The Cockcroft Institute

February 2, 2024

UK XFEL User Engagement Campaign

Momentum is building around the UK XFEL project, which is staging a series of Townhall meetings around all parts of the UK to engage the community in plans for access to next-generation XFEL capability. It is envisaged that a next-generation…

January 31, 2024

Beyond Boundaries: A Dialogue on Science and Faith

Accelerator physicists, particle physicists and theologians will discuss the common ground between science, philosophy, and religion. The event will take place at the Liverpool Cathedral and will celebrate the cathedral’s centenary since its consecration as a place of worship in…

January 25, 2024

PIP-II team transports first cryomodule prototype between Fermilab and UK

In May 2021, STFC and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory have agreed to collaborate on building one of the world’s most powerful linear accelerators. Based at the US Department of Energy’s Fermilab, the Proton Improvement Plan-II (PIP-II) accelerator, currently under construction,…

January 23, 2024

Obituary – Mike Poole

Members of ASTeC, The Cockcroft Institute, STFC and the wider particle accelerator community will be saddened to learn of the death of Mike Poole, who passed away on 6th December 2023, aged 78. Mike Poole Mike joined Daresbury Nuclear Physics…

January 19, 2024

EuPRAXIA-DN: Global Minds, Accelerating Tomorrow – A Film on the Future of Plasma Accelerators

The recently launched short film "EuPRAXIA-DN: Global Minds, Accelerating Tomorrow", showcases a major leap forward in particle accelerator technology and its potential impact across various fields. Produced by the Fellows and partners of this new pan-European consortium, the film presents…

January 17, 2024

Energy selective focusing of laser-driven protons

A team of researchers led by Paul McKenna, from the Cockcroft Institute / University of Strathclyde, has published an article investigating the focusing of laser-accelerated protons using hemisphere-cone targets. Relativistically intense laser light interacting with solid density targets can accelerate…

December 20, 2023

United Kingdom joins Horizon Europe programme

As of 1 January 2024, the United Kingdom becomes an associated country to Horizon Europe, including the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). Organisations based in the UK will be able to participate as beneficiaries in the same terms as those based…

December 19, 2023

Prof Carsten Welsch to co-chair EIC Accelerator Collaboration

The Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) partner host labs, Brookhaven National Laboratory and Jefferson Lab, have announced Professor Carsten P Welsch, Head of Liverpool’s Accelerator Science cluster based at the Cockcroft Institute, as co-chair of the EIC Accelerator Collaboration. Professor Welsch has…

December 18, 2023

New cohort of Cockcroft students awarded PhDs

In recent months, several PhD students affiliated with the Cockcroft Institute have successfully concluded their theses, marking a significant progression in their research journeys. Clockwise: Dr Shivaji Pande, Dr Gyanendra Yadav, Dr Felix Soubelet,Dr Volodymir Rodin, and Dr Liam Soomary.…