[News-releases] Canadian Dates Set for World Debut of Giant Discovery Machine

[Tim Meyer]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE					 AUGUST 18, 2008,
3:00PM PDT

		Dates Set for World Debut of Giant Discovery Machine

(Vancouver, B.C.) - Autumn 2008 will be remembered as one of the most
exciting seasons in scientific history as the world's largest research
project, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland,
gets under way.  The product of  two decades of design, research, and hard
labour by thousands of scientists in dozens of countries, and of billions of
dollars, the LHC and its associated science experiments have just announced
the schedule for the world debut.  As one of the key participating
countries, Canada will be celebrating. 

The LHC has been under construction for more than a decade.  It is scheduled
to begin operation this fall.  Three milestones will mark its successful
start-up and Canada is preparing itself for the anticipated enthusiastic
celebration. TRIUMF is central to Canada's participation in the LHC, and
would like to make media aware of the following news opportunities: 

** Dates to watch for **

September 10, 2008: The first attempt to circulate a beam in the LHC 

October 3, 2008:  Worldwide computer research grid kick-off 

October 21, 2008: Formal inauguration of the LHC 

1. The first attempt to circulate a beam in the LHC (September 10, 2008)
As announced by CERN, the first injection (sending beams of particles all
the way around the 27-kilometre circular machine) is scheduled to take place
September 10, 2008.  Achieving this milestone requires full integration of
every system of the accelerator, not unlike the launch of a space mission.
In addition to a live telecast from the Geneva control room, the Canadian
universities will be hosting coordinated public events in Montreal, Toronto,
and in TRIUMF's facility in Vancouver featuring lectures, public
announcements, and interactive displays.  For further details, please
contact Tim Meyer at TRIUMF, 604-222-7674.

2. Worldwide computer research grid kick-off (October 3, 2008)
The massive amounts of digital data recorded by the science experiments at
the LHC will be shared around the world with a next-generation computing
platform known as the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid.  Canada hosts one of the
ten Tier-1 nodes of the grid at TRIUMF, thereby gaining early access to the
scientific data.  On October 3, 2008, the Worldwide Grid will be hosting a
kick-off event in Geneva, Switzerland.  Canada will formally launch its
component of the global grid at a breakfast celebration in Vancouver (as
TRIUMF is the site of the computing centre) from 8:00-10:00 a.m. on October
3.  Government officials, business representatives, and the scientific
computing consortium will be making presentations and demonstrating the
power of the GRID. The event will also feature a question-and-answer session
with the Director General of CERN and other representatives by remote
videoconference. For further details, please contact Tim Meyer at TRIUMF,
604-222-7674.

3. Formal inauguration of the LHC (October 21, 2008)
On October 21, 2008, the LHC and its associated science experiments will be
formally inaugurated at a diplomatic gala in Geneva, Switzerland to which
heads-of-state will be travelling from all over the world.  An inauguration
ceremony in Canada will be held in Vancouver from 9:00-10:00 a.m. at TRIUMF.
In addition to live videoconferencing with CERN and Canadian representatives
at the formal inauguration, Canadian scientists will explain the importance
of the LHC science program and their hopes for its breakthrough discoveries.
For further details, please contact Tim Meyer at TRIUMF, 604-222-7674.

For further details on the above events, the LHC project or to arrange
advance interviews, please contact Tim Meyer, TRIUMF at 604-222-7674 or via
e-mail at communications at triumf.ca.


********************************************************
Timothy I. Meyer, Ph.D.
Head, Strategic Planning and Communications
TRIUMF
4004 Wesbrook Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 2A3
Tel: 604-222-7674
E-mail: tmeyer at triumf.ca
********************************************************

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