Liverpool is to host the world’s largest particle
accelerator conference – beating strong international competition to bring the event
‘home’.
Experts will converge on ACC Liverpool for the International
Particle Accelerator Conference 2029 (IPAC'29) to discuss research and
innovation in a scientific field that’s used to fight cancer and find clean
energy as well as further our understanding of the universe.
University of Liverpool head of accelerator science
professor Carsten Welsch played a pivotal role in securing IPAC'29. "Securing
IPAC'29 for Liverpool is a dream come true and the result of incredible
teamwork and fantastic support. Bringing the world’s largest accelerator
conference to the birthplace of particle accelerators is a proud achievement,
showcasing the North-West’s pioneering heritage and future in science,” said Welsch.
Liverpool’s history of particle physics
The city region’s global leadership in particle physics
started with the arrival of Professor James Chadwick at the University of
Liverpool in 1935 – the same year he received a Nobel Prize for discovering the
neutron.
His decision to move to Liverpool was driven by a commitment
to build him a state-of-the-art particle accelerator, a promise fulfilled in
1951 with the construction of the Synchrocyclotron next to the Metropolitan
Cathedral crypt. The powerful machine was instrumental in shaping 20th-century
physics and discovering some of the fundamental secrets of the universe.
It also ensured Liverpool’s history has been closely
entwined with the world's largest particle physics laboratory CERN, founded in
Switzerland in 1954. More than 30,000 particle accelerators now operate
worldwide, with the Liverpool City Region remaining at the vanguard with
state-of-the-art facilities including the STFC Daresbury Laboratory, the
Compact Linear Accelerator for Research and Applications (CLARA), and the
proposed Relativistic Ultrafast Electron Diffraction & Imaging (RUEDI)
project.
The city region’s strong partnerships with the UK
accelerator community, robust innovation ecosystem, pioneering heritage and
culturally diverse and dynamic visitor offering were instrumental in helping
secure IPAC’29.
“Winning the bid against strong competition reflects the
strength of our proposal and the backing we received from the UK accelerator
community and local supporters. We’re excited to welcome global experts to
Liverpool in 2029 to celebrate cutting-edge research and inspire the public
through an ambitious outreach program. Accelerators are coming home – and we
can’t wait," added Welsch.
Porfessor Welsch has been a dedicated ambassador for Club
Liverpool, a programme which helps secure business events for the region, since
its inception nearly ten years ago. The bid, which was led by Professor Welsch,
Club Liverpool, ACC Liverpool and Liverpool Convention Bureau, was supported by
subvention secured by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority,
demonstrating a niche strength of the city region to attract high profile
business events, building profile, reputation, expertise and ultimately
investment. city region.
