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On April 15-19, 2024, as a part of the eighth African School of Physics, ASP2024, we organized a program for learners from selected high schools in the vicinity of Marrakesh, Morocco. In this event, within a week, we reached out to over a thousand high school students, aka learners, from many high schools in the region of Marrakesh. We present a summary report on these outreach activities., Comment: 15 pages

We summarize the current status of high energy physics (HEP) in Africa, Latin America, and other developing regions, Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures

The African School of Fundamental Physics and Applications, also known as the African School of Physics (ASP), was initiated in 2010, as a three-week biennial event, to offer additional training in fundamental and applied physics to African students with a minimum of three-year university education. Since its inception, ASP has grown to be much more than a school. ASP has become a series of activities and events with directed ethos towards physics as an engine for development in Africa. We report on the seven African School of Physics, ASP2022, organized at Nelson Mandela University, on November~28 to December~8, 2022. ASP2022 included programs for university students, high school teachers and high school pupils., Comment: 18 pages

This is the summary report of the Community Engagement Frontier for the Snowmass 2021 study of the future of particle physics. The report discusses a number of general issues of importance to the particle physics community, including (1) the relation of universities, national laboratories, and industry, (2) career paths for scientists engaged in particle physics, (3) diversity, equity, and inclusion, (4) physics education, (5) public education and outreach, (6) engagement with the government and public policy, and (7) the environmental and social impacts of particle physics., Comment: 51 pages, 2 figures; to appear in the proceedings of the 2021 Community Study on the Future of U.S. Particle Physics (Snowmass 2021)

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) are not only called for to ensure morality and justice in our society, they also support ongoing and future excellence in particle physics. Over the past decade, the particle physics community has devised programs to support DEIA along multiple axes, and the way we think about measuring and implementing these initiatives has evolved. DEIA in physics is a broad topic, so in this paper we focus on the experiences of marginalized communities and outline ways different stakeholders can build a culture of equitable access for the success of marginalized individuals. Specifically, we identify urgent needs in the following areas: (1) We need to acquire a better understanding of the status quo, both quantitatively and qualitatively, to assess the effectiveness of existing programs and to develop best practices; (2) we need to develop effective and inclusive ways to engage marginalized communities; (3) we need to create infrastructure to better support members of marginalized communities, on an academic, financial and personal level; (4) we need to create an environment conducive to equitable access and success by establishing community expectations, fostering inclusion in social interactions, and holding individuals and institutions accountable; and (5) we need to establish a mechanism to monitor progress in the area of DEIA, including the implementation of the recommendations enumerated in this paper and others during the Snowmass 2021 process., Comment: Contribution to Snowmass 2021

The African School of Fundamental Physics and Applications, also known as the African School of Physics (ASP), was initiated in 2010, as a three-week biennial event, to offer additional training in fundamental and applied physics to African students with a minimum of three-year university education. Since its inception, ASP has grown to be much more than a school. ASP has become a series of activities and events with directed ethos towards physics as an engine for development in Africa. One such activity of ASP is the African Conference on Fundamental and Applied Physics (ACP). The first edition of ACP took place during the 2018 edition of ASP at the University of Namibia in Windhoek. In this paper, we report on the second edition of ACP, organized on March 7--11, 2022, as a virtual event., Comment: 12 pages

The Community Engagement Frontier presents this set of three white papers, as part of Snowmass 2021. These papers address critical issues -- Power Dynamics in Physics, Informal Socialization in Physics Training, and Policing and Gatekeeping in STEM -- that make significant impacts on the experiences of the people who work in and learn particle physics. In this introductory document, we present crosscutting concepts that appear in each paper, and some advice on how to manage readers' responses to the contents. We expect that you will learn something new here. We hope that whatever you encounter, you will be energized to increase justice in this discipline we all love., Comment: Submitted to the Proceedings of the US Community Study on the Future of Particle Physics (Snowmass 2021); 6 pages Added references, and corrected typos

This paper addresses issues related to the process of informal socialization into physics, particularly for senior graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Many physicists' careers are built on the relationships they have and develop during these critical years., Comment: Submitted to the Proceedings of the US Community Study on the Future of Particle Physics (Snowmass 2021); 26 pages Added references

The purpose of this white paper is to describe how unfair power dynamics related to various aspects of identity -- race, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and ability status -- operate in physics settings and offer concrete steps that one can take to make our discipline more equitable and just., Comment: Submitted to the Proceedings of the US Community Study on the Future of Particle Physics (Snowmass 2021); 23 pages Added references

The purpose of this white paper is to lay out the impacts of policing and gatekeeping in STEM, illustrated with lived experiences of scientists of color who are achieving despite the daunting challenges they face., Comment: Submitted to the Proceedings of the US Community Study on the Future of Particle Physics (Snowmass 2021); 15 pages Added references

Research, education and training in high energy physics (HEP) often draw international collaborations even when priorities and long term visions are defined regionally or nationally. Yet in many developing regions, HEP activities are limited in both human capacity and expertise, as well as in resource mobilisation. In this paper, the benefits -- to the U.S. HEP program -- of engagements with developing countries are identified and studied through specific examples of Africa and Latin America; conversely, the impact of HEP education and research for developing countries are also pointed out. In the context of the U.S. strategic planning for high energy physics, the authors list recommendations on investments that will benefit both developed and developing nations., Comment: 14 pages

This Snowmass21 Contributed Paper addresses the structural changes that need to occur in the many groups and organizations that intersect with the US particle physics community to enable impactful public engagement to flourish. The impetus for these changes should come from the particle physics community, which should acknowledge the importance of public engagement and act on the recommendations in this Snowmass contributed paper. Scientists have expressed frustration at the barriers, penalties and lack of support that discourage them from participating in public engagement. In this paper, we provide many ways to create a supportive, enabling atmosphere for public engagement among physicists., Comment: 22 pages

Finding a balance between professional responsibilities and personal priorities is a great challenge of contemporary life and particularly within the HEPAC community. Failure to achieve a proper balance often leads to different degrees of mental and physical issues and affects work performance. In this paper, we discuss some of the main causes that lead to the imbalance between work and personal life in our academic field. We present some recommendations in order to establish mechanisms to create a healthier and more equitable work environment, for the different members of our community at the different levels of their careers.

COVID-19 is a new pandemic disease that is affecting almost every country with a negative impact on social life and economic activities. The number of infected and deceased patients continues to increase globally. Mathematical models can help in developing better strategies to contain a pandemic. Considering multiple measures taken by African governments and challenging socio-economic factors, simple models cannot fit the data. We studied the dynamical evolution of COVID-19 in selected African countries. We derived a time-dependent reproduction number for each country studied to offer further insights into the spread of COVID-19 in Africa.