Speaker: Mark Thomson, Director-General Designate, CERN
Abstract: The lecture will explore the cutting-edge frontier of particle physics and our understanding of the universe at its most fundamental level – ranging from understanding dark matter to exploring the early universe. It will focus on the world’s largest and most ambitious particle physics collider – the Large Hadron Collider at CERN – discussing what we have discovered at some of the remaining “big questions”. The lecture will also explore the plans for the next large particle physics projects in Europe and the US and will highlight the broader socio-economic impacts of large-scale scientific investments such as large collider projects.