Researchers from the University of Arizona are among the thousands worldwide honored with the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, awarded to the ATLAS Collaboration at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) Large Hadron Collider (LHC) alongside its sister experiments ALICE, CMS and LHCb.

ATLAS is one of the largest and most complex scientific instruments ever built, designed to investigate the fundamental building blocks of matter and the forces governing our universe. Its cutting-edge systems record particles produced in particle collisions at unprecedented energies, enabling discoveries like the Higgs boson and efforts to uncover new physics beyond the Standard Model.

The Breakthrough Prize specifically highlights the ATLAS Collaboration’s significant contributions to particle physics, including detailed measurements of Higgs boson properties, studies of rare processes and matter-antimatter asymmetry, and the exploration of nature under the most extreme conditions.

“The particle physics team at the U of A that consists of faculty, engineers, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate students is excited and humbled by this prize, and we acknowledge the support of the Department of Physics, the College of Science, the university, and the Department of Energy, said Elliott Cheu, distinguished professor of physics and interim chief information officer. “The breakthroughs achieved at the ATLAS experiment, including discovery of the Higgs particle and precise tests of the standard model of particle physics, are a testament to the strength of collaborative science.”

The ATLAS experiment uses a sophisticated detector to capture data from particle collisions. The particles travel along a beamline before colliding in the detector. These collisions recreate the conditions of the early universe, often producing jets—streams of particles that emerge in groups and can be tracked by the detector. Understanding these interactions, including the formation of particle jets, helps scientists explore the basic building blocks of the universe. 

The U of A has been involved in ATLAS research since 1994, focusing on several key areas:

• Contributing to the design and operation of a crucial part of the detector that identifies particle jets near the beamline, which are important for searching for new forms of physics.
• Developing methods to measure missing energy and analyze boosted jets, key tools for exploring phenomena beyond current understanding in physics.
• Providing leadership in managing parts of the ATLAS experiment and guiding its scientific direction.
• Playing a significant role in improving particle jet reconstruction methods, strengthening the ability to search for new particles and forces in the universe.

"The particle physics team at the University of Arizona plays a vital role across the entire scope of this effort—from pioneering front-end innovations to making big picture discoveries that support the success of the ATLAS collaboration," said Carmala Garzione, dean of the College of Science. "We are proud to recognize these breakthrough discoveries that are pushing the boundaries of our understanding of particle physics to elucidate new physics that could not be explored before this collaboration"

In 2008, the university’s physicists were among the first to witness the groundbreaking collisions in the LHC, which led to major discoveries including the discovery of the Higgs boson. As the only institution in Arizona involved with the LHC, U of A’s contributions, from building vital detector components to analyzing the resulting data, continue to shape the scientific journey toward understanding particle interactions and the origins of matter itself.

"This recognition underscores the power of global scientific convergence and the University of Arizona’s enduring commitment to discovery that reshapes our understanding of the universe," said Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, senior vice president for research and innovation. "Our researchers have contributed to one of the most sophisticated scientific endeavors of our time, deepening humanity’s grasp of the fundamental forces that govern our existence. This is a proud moment not only for our faculty and students, but for the university’s legacy of impact-driven research."

While the ATLAS Collaboration celebrates the recognition of the Breakthrough Prize, its focus remains firmly on the future. The third data collection period of the LHC is currently underway and preparations for a technical upgrade are advancing rapidly, according to CERN.