‘It’s a beacon of how science can be done’: Professor Burrows appointed Chair of the CERN Scientific Policy Committee

Former Oriel student Professor Phil Burrows (1982) has been appointed Chair of the CERN Scientific Policy Committee.

CERN, short for European Council for Nuclear Research and home to the Large Hadron Collider, is the world’s leading laboratory for accelerator-based exploration of subatomic physics.

“It is obviously a matter of modest pride for me that peers in the community have felt I’m worthy of being nominated and that the Council of CERN has ratified and confirmed that nomination,” said Burrows, who is a Senior Research Fellow in Physics at Jesus College, Oxford.

Located in the Swiss suburbs in Geneva, CERN has approximately 2,500 staff and a total user-base of 17,000 scientists and engineers from more than 100 countries.

“It’s my role to help Council ensure that the scientific mission of the laboratory is pointed in the right direction and that the resources are being used optimally to ensure the maximum amount of science is done at CERN,” explained Burrows.

“It is a wonderful model of how big science can be done collaboratively.

“It’s a beacon of how science can be done, because you’re bringing together people, thousands and thousands of people, and they’re all working together to a common purpose to do the experiments.

“We want to make sure that the maximum scientific potential is achieved for the benefit of the member states and for all of the people who use the facilities from around the world.”

CERN’s aim is to uncover what the universe is made of and how it works. Burrows insists that mission is far from over.

“To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, there’s a lot we know, and there’s a lot we don’t know, and there are the known unknowns, and there are also unknown unknowns about physics,” Burrows said.

“We have a beautiful understanding of the four percent of the mass of the universe that is atomic matter.

“We hope that by doing experiments at CERN we gain insight into what the other 96 percent of the is universe made of.

“What are the bits and pieces that make up dark matter and dark energy?”

Burrows was keen to remember the foundations Oriel laid in his academic studies to provide a platform for what he has achieved in his career.

“I was very fortunate to have good Physics tutors here when I came up in 1982, which obviously is key to nurturing one’s academic capabilities,” Burrows said. 

“It was very, very important materially and academically and for providing me with an intellectual base from which I could then launch my career. I’m very grateful to the College.”

Burrows was selected to chair the CERN Scientific Policy Committee in September 2025 and began the role on 1 January 2026.

“The Department of Physics has a close and long-standing relationship with CERN,” adds Professor Andrew Boothroyd, Head of Oxford’s Physics Department and a Fellow and tutor in Physics at Oriel since 1992.

“I am delighted that Phil has been recognised with this strategic role and, as a department, we look forward to continuing to work together to shape the future of this key facility.”