https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6038-3782
On 4 October 2023, the European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas (ECT*) celebrated its 30th anniversary, having been established in Trento in 1993. During a day-long symposium, current important topics in nuclear physics were discussed, mixed with memories from the early days of ECT*.
After a welcome by the ECT* director and words of congratulations by representatives from the Bruno Kessler Foundation, the University of Trento, the Nuclear Physics European Collaboration Committee, the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research, and the ECT* scientific board, the scientific program was opened by Sonia Bacca (Mainz) who spoke on “Computing the Heart of Matter,” followed by Francesco Pederiva (University of Trento) on “Ab-Initio Nuclear Physics in Trento.” After an enjoyable lunch in the Villa Tambosi, the program continued with a presentation by Dionysios Triantafyllopoulos (ECT*) on the “Color Glass Condensate in Collider Physics” and Almudena Arcones (Technische Universität Darmstadt) on “Cosmic Laboratories for Nuclear Physics.” Morten Hjorth-Jensen (Michigan State University and University of Oslo) included several historical comments in his presentation “Cosmic Thirty Years of Education and Research,” having been one of the first postdoctoral researchers employed at ECT*. The final talk of the day was delivered by Bira van Kolck (Orsay and University of Arizona), on “Quantum Fractals.” The symposium concluded with a buffet, during which guests enjoyed catching up with current and previous ECT* colleagues and scientific board members.
The occasion was celebrated with a public talk for a general audience and members of the University Physics Society on 7 October, downtown Trento, by Laura Fabbietti (Technische Universität München) on “The Long Journey of Anti-Nuclei” ().
Figure 1. Laura and Gert after the public lecture on 7 October 2023.
Finally, after having served as ECT* director for three-plus years, it is a pleasure to welcome the new director, Ubirajara van Kolck, also on these pages. With the renewal of the Memoranda of Understanding with the European funding agencies and under Bira’s leadership, ECT* is set to continue its successful workshop, training, and research program into the future, covering theoretical nuclear physics in the broadest sense, encompassing quantum information and machine learning as current popular topics. With a return to mostly in-person participation, ECT* plays a unique role for the European and global community in offering a welcoming and stimulating environment for researchers to discuss new ideas and assess the latest developments across research fields in a relaxed setting.
ECT* Trento
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).