In March, AIDAinnova held its third annual meeting and discussed the future of the project.

At the month of March, the third annual meeting of the AIDAinnova project was a significant event that brought together experts from the 42 participating institutes and industries. Held in Catania, in Italy, the discussions were centered around the impact of the project, as it enters its fourth and last year. The participants reviewed past achievements and set ambitious objectives for the upcoming year, aiming to push the boundaries of the field of particle detectors.

One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the decision to enhance cooperation with two other similar EU-funded research infrastructure projects: I.FAST and LEAPS-INNOV. This partnership is expected to lead to a more integrated approach at the moment of answering future research infrastructure calls, combining resources to tackle larger and more complex challenges. Among the common activities there was on 16 and 17 April, the Industry workshop on cryogenics in Big Science, organised jointly with the two projects, is another example of synergy. The three projects will also hold a joint booth and session at the coming Big Science Business Forum (BSBF) in Trieste in October 2024.

In addition to strategic discussions and reviews of the each work packages, the event also featured a software hackathon. This competition highlighted the talent and creativity of young scientists, who worked on developing practical applications for the research conducted within the collaboration. The hackathon served as a platform for these emerging researchers to demonstrate their skills and for the collaboration to identify fresh ideas and approaches.

Overall, the meeting was a testament to the collaborative spirit that drives the project. With a clear focus on the future and strengthened by new partnerships, the collaboration is well-positioned to enter its final year and highlight its impact.

The annual meeting will be followed in a couple months by the Period 2 Report, which will summarise the activities and achievements in the past year and a half, as well as its plans and objectives for the final year.

More information here.