UF's involvement with most expensive science experiment ever - $8 billion total

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Florida
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<p>UF scientists celebrate first test run of largest particle accelerator</p>

<p>By THOMAS STEWART, Alligator Contributing Writer
Hours after the world’s largest particle accelerator completed its first test run Wednesday, UF physicists gathered to celebrate the occasion.</p>

<p>They cheered, drank wine and munched on finger foods at a party Wednesday night to mark the first running of the accelerator, called the Large Hadron Collider.</p>

<p>Many of the 80 or so people who attended the party helped build pieces of the 17–mile tube buried about 300 feet underground beneath France and Switzerland. </p>

<p>The particle accelerator is used to collide two beams of particles at high speeds to recreate conditions that existed fractions of a second after the big bang.</p>

<p>At a cost of about $8 billion, according to a New York Times article, it has been called the most expensive science experiment ever.</p>

<p>Those who attended the event at the New Physics Building were also treated to a live webcast from Darin Acosta, a UF physics professor who spoke from a control room in Geneva, Switzerland about how the massive machine performed on its first day.</p>

<p>“What was pretty amazing was how well it went,” said Acosta, who wore a blue UF T–shirt.</p>

<p>He said the accelerator has not been used for any collisions yet, and it will most likely be weeks before that happens.</p>

<p>Instead, scientists sent a beam of protons around the 17–mile track.</p>

<p>“They’ve now made 300 orbits of the beam,” he said. “The future looks really great.”</p>

<p>Acosta is one of more than 30 UF professors and students involved in the project, the largest contingent from any university in the U.S.</p>

<p>Guenakh Mitselmakher, also a UF physics professor, said the U.S. Department of Energy gave UF about $45 million for research relating to the particle accelerator. Mitselmakher, who is in charge of dispersing the money, said only about $10 million will stay at UF. The rest will go to other research teams.</p>

<p>UF’s portion of the money has funded a number of projects related to the accelerator, all of which have Nobel Prize potential, he said.</p>

<p>click link for rest of the article:</p>

<p>The</a> Independent Florida Alligator: News - UF scientists celebrate first test run of largest particle accelerator</p>

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<p>You know, I am very proud of UF's accomplishments and involvement in this project. I have recently been bragging to all my non-UF friends on what UF has done.</p>

<p>All you out of state people need to spread the word!</p>

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<p>Let's just hope it doesn't create a "Black-hole". JK</p>