Indian scientist to head Germany-based group of nuclear physicists

Kolkata, July 12 (IANS) Noted Indian physicist Sibaji Raha has been elected as the first chairman of the Joint Scientific Council of the GSI and the upcoming FAIR facility in Germany for exploring the nature of matter and the evolution of the universe.

The Department of Science and Technology had recently shared the development via Twitter.

"Prof Sibaji Raha, Bose Institute #Kolkata elected Chair of Jt Inter'ional #Scientific Council of GSI & FAIR #Germany," a tweet said.

Raha, former director of the Bose Institute in Kolkata, is an internationally-acclaimed authority on high energy particle and nuclear physics. He will officiate as the chairman of the Council for an initial period of two years starting from June 2016.

The 'Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research' (FAIR) will be built near the premises of physical research institute the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research at Darmsadt in Germany.

The research programme at GSI covers a broad range of activities, from nuclear and atomic physics via plasma and material research to biophysics. It is a major partner in many experiments at CERN in Geneva which in turn is credited with the discovery of Higgs Boson particle.

The Joint Scientific Council is the international advisory board of FAIR and GSI.

"The Council has been tasked with the responsibility of defining the roadmap of scientific programme to be pursued by both the existing GSI and the future FAIR facilities comprises 12 internationally acclaimed scientists from various countries, including USA, France, Italy, Poland, Japan, Sweden, South Africa, Germany, India, Russia, Spain and Austria," a statement shared by Raha said.