The Queen Mary University of London Particle Physics Research Centre is hunting for new particles and measuring the Higgs boson’s interactions, using the ATLAS detector at CERN and a suite of neutrino experiments. This matters because the Standard Model of particle physics, while remarkably successful, cannot explain why the universe contains far more matter than antimatter. The group aims to find CP violation—a subtle difference in how matter and antimatter behave—in neutrinos, which could help solve that asymmetry. They also search for entirely new particles that would point to physics beyond the Standard Model. The research is fundamental science with no immediate practical application. However, the group’s detector development and machine learning work have already generated £11.4 million in additional funding from sources beyond the Particle Physics Grants Panel, including industrial partnerships. Their expertise in sustainable computing and detector technology could eventually feed into medical imaging, industrial sensors, or energy-efficient data processing. Past fundamental particle physics research, for example, gave rise to the World Wide Web and medical PET scanners. The group also trains the next generation of scientists and technologically skilled citizens, producing social impact through education.
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The fundamental scientific mission of the Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) Particle Physics Research Centre (PPRC) is to understand the Higgs boson by measuring its interactions, to search for new particles and physical phenomena both directly and indirectly,and to address the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe by discovering CP violation in the neutrino sector. To achieve this and key global particle physics priorities, our strategy focuses on: fundamental scientific discoveries at the energy and intensity frontiers; technology development that (a) underpins future fundamental research, and (b) generates economic impact through knowledge exchange with UK industrial partners; sustainability, particularly leadership in sustainable computing (social impact); training the next generation of scientists and technologically skilled citizens (social impact). The group size is based on the need to maintain a range of expertise within each of our core scientific areas, including work on detector development, simulation, and construction contained within our Detector Development Group (DDG). We make major contributions to ATLAS at CERN LHC and a range of neutrino experiments. PPRC group members hold a range of leadership roles, nationally and internationally. In 2021-3, we organised 11 international conferences and 3 workshops. Including all grants active or awarded in 2021-3, we have leveraged our baseline Consolidated Grant funding into a total of £11.4M from sources beyond the Particle Physics Grants Panel (PPGP). These successes demonstrate that our work in achieving world-leading scientific results and STFC objectives is widely recognised. Highlights in our implementation of group strategy for 2021-3 were: growing our neutrino group to 4 academics, with an enhanced international leadership profile focusing ATLAS analysis on timely priorities and to allow key staff to focus on leadership roles major results in neutrino physics, ATLAS, detector development and machine learning. Key initiatives in our group strategy for 2025-9 are: increasing PDRA physics exploitation in line with group size and reduced core staff; refocusing our core expertise as the ATLAS upgrade comes to a close, with a reduced team that supports objectives across the group; and widening the impact and research applications of the DDG, both in particle physics experiments and industrial partnerships.
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