Winners of the project “Lessons of real nuclear physics”, the January cycle of the project “Lessons of the present”, have been announced. It is the first joint project of the Educational Centre “Sirius” and JINR. According to the terms of the competition, participants had to assemble a charged particle detector model, i.e. the Wilson chamber. Using this model, they were supposed to independently identify and record particle tracks in the chamber. Moreover, participants had to make a photo or video report on the performed work.

Before completing the task, participants listened to an introductory lecture on particle physics by a VBLHEP JINR senior researcher Sergei Merts. A VBLHEP JINR senior engineer Dmitry Klimansky provided video instruction on the camera assembly.

More than 600 7-11 grade school students took part in the cycle “Lessons of real nuclear physics”. Students were distributed in 90 science and technology studios of “Lessons of the present” based on educational organizations in 41 regions of Russia. All submitted works corresponded to the project rules and were sent in time. The jury highly appreciated each work and noticed high quality of the materials. The following winners presented the best solution in the January cycle “Lessons of real nuclear physics” of the 2021/22 academic year:

• Studio of School No. 28, Kaliningrad, presented a detailed report, tests of various radiation sources, a description and analysis of failed attempts. Watch the result.
• Studio of Gymnasium No. 426, St. Petersburg, presented a creative approach, the repetition of the experiment by D. V. Skobeltsyn, a description and analysis of failed attempts. Watch the result.
• Studio of School No. 2, Leninsk-Kuznetsky, Kemerovo region, presented the clearest results. Watch the result.
• Studio of Gymnasium No. 1, Orenburg, presented a clear and comprehensible explanation of the experiment. Watch the result.

In addition to the main winners, the jury has determined teams that will receive audience awards for the submitted presentations. They are:

• Studio of Lyceum No. 3, Norilsk.
• Studio of Gymnasium No. 9, Svobodny, Amur region
• Studio of “Odintsovo Tenth Lyceum“, Odintsovo, Moscow region
• Studio of School No. 121, Chelyabinsk
• Studio at School No. 82, Chernogolovka, Moscow region
• Studio at Gymnasium “Salakhov Laboratory”, Surgut.

The winners will receive prizes with JINR logos and certificates, as well as brand souvenirs of the project “Lessons of the present”. The project “Lessons of the present” has started in September and will last until May. During this school year, students will pass eight educational cycles.