SRP-Onderzoekszwaartepunt: High-energy physics (HEP@VUB).

About 50 researchers in HEP@VUB perform fundamental research towards a profound and comprehensive understanding of both the largest and smallest structures around us. By combining theoretical and experimental research of high-energy phenomena in the universe and on the quantum scale, a coherent picture of the reality around us emerges. Nevertheless, puzzling features that challenge the underlying basic principles in physics on large and small scales remain to be studied and understood. The foundations of the Standard Models of particle physics and cosmology face problems to explain for example the omnipresence of dark matter and dark energy, as well as the apparent need for fine-tuning in several corners of our models and the difficulty to unite all forces in nature. In a quest for insights towards solutions, the HEP@VUB group aims to connect novel theoretical reasoning and further experimental explorations for physics beyond these standard models. On the Belgian scale this consortium is unique (see previous diagram). The group performs research at, among others, the following international research infrastructures: CMS experiment at the LHC (CERN), IceCube Neutrino Observatory (South pole), LOFAR Radio Telescope (Netherlands), Virgo gravitational-wave antenna (Italy), Pierre Auger Observatory (Argentina), Radio Neutrino Observatory (Greenland), SoLid experiment at the BR2 nuclear reactor (Belgium), milliQan experiment at the LHC (CERN).