PRESS RELEASE : UK celebrates 70 years of science breakthroughs at CERN [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 18 September 2024.

The new UK government and leading figures from the physics community are today (Wednesday 18 September) giving their backing to Professor Mark Thomson’s vision for the future of CERN, as the global science community marks the institution’s 70th anniversary over the coming weeks.

CERN is the world’s foremost centre for particle physics research, and has made an unrivalled contribution to our understanding of the universe.

The UK is one of the 12 founding members of CERN and is its second-largest financial backer. We are proud to have been a critical contributor to all major experiments and discoveries at CERN, including the landmark discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012, with many UK researchers holding influential senior scientific positions in the organisation.

Breakthroughs made at CERN have quite literally changed the world. It was the birthplace of the World Wide Web – the brainchild of British scientist Sir Tim Berners-Lee – and advances in particle accelerator technology developed there have opened up new ways of treating cancer. CERN is proof that backing curiosity-driven science leads to innovations that deliver new jobs, new businesses, and ultimately economic growth and a better quality of life for everyone.

CERN’s anniversary comes at a critical time for its future, as a new Director-General for CERN will be selected this Autumn, following a vote amongst the organisation’s member states. Renowned Cambridge University particle physicist Professor Mark Thomson is the UK’s candidate for the role, running on a platform to develop a strategic plan for CERN’s upcoming major investment decisions, strengthen links with all of CERN’s member states, and building an inclusive culture for CERN staff.

UK Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said:

We can aim higher and go further when we work together, and nowhere is that truer than at CERN. I am proud of the role the UK has played in CERN, going all the way back to its foundation 70 years ago, bringing some of Europe and the world’s greatest minds together at the absolute cutting edge of scientific endeavour.

CERN’s value to the whole world cannot be overstated. It needs a leader with the scientific credentials, experience, and vision to ensure it keeps pushing forward the frontiers of human knowledge. Professor Mark Thomson has all three: he is the outstanding candidate to ensure a bright future for CERN, for everyone.

Professor Mark Thomson said:

It is inspiring to reflect on the seventy years of progress CERN has delivered, advancing our understanding of the Universe at its most fundamental level. This anniversary is an important reminder of how precious a resource CERN is for science and indeed all of humankind.

I wish to ensure that CERN’s profound contributions to our understanding of the Universe continue apace. To succeed we must bring the whole CERN family together behind a clear vision for an even brighter future. I have the scientific credentials, the experience, and the vision to lead CERN, and to deliver for its scientific community, its brilliant staff and each one of its member states.

UK Science Minister, Lord Vallance, said:

Science is fundamentally international, and so much of what CERN has achieved over the last 70 years is thanks to how it reaches across borders, to bring some of physics’ brightest and best together in shared endeavour.

While we celebrate CERN’s remarkable past, we owe it to future generations everywhere to plan carefully for what’s to come. Professor Mark Thomson has the vision and the credentials to deliver a bright future for CERN itself, its members, and all the researchers who deliver its work.

UK Minister for Europe, Stephen Doughty, said:

The UK has always been at the forefront of scientific research. As one of the founding members of CERN, we have long recognised that global cooperation is vital to tackle the biggest scientific challenges of our times – because as we have seen over the past 70 years, when CERN breaks new boundaries in research, we can all share in those remarkable discoveries.

Professor Mark Thomson has the expertise and experience to continue this work, by bringing global partners together to shape our shared future.

CERN faces decisions in the coming years that will shape its future profoundly – including the delivery of a major upgrade to the Large Hadron Collider.

If elected, Professor Thomson would develop an ambitious strategic plan for how CERN develops and makes major investment decisions over the next five years, would strengthen links with all of CERN’s member states, and would build an inclusive and supportive culture for CERN staff.

He has the exceptional scientific credentials and the experience required, to make a success of the role. Professor Thomson currently leads a scientific organisation of similar size and budget to CERN, the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), and is one of the most accomplished particle physicists of his generation, including more than two decades of experience in working on CERN projects.

Support for Professor Mark Thomson as the next Director-General of CERN

Tom Grinyer, CEO of the Institute of Physics, said:

As a beacon for international scientific partnership, CERN is a shining example of the power of physics to change our lives for the better, from the breakthrough discovery of the Higgs boson to sowing the seeds of the World Wide Web. The next 70 years of innovation and discovery will be just as vital for humanity, and, if appointed, Professor Thomson has the credentials, experience and vision CERN will need as it continues to expand the horizons of our world.

Tara Shears, Vice-President for Science and Innovation at the Institute of Physics, Professor of Physics at the University of Liverpool, and Liverpool (Large Hadron Collider) [beauty experiment] lead said:

CERN is the epicentre of particle physics and the next few years are pivotal in defining its future. The Large Hadron Collider is upgrading to deliver ambitious scientific goals and the nature and site of a next generation facility, and the future direction of the subject, is under discussion. Professor Mark Thomson can hit the ground running at a critical time. He’s got the experience and insight to make CERN’s future vibrant.