Theoretical physicist Eric Laenen (UvA-IoP and Nikhef) has been appointed vice-president of the CERN-council, the highest governing body of the European particle lab.
This was announced in Geneva. Laenen is a professor at the University of Amsterdam and Utrecht University and is a representative for the Netherlands in the CERN-council.
Previously, Eric Laenen was program leader of the theory department at Nikhef. In 2020, he was also closely involved in drawing up the new strategy for particle physics in Europe, which decided on research into a new accelerator at CERN.
In the council, the currently 23 CERN member states determine the policy of the accelerator lab founded in 1954. The council also appoints the lab’s director general, presently the Italian physicist Fabiola Gianotti.
This article was first published on 12 February by UvA.
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