Rolf-Dieter Heuer
Encyclopedia
Rolf-Dieter Heuer is a German particle physicist
and the Director General of CERN
since 2009.
Heuer studied physics at the University of Stuttgart
. He then obtained his PhD 1977 at the University of Heidelberg under Joachim Heintze for his study of neutral decay modes of the Ψ(3686).
His post-doc studies include the JADE
experiment at the electron-positron storage ring PETRA
at DESY
, and from 1984, at the OPAL experiment at CERN
, where he also became spokesperson of the OPAL collaboration for many years.
Having been offered a full professorship for experimental physics at the University of Hamburg
, Heuer returned to DESY in 1998. In 2004, he was appointed DESY's Research Director.
In December 2007, the CERN research council announced that Heuer will take office as CERN's Director General starting 1 January 2009, following the term of Robert Aymar
.
On the 19th of July 2011, Heuer was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Liverpool
. In his speech to the graduands he spoke of the need to bring science into mainstream culture.
Particle physics
Particle physics is a branch of physics that studies the existence and interactions of particles that are the constituents of what is usually referred to as matter or radiation. In current understanding, particles are excitations of quantum fields and interact following their dynamics...
and the Director General of CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
since 2009.
Heuer studied physics at the University of Stuttgart
University of Stuttgart
The University of Stuttgart is a university located in Stuttgart, Germany. It was founded in 1829 and is organized in 10 faculties....
. He then obtained his PhD 1977 at the University of Heidelberg under Joachim Heintze for his study of neutral decay modes of the Ψ(3686).
His post-doc studies include the JADE
JADE (particle detector)
JADE was a particle detector at the particle accelerator PETRA at DESY, Hamburg.It was operated from 1979 to 1986. JADE's most important scientific achievement was the discovery of the gluon in three jet events. It also helped greatly in establishing quantum chromodynamics...
experiment at the electron-positron storage ring PETRA
PETRA
PETRA is one of the particle accelerators at DESY in Hamburg, Germany. From 1978 to 1986 it was used to study electron–positron collisions. It was here that the TASSO collaboration found the first direct evidence for gluons in three jet events...
at DESY
DESY
The DESY is the biggest German research center for particle physics, with sites in Hamburg and Zeuthen....
, and from 1984, at the OPAL experiment at CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
, where he also became spokesperson of the OPAL collaboration for many years.
Having been offered a full professorship for experimental physics at the University of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
, Heuer returned to DESY in 1998. In 2004, he was appointed DESY's Research Director.
In December 2007, the CERN research council announced that Heuer will take office as CERN's Director General starting 1 January 2009, following the term of Robert Aymar
Robert Aymar
Robert Aymar was the Director General of CERN , serving a five year term in that role.-Professional History:He became involved in the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique , the French atomic energy commission, in 1959. Aymar directed the Tore Supra from conception in 1977 through to the start of...
.
On the 19th of July 2011, Heuer was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
. In his speech to the graduands he spoke of the need to bring science into mainstream culture.