Professor Gert Aarts who is Professor of Physics of Swansea University's College of Science, was elected as Chair of the Scientific Board of the European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas (ECT*) in Trento, Italy.

ECT* provides a variety of scientific activities for a large international community working on nuclear physics in a broad and interdisciplinary sense, including astro, particle, condensed matter and computational physics. Its main activities are workshops and collaboration meetings, an annual doctoral training programme for early-career researchers and fellowships for both junior and senior researchers.

Professor Aarts commented: "I have visited ECT* frequently since returning to Europe from the US in 2004. It provides excellent surroundings for intense meetings and workshops, and is very popular with scientists, including those based in the Americas and the Far East.                                                    Pictured Professor Aarts at the ECT*

“It is a great pleasure and honour to serve as the Chair of the Scientific Board, in support of the Scientific Director and the local staff. With its 25th anniversary coming up next year, it will be a special time to look both back and to the future."

Professor Aarts has organised meetings in the past and will be co-organising a Doctoral Training Programme on "QCD under extreme conditions" in the spring of 2018.

ECT* is sponsored by the "Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK)" in collaboration with the "Assessorato alla Cultura" (Provincia Autonoma di Trento), and funding agencies of EU Member and Associated States. The UK contributes via the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).