University of Liverpool Senior Leadership visits CERN
Two members of the University of Liverpool’s senior leadership team, Professor Anthony Hollander (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Impact) and Professor Tariq Ali (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement and Partnerships) visited the Antimatter Factory on 22 January as part of a 2-day visit of CERN.
The visit gave delegates an opportunity to see the Antiproton Decelerator (AD), the Extra Low Energy Antiproton Ring (ELENA) and the Antihydrogen Experiment: gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy (AEgIS) experiment up close.
The QUASAR Group has made significant contributions to antimatter physics R&D and to the development of the Antimatter Factory as a whole. Their work encompasses research on the ELENA electron cooler, the creation of advanced diagnostics for precise measurements of beam current, position, and emittance, as well as studies of beam dynamics within the storage ring and its associated transfer lines. The group has also been a key contributor to the AEgIS experiment for over a decade and became a full member of the collaboration in 2023.
Dr Benjamin Rienaecker guiding the Liverpool visitors along the AD.
Dr Benjamin Rienaecker, elected AEgIS Physics Coordinator, gave an enthusiastic talk about the QUASAR Group’s research into low energy antimatter in AEgIS, and explained in detail how the 2025 breakthrough in positronium laser cooling became possible. He also talked about the targeted future measurements that shall give a much deeper insight into antimatter systems, and help identify potential differences between matter and antimatter.
The visitors were fascinated by the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of the AEgIS projects, as well as by the many contributions that Liverpool has made to wider antimatter research over the years.