Activity Report of Open Application Course vol.6
Graduate students from Huazhong University of Science and Technology witnessed cutting edge accelerator technology
Accelerator Laboratory, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization
Report from Prof. Fujio Naito
For nine days from July 4th (Wed.) to July 12th (Thur.), 2018, with support from the “Sakura Exchange Program in Science”, 11 students, mainly from Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), were invited to the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK). The exchange plan was carried out for the second time this year, and we provided lectures, practical training, and laboratory tours at KEK Tsukuba Campus and the Tokai Campus scheduled as follows:
Since KEK posseses many active accelerator laboratories and is the most advanced accelerator research laboratory in the world, we prepared a program in which the participants would be able to observe and participate in cutting edge accelerator technology as we organized the program last year. On the other hand, there was a slight difference from the program last year. We asked relatively young researchers to be the lecturers, training instructors, and tour guides to talk to this year’s participants about their own experiences of performing at the very front of the research that, for them, continues to be a struggle.
The first half of the program was held at the KEK Tsukuba Campus, and lectures on accelerator basics, a group practice training, and an accelerator laboratory tour were given. The students participated in a question and answer session very actively at the lecture, just like last year. The lecturer responded with explanations based on his actual experience, driving the students’ curiosities to see how theories were utilized for actual events.
In the afternoon of the second day, the participants were divided into three groups to participate in the training. There were many students who took this training as a subject of their presentations which were performed at a later date. The students seemed to obtain profound understanding -- maybe because the question and answer session was held in a small group.
On day 3, a commentary was given about the actual accelerator (J - PARC) which was developed from the lecture about accelerator basics the day before. This commentary was to clarify the connection of the lecture about accelerator basics to catch a glimpse of how the contents of the lectures at the universities, etc. are utilized in the world at large. Later, they visited four accelerator laboratories (LINAC, PF, cERL, STF) and the detector (BELL - II). One of the accelerator related facilities which are currently in operation in Tsukuba was picked up for the tour so that the students could see the accelerator technology closely. Participants seemed to be overwhelmed by the size and the variety of types of accelerators. At the same time, we believe that they have learned the significance and the value that every accelerator possesses.
They spent the last half of the day at the Tokai Campus, participating in commentary and lectures as well as a tour of the J-PARC accelerator, and were given a practical training on monitoring equipment. The presentations by the students were performed later in the day. We asked a young Chinese researcher to give a lecture and to be a guide for the LINAC lecture and the laboratory tour. They were able to practically feel the energy of the senior, who is close to their age and who has been successful at the forefront of the field.
About the MR lecture and the laboratory tour, the arrangement of the tour of the MR accelerator equipment in the tunnel (which normally cannot be seen in public) was made possible, thanks to the summer maintanance period. Question after question from the studentsseemed to never end. We believe that it must have been a meaningful day for them.
The subject of the practice training of the monitoring equipment was CT (Current Transformer) design which allows measurement of beam current. The purpose of this training was to understand exactly how electromagnetic fields interact each other, and it also will lead to not only monitor design but electromagnet design. On the final day, we held a presentation session performed by the students showing what they learned from, and were impressed by, the lectures, tours, and practical training, etc. Everyone used mainly scientific topics for the presentations, showing that the students who visited Japan this time have high quality and high awareness of their education.
It was successful overall, but there may be some issues to resolve as well. Some students pointed out that there were too many lectures, tours and trainings in particular to participate in. In addition to everything, this was a first experience for them, they had to go here and there many times. They seemed to be tired physically as well as mentally. Many of them were taking a nap during lunch break, and their liveliness seemed to become less and less as the program reached the end. This made us think that it would be necessary to be more flexible and resourceful in preparing for the program, such as having a plan with an alternate date to end the program earlier. We would like to plan the next year’s program reflecting what we learned this year.
