UCD awards honorary doctorate to CERN Director-General Dr Fabiola Gianotti
25 March 2026
Dr Fabiola Gianotti was recognised as a global scientific leader and for her contributions to particle physics and support of Ireland's CERN membership Credit: Fennell Photography
University College Dublin has awarded an honorary doctorate to Dr Fabiola Gianotti, CERN Director-General and a leading figure in the discovery of the Higgs boson.
A pioneering figure in particle physics, the Italian scientist announced the existence of the Higgs boson, one of the most significant scientific breakthroughs of recent decades.
Confirming a fundamental component of the Standard Model of particle physics, its discovery in 2012 helped to explain why matter has substance and can form atoms.
Dr Gianotti played a central role in the ATLAS experiment at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator, that observed evidence of the Higgs boson and validated the predictions of the Standard Model.
Following this defining moment in modern science, she was elected Director-General of CERN, becoming the first woman to hold the position.
Since 2016, she has overseen major scientific advances and the continued success of the LHC, and in 2019 became the first Director-General in CERN’s history to be appointed to a second term.
A long-standing advocate for Irish science and Ireland’s involvement in CERN, Dr Gianotti played an important role in Ireland becoming an Associate Member State, opening new opportunities for researchers, students and industry.
“UCD has been a member of the LHC experiments since 2003 and has experienced the incredible opportunities CERN presents, not just for scientific discovery, but for technological innovation, training, economic impact and knowledge transfer,” said (opens in a new window)Professor Ronan McNulty, reading the citation.
“In seeking to make these opportunities available across Ireland’s higher education sector, we received strong support from Fabiola Gianotti.”
Professor Ronan McNulty, UCD Registrar and Deputy President Professor Colin Scott, Dr Fabiola Gianotti, CERN Director-General, and Professor Jeremy C. Simpson, Dean of Science Credit: Fennell Photography
In presenting the honorary degree, Professor McNulty said UCD was recognising Dr Gianotti’s exceptional leadership in international science, her role in one of the most important discoveries in modern physics, and her contribution to advancing Ireland’s position within the global research community.
Ireland officially joined CERN as an Associate Member State in October 2025. Speaking at the time, Dr Gianotti said: “We are extremely happy to welcome Ireland as an Associate Member State of CERN.
“Irish scientists have been involved in CERN’s programmes for decades, covering fields as varied as experimental physics, theory, medical applications and computer science.
“This agreement enables us to enhance our collaboration, opening up a broad range of new and mutually beneficial opportunities in fundamental research, technological development and innovation, and education and training.”
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
