From the Nominator

"Alumni of CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, and other guests were invited 1-3 October 2021 for the second major reunion since CERN’s alumni programme launched in 2017. The event was titled "Second Collisions: Research Matters – Alumni impact on Society." It took place online, enabling alumni from across the globe to participate. At the time, CERN’s alumni network, which is also open to those working at CERN, included more than 7,000 people located in over 100 countries. The event was open to participants of CERN's high school teacher and student programmes (i.e., those who inspire the future pipeline of scientists and engineers).   

The bespoke platform enabled participants to roam and network within a virtual recreation of the CERN site, sparking excitement and nostalgia amongst participants. They had the opportunity to explore iconic CERN buildings and discover captivating keynote talks, fascinating networking discussions, interactive games, and virtual underground visits. Most importantly, participants were able to meet one another in this virtual space--uniting people across the globe for this special one-of-a-kind event.  

Like real-world conferences, the event featured booths showcasing a wide variety of organisations and activities. There were booths where participants could learn about the latest exciting developments from CERN entities. Others were run by pioneering companies, including CERN spin-offs, start-ups, and businesses. Information on employment opportunities was also available at the booths run by representatives of these companies. The event included an awards ceremony celebrating alumni achievements and engagement.   

Second Collisions increased internal buy-in, alumni engagement, raised CERN alumni visibility, and was rated by 100% survey respondents positively."

From the Judges

Judges felt this was a highly innovative event, with the virtual re-creation of the CERN site giving alumni the opportunity to revisit and explore iconic buildings and take part in a variety of activities from keynote speeches to networking. We liked the use of in-house resources to deliver the virtual environment and increase internal buy-in, with events moderated by CERN colleagues and alumni award recipients nominated by CERN directors. Judges also commented on the creative use of the virtual booths, which featured CERN spin-off and start up companies, as well as internal exhibits, and included job opportunities.