The FLUKA Beginner Course at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Geel, Belgium, organized by CERN, provided a crucial starting point for Belarusian researcher Maryna Kanapelka. With support from the EU-funded MOST program, the mobility included an intensive week of theoretical and practical training in one of the world’s leading Monte Carlo codes for particle transport.
“Before this course, FLUKA’s complexity felt like a major barrier. Now I not only understand its workflow but also feel confident applying it to real detector simulations in my work,” –the participant shared.
The program covered core aspects of FLUKA and its Flair3 interface, including geometry and material setup, source definition, scoring methods, and particle interaction models. Practical exercises and direct interactions with trainers helped the participant gain structured, hands-on experience, while visits to the GELINA and MONNET accelerator facilities provided real-world context on how simulations support nuclear data measurement and experimental planning.
Networking was another key outcome: discussions with CERN and JRC experts, as well as fellow participants, broadened the researcher’s understanding of FLUKA’s applications in fields ranging from dosimetry to shielding design and medical physics.
The long-term impact is already clear. FLUKA will be used to model gamma detectors and optimize experimental setups, with the mobility laying the groundwork for future publications and collaborations. By sharing knowledge about free experimental access to JRC facilities, the participant also aims to support other Belarusian scientists working under constrained conditions.
The MOST IV mobility programme is fostering professional exchanges between citizens of Belarus and their colleagues in EU countries. The MOST mobility programme is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Goethe-Institut.