The first S3PARK Workshop (Synergy between Spacecraft observations and Simulations of Particle Acceleration, Reconnection, and Kinetic processes in turbulent plasmas) will be held from Monday 14 to Friday 18 September 2026 at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne. The last day is not part of the general programme, as it will be devoted to hands-on training for early-career researchers and to specialist group discussions. For the latter, two rooms will be available upon request on a first-come, first-served basis.
The S3PARK Workshop 2026 will be the first in what is intended to be a biennial series held in Newcastle, establishing Northumbria University as a hub for the UK and international community working on numerical modelling in support of space and heliospheric missions. It will bring together world-leading experts in numerical modelling, spacecraft mission/instrument PIs, and early-career scientists working on turbulent space plasmas. It has three main goals which, together, aim at maximising the scientific return of current and upcoming space missions and advancing our understanding of space plasma processes:
- to S³PARK an increasingly synergistic and cohesive community of plasma modellers and observational experts by exploiting numerical simulations to interpret spacecraft data and inform the design of future missions
- to S³PARK a more cohesive modelling community in which experts in similar, different, and complementary numerical codes can share data, compare results, and build/foster collaborations
- to S³PARK a new generation of early-career researchers with combined expertise spanning both spacecraft observations and state-of-the-art numerical modelling.
The workshop will feature keynote talks by mission and instrument PIs, and by world-leading experts in spacecraft measurements and in numerical modelling using a range of complementary methods. Ample time will be devoted to round-table discussions on key scientific themes and on community-building, alongside dedicated lectures and hands-on sessions for early-career scientists.
The deadlines for requests of financial support for ECRs, abstract submission, registration, and payments can be found below in the specific section.
We strongly encourage graduate students and early-career postdocs to participate and engage with the experts. Thanks to financial support from the Royal Society and the Royal Astronomical Society, their registration fee will be fully covered. We also expect to offer funding to support some PhD candidates and ECRs with travel and accommodation costs; further details will be available soon.
While abstracts are not required for participation, preference will be given to those who submit one, as places will be limited to 30 attendees (excluding keynote speakers and lecturers).
If you have any questions or specific requests please contact the Scientific Organising Committed at the shared email address s3park2026@northumbria.ac.uk or the lead organizer Luca Franci at luca.franci@northumbria.ac.uk.
Registration
Registration is now open (deadline 4 September 2026)
Abstract Submission
Abstract submission is now open (deadline 4 September 2026)
Payment
The payment form will be available shortly
Workshop dates
Monday 14 - Friday 18 September 2026
Friday 18 will be completed devoted to hands-on training for ECRs.
On this day, rooms will also be available for group discussions if attendees want to stay to chat and collaborate.
Deadlines
27 August 2026 - Deadline for requesting financial support for ECRs (but we suggest requesting it as early as possible, as support is limited)
28 August 2026 - ECR applicants will be informed if their request for financial support has been accepted
31 August 2026 - Deadline for booking discounted hotel accommodation (further info will be communicated shortly)
4 September 2026 - Registration, Abstract Submissions, and Payments close
Important: all deadlines are intended at 23:59 BST (British Summer Time), which is UTC+1
Registration fee
This is expected to be free for all early-career attendees (to be confirmed based on the number of registered attendees).
Registration is mandatory for everyone for arranging catering and social activities and the maximum number of attendees is limited to 30 (excluding keynote/invited speakers and lecturers).
1day registration fee: £35
2day registration fee: £70
4day fee (full workshop Monday to Thursday): £134
5day fee (full workshop + hands-on/discussions on Friday): £168
Social activities
Social dinner on Tuesday evening: £40 (TBC)
Half-day excursion to Hadrian's wall: £48 (TBC) - This includes transport from/to university by coach and guided tour at Vindolanda
2-hour private Tyne cruise: £28 (TBC)
Information on how to reach Newcastle and Northumbria University will be added shortly.
IMPORTANT: We have secured a 25% discount for LNER train tickets, which can be accessed at this link:
25% Off LNER fares in partnership with Newcastle Gateshead Initiative | LNER
If you want to use this please contact us at s3park2026@northumbria.ac.uk to receive the discount code.
Please not that the discount is not valid on Saturdays, so it won't cover your return ticket if you are attending the whole week and going back on the Saturday.
Detailed conditions:
The discount applies to a single or return trip for individual bookings or group bookings of up to 9 people to Newcastle. Return trip must be booked in the same transaction as the outward journey.
Discount is for 25% and is available on First Class and Standard LNER Advance fares only and valid on LNER Services.
You can only access the discount if you are an attendee of an event associated with Newcastle Gateshead Initiative and have received your unique code.
Valid on services from Sunday to Friday (excludes Saturday travel). Please check your desired travel dates are open for booking.
Your tickets will be valid on the booked date(s) and train(s) only.
Sorry, you can’t use this discount in conjunction with any other offers, discounts or Railcards.
If promotional fares do not appear, please change your search criteria.
The usual Advance terms and conditions apply.
The whole workshop will be held in Rooms 403 in the City Campus East 1 (CCE1) Building (postcode NE2 1XA, number 5 on this campus map).
You are free to book your preferred accommodation for your stay. However, please bear in mind that if you are requesting financial support, the maximum reimbursable amount for accommodation is £600.
Please also note that the workshop coincides with UK Space Weather Week, also taking place in Newcastle that week, so hotel availability will be lower than usual — we strongly recommend booking as early as possible.
Newcastle has a wide range of accommodation options to suit all budgets, including Four Points by Sheraton, Premier Inn, Travelodge, ibis, and easyHotel at the budget end, as well as a variety of mid-range and higher-end options.
