International Masterclasses as part of the Pierre Auger Observatory program of Outreach and Education

The Pierre Auger Observatory is committed to bringing education and knowledge of cosmic rays to the public, with a strong focus on schools and students. Over the last few years, initiatives have been developed, such as the Science Fair, virtual visits, and participation in international activities on the subject of cosmic rays, including collaborations with external groups. Modern digital tools bringing novel ways of interacting with the public have been explored at these initiatives and also locally at a renewed Visitor Center in Malargüe. The development of tools for the public release of the Auger data, including standardized data formats, analysis notebooks, and a 3D interactive event display, led to the creation of a new activity directed to high-school students called Masterclasses. The participants are challenged to perform the reconstruction and selection of events using a graphical interface with 3D effects, then combined into a smoothed, exposure-corrected sky map of arrival directions. A final discussion takes place in which the students engage with peers and scientists, looking for answers about the origin of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. ... mehrThe concept had a successful debut in 2022 and was included in the 2023 edition of the International Masterclasses on Particle Physics, reaching students worldwide.