QuarkNet an der Elbe: The Great Masterclass Doodle Race

I did not travel anyplace exciting this week, unless you count a hike in nearby Sächsische Schweiz or dinner at the nice restaurant on the top floor of the Karstadt department store in Dresden. And CERN 60 is all wrapped up here. However, life is indeed exciting because the International Masterclasses run-up has begun. 

First, consider the doodle race. I am already behind the pace of my counterpart and guide here, Uta Bilow. Yesterday, we put together the doodle polls for institutions (e.g QuarkNet centers) to register for masterclass videocnference days and times. At high noon in Dresden, Uta sent her contact list (mostly in Europe) the notification e-mail that doodles for videoconferences were open. I followed with my notice for folks in the Americas, East Asia, and the Pacific about an hour later. The race is to register for masterclass videoconferences is on!

OK, it is not really a race. It is really an effort to get our schedule set up and get registration out of the way so that Uta and I - and the Masterclass Institutes - can focus on preparing for great masterclasses. QuarkNet teachers can help by checking their school schedules in the March 6-31 interval and then pinging their mentors about good masterclass dates and getting registered. The schedule and the links for mentors or masterclass leaders to sign up are at /content/videoconferences-2015. 

More on the masterclass front: we now have a working group to open masterclasses in new countries. We had a very good videoconference this Wednesday and plans are afoot for new masterclasses in South Asia and beyond. 

Note: This QuarkNet an der Elbe post for this week was made on a Raspberry Pi. Can CMS and ATLAS masterclasses be far behind?

This is what our Institute, IKTP (Institut für Kern- und Teilchenphysik) at TU Dresden looks like from the median in Zellescher Weg. You can see a lot of construction in front. Eventually, perhaps I can return to visit Dresden and see how nice the parking lot and reflecting pool have become. Maybe next year.*