We have also secured special discounted room rates at two hotels — Motel One and Leonardo Hotel — which you can book directly at the following link: Hotel booking
Please note that these discounted rates are available from Monday 14 September only, as the Great North Run 2026 takes place on Sunday 13 September and we were unfortunately unable to secure discounts for that weekend.
To secure your booking, you will need to provide a credit or debit card as a guarantee. No payment will be taken at the point of booking — payment is due upon arrival or departure. If you need to pay in advance using a company or institutional card, please contact the hotel directly to arrange pre-payment. We recommend reviewing the cancellation and payment policy for your chosen hotel before booking.
For any queries about accommodation or assistance with booking, please contact the NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau on 0191 440 5757 or at conventionbureau@experiencenee.co.uk.
We look forward to welcoming you to Newcastle!
The final workshop programme is available to download here:
S3PAK Workshop - Final Programme
Financial support to cover the costs of the registration fee, accommodation, and travel for a limited number of early-career researchers will be available thanks to our sponsors. Priority will be given to current or incoming PhD students and postdoctoral researchers within 3 years from their PhD.
A request for financial support should be indicated explicitly when filling the registration form.
The deadline for requesting financial support is 27 August 2026. However, please keep in mind that this will be limited so you may want to submit your request as soon as possible.
We will do our best to communicate the outcome of the request the following day, on 28 August 2026
We have organised several social activities across the whole week to foster informal discussions and networking.
Monday 14 - Drinks reception with poster session
Time: 17: 30 – 19:00
Location: Hub in front of conference room 403 in CCE1 building
Tuesday 15 - Social dinner
Time: 19:00
Location: private Banquet hall at Blackfriars, Friars Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4XN
Cost: £48.30
Details: welcome drink, 3 seasonal courses and tea/coffee
Important: Please pay asap using the payment form and pre-order your meal on Monday from the available menu by 11.59am using your personal link received by email (check your spam)
Wednesday 16 - Half-day outdoor excursion
Time:12:30 - 18.00
Location: Hadrian's wall and Vindolanda Roman site (a coach will pick us up near the conference venue and bring us back there)
Cost: £43.70
Details:
12:30 Depart Northumbria University
13:30 Arrival at Cawfields for a tour of Hadrian's Wall
15:00 Depart for Vindolanda for a site tour of the Roman Fort, free time in the museum
17:15 Depart for Northumbria University
18:30 Back at Northumbria University
Important: Please pay asap using the payment form. Come prepared for outdoor walking in variable Northumberland weather. We recommend comfortable footwear with good grip, as the terrain along the Wall is uneven and can be muddy or slippery, especially if it has rained recently. Please also bring a waterproof jacket or coat, as well as a small umbrella if you prefer, since the weather in this part of the country can change quickly and there is little shelter along the route. Warm layers are advisable even in September, as it can be considerably cooler and windier on the Wall than in Newcastle itself. Finally, we suggest bringing a bottle of water and, if you wish, a small backpack to keep your hands free while walking.
Thursday 17 - Private Tyne cruise (CANCELLED)
The 2h private cruise on the Tyne river has been cancelled due to the excessive cost.
The full list of attendees is the following.
Keynote speakers and lecturers (in alphabetical order)
Emanuele Papini
Imogen Gingell
Julia Stawarz
Kevin Schoeffler
Lorenzo Matteini
Luca Franci
Petr Hellinger
Pranab Deka
Simone Benella
Stephanie Yardley
Stuart Bale
Zubair Shaikh
Invited speakers (in alphabetical order)
Cara Waters
Devesh Dhole
Emanuel Jeß
George Miloshevich
Hao Ran
Jeffersson Agudelo Rueda
Laura Vuorinen
Nadja Reisinger
Pietro Dazzi
Silvia Ferro
Simon Lautenbach
Utsav Panchal
Xiangyu Wu
Other attendees, including contributed speakers and poster presenters (in alphabetical order)
Ahmad Lalti
Eilidh Hall
Francesco Carella
Gabriel Luiz Ferreira Santos
Jack Parker
Mattia Sangalli
Nadia Imtiaz
Paulina Quijia Pilapana
Qihui Ming
Sam Kay
We acknowledge financial support from The Royal Society, the Royal Astronomical Society, and UK Research and Innovation/Science and Technology Facilities Council (UKRI/STFC).
Scientific Organising Committee
Chair: Luca Franci (Northumbria University, UK)
Deputy Chair: Emanuele Papini (University of Florence, Italy)
Stephanie Yardley (Northumbria University, UK),
Pranab Deka (KU Leuven, Belgium)
Zubair Shaikh (Northumbria University, UK)
Robert Wicks, (Northumbria University, UK)
George Miloshevic (KU Leuven)
Ahmad Lalti, (Northumbria University, UK)
Jeffersson Agudelo Rueda (Northumbria University, UK)
Julia Stawarz, (Northumbria University, UK)
Local Organising Committee
Luca Franci
Zubair Shaikh
Devesh Dhole
Ahmad Lalti
Jeffersson Agudelo Rueda
Pranab Deka
Paulina Quijia Pilapaña
Jack Parker
Eilidh Hall
A code of conduct for the workshop will soon be available here: S3PARK Workshop Code of Conduct
During the registration process, attendees will be asked to adhere to the code of conduct of the conference.
For any enquiries about the workshop, please contact the shared SOC email address s3park2026@northumbria.ac.uk or the lead organizer Dr Luca Franci luca.franci@northumbria.ac.uk.
Page last updated 03/08/26
