Liverpool to host the world’s largest Particle Accelerator Conference in 2029

Liverpool has secured its place on the global stage once again, winning the bid to host the International Particle Accelerator Conference 2029 (IPAC’29).

Beating strong international competition, the International Particle Accelerator Conference will bring thousands of the world’s leading experts in particle physics to ACC Liverpool.

The conference will explore cutting-edge innovations and applications in a field pivotal to advances in cancer treatment, clean energy solutions, and our understanding of the universe.

University of Liverpool Head of Accelerator Science Professor Carsten Welsch played a pivotal role in securing IPAC’29 and said the decision to stage the event in the ‘birthplace of particle accelerators’ was a ‘dream come true’.

The city region’s global leadership in particle physics started with the arrival of Professor James Chadwick at the University of Liverpool in 1935 – the same year he received a Nobel Prize for discovering the neutron.

His decision to move to Liverpool was driven by a commitment to build him a state-of-the-art particle accelerator, a promise fulfilled in 1951 with the construction of the Synchrocyclotron next to the Metropolitan Cathedral crypt.

The powerful machine was instrumental in shaping 20th-century physics and discovering some of the fundamental secrets of the universe. It also ensured Liverpool’s history has been closely entwined with the world’s largest particle physics laboratory CERN, founded in Switzerland in 1954.

More than 30,000 particle accelerators now operate worldwide, with the Liverpool City Region remaining at the vanguard with state-of-the-art facilities including the STFC Daresbury Laboratory, the Compact Linear Accelerator for Research and Applications (CLARA), and the proposed Relativistic Ultrafast Electron Diffraction & Imaging (RUEDI) project.

The city region’s strong partnerships with the UK accelerator community, robust innovation ecosystem, pioneering heritage and culturally diverse and dynamic visitor offering were instrumental in helping secure IPAC’29.

MusicFutures — ACC Liverpool. Credit: Mark McNulty

Professor Carsten Welsch said:

“Securing IPAC’29 for Liverpool is a dream come true and the result of incredible teamwork and fantastic support. Bringing the world’s largest accelerator conference to the birthplace of particle accelerators is a proud achievement, showcasing the North-West’s pioneering heritage and future in science.

“Winning the bid against strong competition reflects the strength of our proposal and the backing we received from the UK accelerator community and local supporters.

“We’re excited to welcome global experts to Liverpool in 2029 to celebrate cutting-edge research and inspire the public through an ambitious outreach program. Accelerators are coming home – and we can’t wait!”

Professor Welsch has been a dedicated ambassador for Club Liverpool, a programme which helps secure business events for the region, since its inception nearly ten years ago.

The bid, which was led by Professor Welsch, Club Liverpool, ACC Liverpool and Liverpool Convention Bureau, was supported by subvention secured by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, demonstrating a niche strength of the city region to attract high profile business events, building profile, reputation, expertise and ultimately investment.

Lisa Owen, Head of Business Tourism at Liverpool Convention Bureau, commented:

“Carsten’s consistent involvement and collaboration proved instrumental during the bidding process for this event. His expertise in the field was, and will continue to be, the driving force for bringing this exciting opportunity to life for the region.

“This success also continues to highlight the importance of Club Liverpool in driving the city’s business events sector forward. It reflects how we can harness the knowledge and passion of our ambassadors as a powerful opportunity to work collaboratively, enhancing Liverpool City Region’s profile, reputation, expertise and long-term investment prospects in business events across a wide range of fields.

“The work ACC Liverpool do to accommodate conferences and events of this scale with their world-class facilities is a testament to what the city can continue to achieve in attracting these large-scale international business events to the region. We look forward to working with the team on making this an incredible event for everyone.”

The bid was also supported by a letter of endorsement from the Mayor of Liverpool City Region, emphasising the Liverpool City Region’s readiness and capability to host world-class business events.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City Region, said:

“Liverpool has always been a place that pushes boundaries – and with our unique global heritage in particle accelerator science, a world-leading innovation ecosystem, and world-class cultural credentials, we’re ready to make IPAC29 an unforgettable experience.

“Our close partnership with STFC Daresbury Laboratory is a shining example of how government, academia, industry, and our communities come together in the Liverpool City Region to lead the way in place-based innovation.

“Securing this prestigious event against fierce global competition is a testament to our ambition, and a great show of confidence in what we’re doing. We can’t wait to welcome the world’s brightest minds to the Liverpool City Region.”