June 9, 2023 - Symposium on Discoveries at Hadron Colliders

We hosted a symposium to honor the illustrious career of Prof. Thomas Mueller for his 70th birthday. The event focused on significant discoveries made at hadron colliders, featuring renowned speakers from the field of particle physics.
Felicitas Pauss (ETH Zürich) opened the symposium, discussing her pioneering work on the discovery of the W and Z bosons at CERN's Large Hadron Collider. These findings provided critical evidence for the electroweak theory, a foundation of modern physics. Claudio Campagnari (UC Santa Barbara) highlighted his role in the detection of the top quark, the heaviest elementary particle observed at Fermilab's Tevatron collider. This breakthrough expanded our understanding of the Standard Model and advanced investigations into matter's nature. Beate Heinemann (DESY) shared insights into the discovery of the Higgs boson at the LHC in 2012. Confirming the existence of the Higgs field, this achievement illuminated the mechanism behind particle mass and transformed our understanding of the fundamental constituents of the universe. Johanna Stachel (Heidelberg) captivated attendees with her presentation on the quark gluon plasma (QGP). By studying this exotic state of matter in high-energy heavy-ion collisions, Stachel's research provided insights into the early universe and the strong nuclear force. Frank Hartmann (KIT) emphasized the importance of novel particle detectors in enabling groundbreaking discoveries. His expertise highlighted the continuous development of state-of-the-art detection technologies, pushing the boundaries of particle physics research. Michael Spannowski (Durham) concluded the symposium by outlining the future of the field. He discussed ongoing endeavors, such as the LHC upgrade and the exploration of new colliders, which promise to unravel further mysteries and lead to exciting scientific frontiers. Prof. Thomas Mueller expressed gratitude for the symposium, underscoring the significance of collaboration and scientific exploration in expanding our understanding of the universe. The event concluded with a vibrant discussion and a heartfelt celebration of Prof. Mueller's remarkable contributions.