Last week, Vilnius University (VU) hosted the International School on Trigger and Data Acquisition ISOTDAQ2025. The event, based on the expertise of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), brought together nearly one hundred participants.
ISOTDAQ participants
Students and young researchers from various countries gathered in Vilnius to gain experience from over 30 specialists representing CERN and several international universities. Through lectures and practical sessions, participants delved into the fundamentals of designing powerful data acquisition and selection systems used in major physics experiments.
“Many contemporary experiments in particle physics produce enormous amounts of data. In order to acquire and process these data, very powerful and specialized electronics systems and computer programs have to be developed. The ISOTDAQ school is a unique opportunity for young researchers and engineers to learn from specialists how such systems have to be designed,” said Markus Joos, one of the founders of the school, said about the event.
VU Vice-Rector for Research, Professor Gintaras Valušis, who gave an open lecture at the school, expressed his delight that CERN activities in Vilnius are gaining momentum in various forms. “This international CERN student school, organized by Vilnius University, is an excellent example showing that the university is successfully expanding the geographical scope of CERN’s activities. I hope that the international students not only gained new knowledge and valuable experience here, but also returned to their institutions with a broader scientific outlook and new connections that may lead to promising scientific collaborations,” he remarked after the event.
“The Experimental Nuclear and Particle Physics Center is participating in the upgrade of CERN’s Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment — testing new inner tracker modules and developing data acquisition (DAQ) software for the detector. Therefore, the topics presented at the international ISOTDAQ school closely aligned with our ongoing activities. I am pleased that the visiting lecturers shared insights into a wide range of experimental instrumentation and data collection,” said the Centre’s director, VU physicist Dr Andrius Juodagalvis.
Markus Joos
“For most participants of the 15th edition of the ISOTDAQ school, this was their first visit to Lithuania. All attendees were very impressed by the hospitality of the local people and enjoyed Vilnius’ rich cultural life in their free time. Vilnius University was chosen for its excellent facilities, which enabled a high standard of education for the students,” emphasized long-time organizer Markus Joos.
ISOTDAQ — the International School of Trigger and Data Acquisition — is organized by CERN and held once a year in a different country.