From July 28 to August 1, 2025, CAEN S.p.A. hosted the 4th International Summer School at its headquarters in Viareggio, Italy. Held last week, the program combined advanced lectures with intensive hands-on laboratories on radiation detection and measurement, with a strong focus on gamma and neutron applications for security and field operations.
From fundamentals to field use
The week opened with Welcome to CAEN and an overview of the company, followed by Introduction to digitizers to establish the role of modern DAQ in radiation measurements. Building directly on theory, participants moved straight to the bench for a hands-on session on CAEN digitizers for gamma and neutron detection, translating signal-processing concepts into practical detector setups. They then shifted to software-centric workflows using Sci-Compiler to program FPGAs via interconnected graphical blocks that auto-generate VHDL, before moving on to nuclear security applications and detection systems.
Immersive labs on CAEN platforms
Hands-on sessions showcased CAEN Sys’s portable and deployed systems: RN Security Suite training (Backpack, Mobile, Diver and Drone) and Hand On Mobile systems introduced the GAMON family and the Sniper GN platform, pairing theory and demonstrations with guided practice and data workflows. Additional modules covered RIID HandHeld: Training, Hands-on and Report (DiscoveRAD) and Neutron detection & security applications (SNIPER GN & DiscoveRAD), alongside focused labs such as Hands on – Nuclear waste characterization and Hand on radioprotection – RockyRad.
Scenario-based training and wrap-up
Learning culminated in Introduction to the Operative Scenario and Operative Scenario Emulation in the field, where teams planned, executed, and debriefed mock missions using backpack, Mobile, Drone, and handheld systems. The school concluded with School certificates and final remarks following the CAEN Headquarter visit and an Operative scenario Roundtable.
Highlights from CAEN Summer School 2025
