The most important international particle physics conference - ICHEP 2022 (International Conference on High Energy Physics) – was held for the first time in Italy, in Bologna, from 7 to 13 July.
1126 scientists arrived in Bologna from tens of countries to participate in the event, in person, 297 researchers joined the conference online from throughout the world and 943 pieces of research were presented, as well as 331 project posters. The conference was organised by INFN with its Bologna and Ferrara Divisions, together with the “Augusto Righi” Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Bologna and the Department of Physics and Earth Science of the University of Ferrara.
Many young people participated in the week of activities - researchers and PhD students - who presented their work on this important international stage to discuss it with colleagues from all over the world. Moreover, there was no shortage of illustrious guests and Nobel Prizes, like the Director General of CERN Fabiola Gianotti and the Nobel Prize winner for Physics Takaaki Kajita, stars of the plenary sessions.
For over 70 years, ICHEP, which is held every two years in a different city, has been the top place for meeting and discussion in a community that works at the frontier of knowledge and technology: from particle physics and astroparticle physics, to cosmology, to innovative technologies with their applications.
The commitment to involve the whole city in the event was strong with the outreach programme: Le Meraviglie della Fisica a Bologna (The Wonders of Physics in Bologna), a rich calendar of initiatives for the public that, for one week, enriched the city halls, roads and squares. The initiatives with greatest impact included the event “A un passo dal Big Bang” (One step from the Big Bang), with Fabiola Gianotti, Gian Francesco Giudice, Guido Tonelli, and Antonio Zoccoli, moderated by the host Serena Dandini and accompanied by music from La Banda dell’Uku; this was held on 12 July in a packed Piazza Maggiore, at the centre of the city.
