Description
The NUPP (Nuclear and Particle Physics) Group of the AIP (Australian Institute of Physics) provides an important component of the National Congress of the AIP (around 10% of all papers presented to congresses between 1974-2004 were from this Group) [1]. However, prior to 1988, national conferences in this area were held separately, under the auspices of AINSE, the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering. AINSE was originally established in 1958 to “provide universities and other tertiary institutions with a mechanism to access the unique research facilities at Lucas Heights, and to provide a focus for cooperation in nuclear science and engineering” [2]. Conferences labelled “AINSE Nuclear Physics” commenced in 1965, and were held biennially (mostly).
In 1988 it was decided to schedule the AINSE Nuclear Physics Conference within the so-called “AIP Bicentennial Congress”, thereby helping to facilitate a much larger meeting than was typical previously [1]. This practice has continued since then, with the exception of 1990 when the AIP Congress scheduled for Perth in February was cancelled. The coming together of the AINSE conference with the interests of the AIP NUPP group resulted in the Congress streams being titled “AINSE-NUPP”, and eventually simply “NUPP”.
Despite the separate conferences there were some presentations in these fields at the AIP congress; for example the first Congress in 1974 had key presentations by Sir Ernest Titterton (ANU), and Bruce H.J. McKellar and Brian M. Spicer (both U Melbourne).
This set of conferences, 12 in total, provides a snapshot of the interests of Australian researchers over the 25-year period between 1965-1990, in nuclear and particle physics, including the accessing of cutting-edge experimental facilities overseas.
References
1. Collins SF, Australian Physics 2026
2. AINSE'S 40TH Anniversary Conference, Sydney, December 1998
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