Gianfranco Bertone appointed founding director of EuCAPT

On July 10, 2019, a group of leading theoretical physicists active in fields of astroparticle physics and cosmology met with representatives of APPEC and CERN to kick-off EuCAPT (European Consortium for AstroParticle Theory), a new initiative that aims to coordinate and favour theoretical astroparticle and cosmology activities in European centres and institutions.

The steering committee of EuCAPT includes internationally renowned scientists affiliated to leading European institutions: Gianfranco Bertone (U. of Amsterdam), Philippe Brax (CEA Saclay), Vitor Cardoso (IST Lisbon), Gian Giudice (CERN), David Langlois (APC Paris), Silvia Pascoli (U. of Durham), Hiranya Peiris (UCL London & OKC Stockholm) Antonio Riotto (U. of Geneva), Subir Sarkar (U. of Oxford), Piero Ullio (SISSA Trieste), Andrew Taylor (DESY Hamburg), Licia Verde (U. of Barcelona). CERN has agreed to act as central hub for EuCAPT, and committed to provide financial and administrative support to its activities.

GRAPPA Spokesperson Gianfranco Bertone, who has been appointed EuCAPT director, said: “EuCAPT is a bottom-up initiative that aims to be open and inclusive. We will soon reach out to to the scientific community and to the broader society, with an invitation to participate in our exciting programme of scientific and outreach activities. Stay tuned!”.

The first EuCAPT activities will include one annual meeting of the entire theoretical astroparticle community that will take place at CERN starting in 2020, and two topical workshops at other participating institutions. More information on EuCAPT activities will be released in September, when the website of the initiative will be be launched.