The International school of Cosmic Ray Astrophysics (ISCRA) holds biennial courses for graduate students and young researchers that stress the inter-relationships between sub-disciplines in Astrophysics, Particle Physics and Cosmology and focus upon recent results from different specialty areas.
The ISCRA is not a conference or a workshop, but is a School that provides lectures by outstanding scientists who cover the latest results and also the background and steps that lead to them. Everyone is encouraged to question the experts both during the lectures and informally over relaxing meals so that one often finds beginners dining with experts in an ambiance of friendship and science that otherwise might never happen. Discussions naturally happen — sometimes a seemingly simple question may pause the expert and in the by and by lead to new research. Additionally many attendees have developed their careers following contacts made at the School. Complementing the lectures is the unique opportunity to talk informally, at coffee and meal breaks, with the experts on subjects that interests the attendee: future ideas, experiences, anecdotes, employment opportunities, etc; often things that never reach scientific literature, but which may have profound impacts on the experts.
Many attendees have advanced their careers following contacts made at previous Schools. Over the last 46 years most of the scientists who now hold influential positions in cosmic-ray astrophysics have attended the ISCRA including several Nobel laureates, most attending before they won the prize. Graduate students and postdoctoral scientists (experiment & theory) are encouraged to register as soon as possible on this INDICO page as numbers are constrained by the Centre; late applicants may be disappointed.
A local expense fee of 1350 Euros, payable upon arrival, covers lodging, meals, transportation between the Palermo airport and Erice (provided by the Centre) and all course activities. Participants dine at their choice of a number of Erice restaurants.
