A dedicated summer school at a remote location outside of Mainz will be organized every two years, aiming to bridge the gap between experiment and the basic theory of the particle physics. Renowned theory speakers are invited for lecture series, which will give particular emphasis to be accessible for an audience of students with a background in experimental physics. For instance, the lectures will cover basic techniques from theory, e.g. the calculation of simple Feynman diagrams and estimation methods to quantify the size or the impact of certain fundamental reactions. Such skills are of particular importance for experimentalists to assess early on if a certain experimental approach has a chance of success. Moreover, introductory lectures on modern theory tools like Monte Carlo event generators, that are frequently used by theorists and experimentalists will give given.
Summer School at Frauenchiemsee (September 2024)
In late summer 2024, fellows and PIs spent a week on the Fraueninsel beautifully located in the Bavarian Chiemsee. The abbey Frauenwörth served as the venue of the lecture program and accommodation for the fellows, accompanying PhD students and lecturers. This offered excellent conditions to concentrate on the basic concepts of theory that provide both the motivation and the description of particle physics experiments. Core of the school was a course by Professor Heidi Rzehak that covered basic physics and mathematical concepts of special relativity, decay kinematics, the calculation of interaction cross-sections and associated Feynman diagrams. Complementary, an evening lecture by Prof. Lothar Oberauer (TU Munich) provided an overview of low-energy neutrino astronomy from the early days of the solar neutrino program to the detection of neutrinos from Supernova SN1987A. No summer school at the Fraueninsel would be complete without a swim in the lake, a visit to Herreninsel and a hike to the top of nearby Kampenwand.
 |
Prof Heidi Rzehak's research at the University of Freiburg is centered on theoretical elementary particle physics, with a particular emphasis on physics beyond the Standard Model. She is especially interested in quantum field theory and its applications to supersymmetry (SUSY) and Higgs physics, aiming to interpret the experimental results from high-energy colliders like the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). |