CERN’s next Director-General

On 9 May, in beautiful spring sunshine, the building was officially opened by Dagmar Dolby, Mete Atatüre, the Head of the Cavendish, Vice-Chancellor Deborah Prentice and Lord Spencer Livermore, Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Minister for Growth. It was a moving ceremony where Dagmar spoke eloquently of need to maintain international collaboration during turbulent times, a spirit that the new Cavendish Laboratory will continue to embody.

As we reach the end of our 150th anniversary year, which culminated with the Cavendish Science Festival on 19 and 20 of June, we share some further reminiscences from our alumni community. We also report on the completed Cavendish Museum, a fantastic new resource for students, staff and the general public, where visitors can explore the fascinating history of the laboratory through artefacts, graphics and interactive media.

However, in the main, this edition looks to the future. Inside these pages you’ll find an interview with Mark Thomson, the incoming Director-General of CERN, as he lays out his vision for particle physics in the coming decades as CERN plans a successor to the Large Hadron Collider. Siân Dutton describes the cutting-edge materials research that is helping us towards net zero, and we hear from our young researchers, as they share their hopes and aspirations for the future of their respective fields.

We are always delighted to hear from you, so please do contact us using the details opposite with your comments or suggestions. We hope you enjoy this 33rd edition of CavMag, as the Cavendish Laboratory enters a new era for its research, teaching and engagement with the public.