Mr David Howarth, MP for Cambridge, visited the University of Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratories last Friday, 14 November, to shadow the physicist Dr Deirdre Black in an effort to foster understanding between scientists and parliamentarians.

As part of the Royal Society’s MP-Scientist Pairing Scheme, Mr Howarth spent time with the High Energy Physics research group where discovered more about their exciting research with the Large Hadron Collider which opened earlier this year.

Mr Howarth met with some of the scientists in the Cambridge group who contribute to cutting edge electronics and grid computing systems designed specifically for the ATLAS and LHCb experiments at the LHC.

He also talked with young researchers about their projects, including plans to detect the thus far elusive Higgs Boson and mini black holes.

As part of the programme Dr Black, Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow, will also have the opportunity to shadow Mr Howarth in Westminster and during a day in his constituency.

Commenting on the visit Dr Black said: “The MP-Scientist pairing scheme is a fantastic opportunity for me, as a science researcher, to learn more about the role that science plays in government, how decisions involving science are made and implemented, and how scientists can be useful in this process.”

David Howarth said: "This is an excellent opportunity to see the research that is taking place in Cambridge first hand. The pairing scheme provides the chance to learn more about the advances in science that could affect our everyday lives and the decisions being made in Parliament."

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have made, and continue to make, important contributions to the LHC. Over the next few years the LHC will zoom in on our universe to smaller distances than we have ever seen before.

 

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