Latin America’s relations with CERN are
developing strongly, and teams from Argentina,
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico are members
of LHC experimental collaborations. Relations were
strengthened considerably by the HELEN network,
which was largely financed by the EU with support
from Spain and Italy, in particular, and enabled
many scientists from the region to visit CERN in
parallel with exchange visits from CERN to the
region. A successor project called ePlanet has been
approved in principle by the EU, and is expected to
start soon. Government agencies from several
Latin-American countries have signed Co-operation
Agreements (CAs) with CERN.
Argentina has signed a CA, and participates in the ATLAS experiment
and accelerator R&D. Bolivia has signed a CA with
CERN, and individual scientists have visited
CERN. Brazil has signed a CA, and has teams in ALICE,
ATLAS,
CMS and LHCb.
Chile also participates in the ATLAS experiment
within the framework of a CA. Colombia has signed a
CA and has teams in the CMS and
ATLAS experiments.
A Cuban team is working in ALICE,
so far without a CA. Ecuador has signed a CA with
CERN, and individual scientists have visited CERN.
Mexico has signed a CA, and there are Mexican teams
in ALICE and
in CMS. Peruvian
scientists have come to CERN via the HELEN
programme, and a team is planning to joining ALICE
within the framework of a CA. A team from Venezuela is
planning to join the ATLAS experiment.