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20-10-2014
12th European VLBI Network Symposium and Users Meeting
| Submitter: | Gabriele Surcis |
| Description: | The 12th European VLBI Network Symposium and Users Meeting was held from 7th to 10th of October in Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy). The symposium was attended by 135 participants from all over the world, with the Asian community represented by more than 20 colleagues. The program of the meeting consisted of 70 oral contributions (including 7 invited speakers) and 52 posters that covered a very wide range of VLBI topics both in galactic and extragalactic astrophysics (e.g., AGN, stellar evolution from birth to death, astrometry, and planetary science) as well as technological developments and future international collaborations. The scientific program also included a visit to the 64-m Sardinia Radio Telescope and the EVN Users Meeting, where astronomers have provided useful feedback on various matters regarding EVN operations. The attendees of the symposium all contributed to the excellent scientific program, and in return they could enjoy the hospitality of Cagliari and the great Sardinian food. The symposium was held at the Hotel Regina Margherita located on the board of one of the central historical quarter of the city called "La Marina", just 10 minutes bus ride from the famous 8-km beach called "Poetto". "La Marina" was founded by Pisans in the XIII century and nowadays hosts several restaurants where it is possible to taste a large variety of Sardinian cuisine. The lunch buffet at Is Alinos (about 50 km from Cagliari) and the conference dinner on Thursday (never-ending food!) were also great opportunities to sample that. Before the conference dinner, we played the traditional symposium football match. The two teams were the "Italian Antennas" and the "Rest of the Array". The final score was 1-1 which is quite uncommon. A possible reason is the crowded pitch (for the first time the match was played 13 vs 13), alternatively, the participants may have gained too much weight during the week (see above). At the end it was a great symposium both scientifically and socially speaking. The location was perfect with its almost 30 degrees (have I already mentioned that?) and with its beauty. Many participants spent the weekend after the symposium to visit other parts of the island as well (e.g., Nora, Barumini). But in my humble opinion the screen in the conference room showed the best what the EVN community could expect from the 12th EVN symposium. Future astronomers will look at those slides as we are now doing by looking at the giants sculpture discovered in these days in the ancient Sardinia ( http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/prehistoric-cybermen-sardinias-lost-warriors-rise-from-the-dust-6988952.html ). |
| Copyright: | Gianni Alvito, INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari |
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