Get to know the ATLAS laser

On May 12th, 2026, the team at the Center for Advanced Laser Applications (CALA) welcomed around 50 students for the ATLAS day. The event began with an informative introductory lecture that provided an overview of the scientific work carried out at CALA and highlighted the broad range of research topics pursued at the institute.

Following the lecture, participants joined guided tours through the laser clean room and the experimental caves, gaining first-hand insight into the technical infrastructure and experimental setups used in daily research activities. A highlight was the laser alignment challenge, during which the previous record for the fastest alignment was beaten by two seconds.

The day concluded with a relaxed meet-and-greet session featuring posters, pizza, and drinks. This provided an excellent opportunity for students and researchers to exchange ideas, discuss potential thesis projects, and establish new connections in an informal atmosphere. Overall, the event was highly successful and offered participants valuable insight into the ATLAS research environment at CALA.