News - The Cockcroft Institute

October 2, 2026

Cockcroft Institute Researchers Showcase Advanced Accelerator Research at Channeling 2026

Researchers from the Cockcroft Institute (CI) made a strong contribution to the 11th International Conference on Charged & Neutral Particles Channeling Phenomena (Channeling 2026), held in Brindisi, Italy, from 20–25 September 2026. Organised by the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN)and theEuropean Organization for…

A poster with drawings of accelerator concepts

September 30, 2026

ASTeC welcomes A-Level students for work experience week

In June 2026, ASTeC hosted its group work experience week welcoming 12 A-level students to Daresbury Laboratory. The students worked with several specialist groups across ASTeC to learn about particle accelerator science, and the work that goes into designing, building…

September 23, 2026

CI expertise highlighted at IBIC 2026

The 15th International Beam Instrumentation Conference (IBIC 2026) was held in Whistler, Canada this year. Dedicated to exploring the physics and engineering challenges of beam diagnostic and measurement techniques for particle accelerators worldwide it attracted almost 170 delegates from all over…

September 21, 2026

Particle-beam-driven plasma wakefield acceleration over the last four decades

Forty years after its introduction in 1985, beam-driven plasma wakefield acceleration (PWFA) has evolved from a theoretical concept and simulation study into one of the most exciting technologies for the future of particle accelerators. Over the years, new concepts have…

September 18, 2026

CI member awarded IOP Fellowship

We are delighted to announce that Cockcroft Institute expert Lee Jones (STFC/ASTeC) has been awarded a Fellowship by the Institute of Physics (IOP) in recognition of his work over the past two decades at the forefront of particle accelerator technology.…

September 14, 2026

Laser beating opens a new route to compact particle accelerators

CI researchers have shown how two laser pulses can combine inside a microscopic tube to generate powerful accelerating fields. Their findings suggest a way to build smaller particle accelerators and bring their capabilities to more research laboratories. The study, by…

August 24, 2026

Lancaster academic wins sought-after EPSRC funding to study antimatter production in intense laser pulses

Christopher Arran, a lecturer at Lancaster University and the Cockcroft Institute, has been granted three years of funding from the EPSRC New Investigator Award to study the production of electron-positron pairs in the extremely strong electro-magnetic fields of high-power lasers.…

July 29, 2026

EuPRAXIA-DN Fellows take on hands-on training challenges

EuPRAXIA-DN Fellows came together at the Cockcroft Institute from 29 June to 3 July 2026 for a week of hands-on challenge-based training delivered by the University of Liverpool QUASAR Group and supported by D-Beam Ltd. The 12 Fellows were split…

July 27, 2026

Summer students at the Cockcroft Institute

This year, we're welcoming seven students from across the UK to the Cockcroft Institute (CI) at Daresbury Laboratory for a seven-week summer placement. Before getting started on their projects, the students took part in an induction at Daresbury Laboratory. They…