Particle Physics Consolidated Grant 2012

The main objective of this consolidated grant is to continue and extend our core science programme through the exploitation of our data-taking experiments at the LHC and at J-PARC. In ATLAS we will seek to confirm the existence of the Higgs boson and to measure its properties. We will search for evidence of new physics including SUSY and Extra Dimensions. In addition we shall perform stringent tests through precision measurements of the Standard Model, including W,Z and diboson production, to confirm its validity at the Terascale. At LHCb we will extend these measurements to the forward region and perform measurements of CP violation and the properties of the B_s. At T2K we will make the definitive measurements of theta_13, study neutrino interactions in the Near Detector, and prepare for the antineutrino programme. Looking towards the future we are leading the ATLAS upgrade and we will continue our R&D for the LHCb upgrade. Our R&D programme underwrites the ATLAS and LHCb upgrades. Through ERC funding we are extending our quark flavour programme to rare kaon decays in NA62. For the future of our neutrino programme we are carrying out R&D in Liquid Argon tracking detectors and we are preparing for a future giant detector facility. We lead the LHeC proposal for a new electron accelerator and an experiment at CERN to study ep/eA scattering at the Terascale.

Our innovations are finding applications of benefit to UK plc and the public. Highlights include:
1. Our joint projects with e2v on the production of sensor technologies has brought this UK company to the point it can bid for contracts against Hamamatsu Photonics
2. Our relationship with Micron Semiconductor Ltd has enabled the UK to retain its leadership in the production of detectors for a wide variety of applications for aerospace and reactor monitoring.
3. Working with electronics companies we have enabled them to bid for major EU contracts.
a. Stevenage Circuits, with whom we developed the LHCb VELO readout hybrids, have extended these ultra reliable processes for the ATLAS tracker upgrade.
b. Hawk Electronics who worked with us on the VELO, won an industry award, and is now bidding for large EU contracts (see http://www.hawkelectronics.co.uk/)
4. We are adapting T2K technology towards a robust, cost effective antineutrino detector for passive reactor monitoring. This IAEA promoted activity addresses non-proliferation security in an environment of Global Uncertainty.
5. Our LHCb VELO detectors have been qualified and are being installed as a permanent beam monitor at Clatterbridge Oncology Unit.
6. Collaborating in an EU programme we are developing a modular, mobile neutron detection system for locating fissile materials e.g. at ports of entry, an important contribution to Homeland Security.
7. Our new foray into ground based detection of dark energy using atom interferometers has attracted AWE interest and support towards further applications.
8. In 2003 we founded the AiMes Institute for exploitation of Grid technologies which had a £20M footprint and seed-corn funding from NWDA and the EU. As well as seeding e-business related companies and winning entrepreneur awards, the Institute itself eventually became a commercial, award winning company http://www.aimesgridservices.com/.
We are extremely fortunate to have as a member of staff Dr. Tara Shears who is one of the most popular communicators of particle physics in the country. She is regularly interviewed in the national press and appears frequently on local and national radio and television. Tara is part of the public face of CERN and appears in short popular science films, one of which was shortlisted in the best popular science section of the national network NHK (Japan, 2011). She is highly in demand as an expert commentator on physics with a notable presence and following on YouTube and Twitter. Other members of our staff have appeared in ad-hoc interviews round the world including Greek and Russian Television and national press.
We work closely with the University's Corporate Communications Department to ensure that the particle physics message is communicated round the world. For example at the most recent Higgs announcement Liverpool staff members had substantial coverage in the press, including on the front page of Financial Times, attracting congratulatory comments from Hong Kong financiers, and on Radio 4 and Television.
The group organized a short workshop with our Corporate Communications and the Interactions Collaboration at Liverpool . We have a policy of ensuring that opinion makers, industrialists and MPs are invited to CERN and are able to discuss with students, technical staff and researchers. We have participated in the House of Commons exchange scheme where one of our staff members spends a week at Westminster and, in return, an MP spends time in our Laboratory.
We have an active programme with Schools, from Masterclass events and talks, inviting local schools to CERN and in the last 4 years creating a CERN based Summer School for the brightest pre-university students. We also run a 4 week Nuffield course at Liverpool for school children considering a career in Science. Phil Allport has played a major role in IoP activities and is well known on Merseyside acting as an official Ambassador for the region.