Scientists from AIRTO member Brunel University of London are among the international teams of researchers collaborating on CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments who have been awarded the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.
Widely regarded as the ‘Oscars of Science’, the Breakthrough Prize celebrates groundbreaking contributions that advance our understanding of the universe.
The honour was jointly awarded to CERN’s four major LHC experiment collaborations – ALICE, ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb – in recognition of their highly precise tests of the Standard Model of particle physics, as well as their investigations into theories that extend beyond it. The prize specifically recognises key achievements made during the LHC’s Run-2 period, which concluded in July 2024.
The collaborations, in consultation with the Breakthrough Prize Foundation, have chosen to donate the award to the CERN & Society Foundation. The funds will provide grants for PhD students from member institutions, allowing them to spend time at CERN gaining experience at the cutting edge of research in fundamental physics.
