In June 2024, the CTAO gGmbH, in cooperation with the LST Collaboration, will inaugurate the first CTAO School. This two-week workshop is aimed at early-career scientists who want to begin or delve deeper into CTAO science, technology and data analysis. As an international, enriching experience, the first week will take place in Bertinoro, Italy, 16-19 June, while the second will be carried out in La Palma, Spain, 22-29 June.

During the two-week school, participants will have the opportunity to develop hard and soft skills with experts in the field, including:

• -Learning about current hot topics in Very High-Energy (VHE) Astrophysics from international experts;
• -Learning how to write a successful scientific proposal;
• -Performing real observations with the LST-1, the prototype of the Large-Sized Telescope (LST);
• -Performing data analysis both on real and simulated data;
• -Presenting their current scientific projects to peers and leading the discussion.

Additionally, students will also attend scicomm workshops to learn how to present their results to a general, non-expert audience and will visit several facilities located at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma, site of the CTAO Northern Array.

“Our goal is to create a comprehensive school, where participants can develop their skills in each phase of the scientific process, from understanding a source and making an observation proposal, to taking that data and analyzing it,” explains Roberta Zanin, CTAO Project Scientist and Chair of the Scientific Organizing Committee. “All of this would not be possible without the support of our international partners, who are working very hard to make this a fulfilling and successful experience for the participants.”

To ensure an interactive educational experience, both in theoretical and hands-on sessions, the school will accept a maximum of 25 participants. As part of the selection process, applicants will be asked to submit a one-page statement about the research work they have carried out so far, as well as a one-page reference letter from advisors or supervisors.

The fee for the two-week school is 900 euro, which covers accommodation, meals, coffee breaks and local transportation at both sites, as well as the plane ticket from Bologna, Italy, to La Palma. In alignment with the Observatory’s commitment to inclusion and equal opportunity, the CTAO will offer fellowships that will cover the fees for participants from resource-limited groups. Selection criteria will be based on scientific merit, evaluated through the one-page cover letter and a demonstration of the group’s financial need.

Learn more about the CTAO School and apply on our website.

Funding

The CTAO School is organized by the CTAO gGmbH in cooperation with the LST Collaboration. The first week of the school in Bertinoro is funded by the Cherenkov Telescope Array Plus project (IR0000012; CUP C53C22000430006) within the Italian Resilience and Recovery Plan (PNRR), as an activity led by the University of Bologna. The second week is supported by funds from the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation and the Japanese Institute for Cosmic Ray Research.