XFEL: Lecture ‘Physics of Skiing’: European XFEL Director opens lecture season

Science kick-off: the European XFEL's Lighthouse Visitor Centre makes exciting knowledge accessible to the general public with public science lectures (‘Lighthouse Lectures’). The kick-off for 2025 will be given by the Chairman of the European XFEL Management Board, Prof. Dr Thomas Feurer. ‘The Physics of Skiing’ is the title of his evening lecture on Thursday, 6 March, from 6 p.m. in the Lighthouse auditorium at Holzkoppel 4. It is aimed at people interested in science and high school students. Physicist Feurer took up his post at the world's largest X-ray research laser in 2024 as the successor to Robert Feidenhans'l.

Admission to this event is free. Registration is not required. After the lecture, there will be an opportunity to take part in a guided tour of the interactive exhibition in the Lighthouse.
The next Lighthouse dates have also already been set: an X-plorer tour with guided tours and a quiz for families on Science Saturday, 8 March, will be followed by the vernissage of the next art exhibition - ‘Parallel Universes’ on 27 March.

Events, tours and information at www.xfel.eu

  

About the person:

Thomas Feurer studied physics in Würzburg and Jena. He then worked as a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) before being appointed Professor of Physics at the University of Bern in 2004, where he most recently headed the Institute of Applied Physics. He is still a professor at the University of Bern. His research areas include laser physics, ultrafast spectroscopy and the development of instruments for research on X-ray lasers such as the European XFEL. He is Chairman of the European XFEL Management Board since 2024.

About the lecture:

 What forces act on a person on skis? How can you pick up speed when travelling through a dip?
What is the quickest way to get down? These are all questions that Thomas Feuer will address in his lecture. The history of skiing will play just as much a role as technical aspects. What physics is behind the carving ski and how can its ideal shape be calculated? The physicist will also answer this question just in time for the Hamburg ski holidays.

 

Upcoming events at the Lighthouse Science Experience Centre

(Admission free!)

Thu. 6 March 2025, 18:00

Evening lecture: The physics of skiing

Prof. Dr Thomas Feurer, Chairman of the

Management Board of European XFEL

 

Sat. 8 March 2025, 10:30 - 15:30

X-plorer Tour - Guided tours with quiz (from 10 years)*

 

Thu. 27 March 2025, 5:00 - 7:00 pm

Vernissage: Parallel Universes - Fluoro-Art by Felix Stöver

 

Sat. 12 April 2025, 10:30 am - 3:30 pm

Easter: Physics experiments with eggs*

 

Fri. 25 April 2025, 18:00 hrs

‘Art: Formula’ - lecture and concert

Dr Ulf Zastrau, Senior Scientist at European XFEL

Kirill Novokhatko, countertenor

 

Sat. 10 May 2025, 11:00 - 16:00 hrs

Wild herb tour on the campus (2 - 4 pm)*

Jens Clausen, Schenefelder Beete e.V.

 

Sat. 24 May 2025, 10:30 am - 3:30 pm

Lecture: Physics of musical instruments (2 pm)

Dr Ulf Zastrau, Senior Scientist at European XFEL

 

Saturday 28 June, 12:00 - 18:00

Open house day

on the research campus!

 

(*Pre-registration via www.xfel.eu necessary)