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The ESRF welcomed 1600 visitors during the Open Days

01-06-2005

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The ESRF opened its doors for the sixth time this weekend since its inauguration, allowing 1662 people from Grenoble and the surrounding area to discover the facility. Secondary school students came on Friday as an activity of the World Year of Physics, and ESRF staff children were also allowed to visit, exceptionally, on Sunday afternoon.

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Visitors entering the ESRF.

In the framework of the World Year of Physics, the ESRF organised this year its 6th "Open Days" since its origins. The novelty of this year’s "Open Days" was that visits exclusively for classes of students were organised throughout all of Friday. Throughout the weekend, around 300 students, 1144 Grenoble citizens and 200 members of staff with their families entered the ring - mysterious for many of them up to then.

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Thomas Buslaps explains a group of students what kind of research is done at the ESRF.

More than a hundred staff members helped in the organisation of the Open Days, either by explaining the scientific research to visitors, by welcoming them in the entrance or even rolling posters. Visitors appreciated their help as several stated many times in the questionnaire which they filled in: “Researchers are passionate about their job and they really pass on their message in a very understandable way”, wrote one visitor.

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The Experimental Hall became a modest cinema during three days.

In the questionnaire, visitors expressed their surprise about the size of the machine, as well as about the international environment of the ESRF, which kept the Friday students amused trying to guess the nationality of their guides!

The Open Days also aroused interest in the press: the local newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré published two articles about it and the regional news on France 3 broadcast a piece of news.