International School of Cosmic Ray Astrophysics
<< Maurice M. Shapiro >>

4-10 July 2012
Ettore Majorana Centre
Erice, Sicily, Italy

Overview: Particle Astrophysics investigates the highest energy processes in our Universe which manifest themselves as high energy atomic nuclei, hadrons, leptons, photons and possibly undiscovered observables. Understanding the information carried by these different 'messengers' and integrating it into a complete picture with results from astronomy and high energy physics is the goal of Particle Astrophysics. In the recent past, and in the next, few years, many observatories and/or upgrades have, or will, come on-line allowing us to “see” what was previously unobservable. History shows that such new observations have always revolutionized our understanding of the cosmos and ushered in a true "New Era" for the field. New results are already coming, or will soon come, from space observatories such as Fermi, PAMELA, AMS-02, CALET, from terrestrial observatories including Auger, HAWC, Telescope Array, ARGO-YBJ, and Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (ACT), and subsurface observatories such as IceCube and Antares, along with experimental results from the LHC. The opportunities for young scientists in this golden age for astrophysics are outstanding. But how is a young scientist, who must focus intently on his or her own studies, going to develop a broad panorama of the whole field, to know what new results are anticipated and how they may change our understanding , to discover what is currently exciting other scientists working on complementary topics? Moreover, there are questions of practical interest such as:, how might students advance their careers; what are the opportunities in other teams; what is it really like to work in a different country; what motivates a senior scientists to pursue his or her line of work; and how did they form collaborations and secure funding? It has, since the founding of the School in 1978, been the objective to give attendees answers to these questions. Through presentations on both theory and experimental/observational capabilities and results, plus direct contact with senior researchers in the field, students and young researchers will be challenged to develop an overall understanding of the role of Particle Astrophysics in the science of the 21st century and learn how they may personally contribute to this golden age of discovery.

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