We are proud to announce that Astrocent (NCAC PAS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CERN to become a participating institution in the Detector Research and Development 1 (DRD1) Collaboration, which focuses on advancing gaseous detector technologies.
The MoU was signed on 29 July 2025 by Prof. Rafał Moderski, Director of NCAC PAS, formalizing Astrocent’s involvement in this cutting-edge R&D initiative hosted by CERN. While the scientific proposal for DRD1 was reviewed and approved by CERN’s Research Board in late 2023, the signing of this MoU marks the official establishment of the collaboration.
About DRD1
DRD1 is a global consortium of more than 150 institutions committed to the development of next-generation gaseous particle detectors—critical tools for high-energy physics experiments. The collaboration focuses on innovations in tracking, timing, calorimetry and photon detection.
These technologies are essential for future accelerator and non-accelerator experiments, e.g. for dark matter and neutrino related research, alike.
Who Is Involved?
The DRD1 Collaboration spans institutions across Europe, Asia, North and South America, and Australia, with participation from both CERN member and non-member states. Polish institutions engaged in DRD1 include:
- Astrocent (NCAC PAS), Warsaw (representative – Dr Andre Filipe Ventura Cortez)
- AGH University of Science and Technology, Kraków
- Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics (IFJ PAN), Kraków
- National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ), Otwock-Świerk
Astrocent will contribute its expertise in detector electronics, signal processing, and data acquisition systems, drawing on its advanced technical infrastructure and experience in precision instrumentation for astroparticle physics.
Why It Matters for Astrocent
This agreement represents a strategic milestone for our institute:
- It strengthens scientific collaboration with CERN and integrates us further into the European R&D ecosystem.
- It empowers our researchers to contribute to globally coordinated detector development for the next generation of particle and astroparticle physics experiments.
- It provides access to cutting-edge infrastructure, technical platforms, and international collaboration networks.
Participation in DRD1 not only advances our role in fundamental research but also promotes technological innovation in Poland and beyond.
DRD1 Collaboration Meeting in Warsaw (6-10 October 2025)
This year’s 6th edition of the DRD1 Collaboration Meeting will take place in Warsaw (the first one outside CERN) hosted by Astrocent and Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences and will gather researchers from all over the world working on topics related to gas radiation detector development.
