EGAS Physics conference launched at DCU today
3 August 2005

Noel Treacy, TD, Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility for European Affairs, today launched one of the world’s most prestigious Physics conferences, the ‘European Group for Atomic Systems’, at DCU. The conference runs from 3-6 August, and 250 delegates from more than 35 countries around the world are attending.

“There is always tremendous ‘competition’ amongst the international institutions of Physics to host the EGAS conference, and DCU is particularly pleased to have been successful on Ireland’s behalf in 2005”, said conference organiser, Professor John Costello, Head of the School of Physical Sciences at DCU.

2005 is a significant year for Physics. At international level it has been designated ‘World Year of Physics’ by UNESCO and ‘Einstein Year’ by the Institute of Physics to mark the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Einstein’s seminal papers. At a national level, it has been designated the ‘Hamilton Year’ by the Royal Irish Academy to commemorate the bicentenary of the birth of Irish physicist, William Rowan Hamilton.

Minister Treacy welcomed the delegates on behalf of the Irish government, and said that he had a strong personal interest in the development of science as a subject.

He expressed concern at the decline in the number of students who choose science subjects at third level, and stressed that science offers exciting and fulfilling career options. He made particular mention of Margaret Murnane, an Irish physicist who is a guest speaker at the conference. She is an Irish graduate, a JILA Fellow and Professor of Physics at the University of Boulder, Colorado and is considered to be a world-leader in the area of photonics.

Conference organiser, Professor John Costello, paid particular tribute to the Minister, under whose stewardship Science Foundation Ireland was established.

As part of the conference, Professor Anders Barany, deputy director of the Nobel Museum, will be giving a public lecture on Wednesday 3 August at 6pm.

ENDS