Weighing the Invisible

Friday Apr 17, 2026, 8:45 AM → 8:00 PM Europe/Berlin

FTU Aula (KIT)

The Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino experiment (KATRIN) is nearing the conclusion of its precision measurement campaigns in the search for the neutrino mass.
Over more than 1,000 measurement days, the collaboration has probed the endpoint region of the tritium beta-decay spectrum with unprecedented sensitivity, setting new standards for precision direct neutrino-mass searches. While the analysis of the full dataset is still ongoing, the completion of this first measurement phase marks an important milestone.

We wish to celebrate this occasion with a symposium bringing together our colleagues from the international research community, collaborators, and institutional stakeholders whose support has been essential to advancing neutrino research. The event will highlight KATRIN’s scientific achievements and outline perspectives towards the future, with the TRISTAN and KATRIN++ phases.

We will entertain you with science talks on neutrino physics, greetings from all over the world, visits to the KATRIN experiment and accompanying music. 

We are looking forward to welcome you.
17 April 2026 · Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Campus North

 

8:45 AM → 9:15 AM Come Together, Coffee & Tea

9:15 AM → 9:25 AM Musical Opening

Pjotr Iljitsch Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) : Melodie; Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880) Polonaise
Katarina Radestock (Violin) and Sandra Radestock (Piano)
(Helmholtz Gymnasium Karlsruhe)

9:25 AM → 9:35 AM Welcome by Spokespersons

Speakers: Susanne Mertens (Max Planck Institute for Physics), Kathrin Valerius (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

9:35 AM → 9:45 AM Welcome by KIT president

Speaker: Jan S. Hesthaven (KIT)

9:45 AM → 10:15 AM Keynote Neutrinos

Speaker: Eligio Lisi (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Bari)

10:15 AM → 10:20 AM Address from the Max-Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics Heidelberg

Speaker: Klaus Blaum (MPIK Heidelberg)

10:20 AM → 10:50 AM Coffee & Tea

10:50 AM → 11:00 AM Musical Interlude

J.S.Bach (1685-1750): Suite 3 BWV 1009 Courante; Rogelio Huguet y Tagell (1882-1956): Flamenco (aus Suite espagnole 1)
 - Aris Kammenos  
Franz Schubert (1797-1828): Sonate in A-Dur D664; 1. Satz Allegro moderato - Andromache Kammenos

(Helmholtz-Gymnasium Karlsruhe)

11:00 AM → 11:08 AM Vice President Transfer and International Affairs

Speaker: Thomas Hirth (KIT)

11:08 AM → 11:15 AM Address by Helmholtz Association

Speaker: Sören Wiesenfeldt (Helmholtz Association)

11:20 AM → 11:30 AM How KATRIN came to Karlsruhe

Speaker: Manfred Popp (KIT)

11:30 AM → 12:00 PM History of KATRIN

Speakers: Christian Weinheimer (University of Muenster), Guido Drexlin (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

12:00 PM → 12:05 PM Address from University of Münster

Speaker: Monika Stoll (University of Münster)

12:06 PM → 12:11 PM Address from Department of Energy

Speaker: Paul Sorensen (Department of Energy)

12:12 PM → 12:17 PM Address from INFN

Speaker: Marco Pallavicini (Dipartimento di Fisica e Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)

12:20 PM → 12:26 PM Address from Czech Republic

Speaker: Prof. Ondřej Lebeda (Nuclear Physics Institute of the CAS)

12:30 PM → 12:40 PM Musical Interlude

Pjotr Iljitsch Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Pezzo Capriccioso Op. 62
Jana Bojanowski (Violoncello) and Miho Uchida (Piano)
(Helmholtz-Gymnasium Karlsruhe)

12:45 PM → 1:50 PM Business Lunch

1:50 PM → 1:57 PM US participation

Speaker: Hamish Robertson (University of Washington)

1:58 PM → 2:05 PM Address from US institutes

Speaker: Diana Parno (Carnegie Mellon University)

2:05 PM → 2:20 PM Science Results KATRIN

Speaker: Richard Salomon (University of Münster)

2:20 PM → 2:35 PM The TRISTAN Phase

Speakers: Andrew Gavin (Max-Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics, Heidelberg), KATRIN Collaboration

2:35 PM → 2:50 PM KATRIN++

Speaker: Svenja Heyns (KIT)

2:50 PM → 3:05 PM Video Greetings

Speaker: various

3:05 PM → 3:35 PM Future Perspectives in Neutrino Physics

Speaker: Kate Scholberg (Duke University)

3:35 PM → 3:50 PM Transition Ceremony

3:50 PM → 4:05 PM Thank you

Speakers: Susanne Mertens (Max Planck Institute for Physics), Kathrin Valerius (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

4:15 PM → 4:45 PM Transfer to KATRIN hall

4:45 PM → 7:05 PM Come Together at KATRIN Experimental Site (Coffee, Drinks, Meals, KATRIN exhibition, KATRIN & TLK tours