine
Conferences organized in 2013
- Member of the Advisory Board and Organization Board of "Facing the Scalar Sector", Brussels (Belgium) May 2013 (website)
- Member of the Advisory Board of "International Workshop on Top Quark Physics", Durbach (Germany) September 2013 (website)
- Member of the Advisory Board and Organization Board of "IPM meeting on LHC Physics", Tehran (Iran) October 2013 (website)
In total more than 400 publications, more than 200 workshop, conference or seminar talks, promotor or co-promotor of 16 finished or ongoing PhD theses.
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Prof. Jorgen D'Hondt • Vrije Universiteit Brussel • Pleinlaan 2 • 1050 Brussel • Tel.: +32 496 704865 • jodhondt@vub.ac.be