Across the week of November 17, 2025, TRIUMF welcomed CERN Director-General designate Mark Thomson to Canada, beginning with a visit to the lab, followed by a series of engagements with stakeholders and officials in Ottawa. Thomson’s visit highlighted the strong connections between Canada’s physics community and the international organization, and the shared recognition of the role that major research infrastructure (MRF) plays in driving research and development, innovation, and prosperity.
(image: incoming CERN Director-General Mark Thomson, joined by Executive Director Nigel Smith, during a TRIUMF tour)
Across the week of November 17, 2025, TRIUMF welcomed CERN Director-General designate Mark Thomson to Canada, beginning with a visit to the lab, followed by a series of engagements with stakeholders and officials in Ottawa. Thomson’s visit highlighted the strong connections between Canada’s physics community and the international organization, and the shared recognition of the role that major research infrastructure (MRF) plays in driving research and development, innovation, and prosperity.
While in Ottawa, TRIUMF convened a panel at the 2025 Canadian Science Policy Conference where Thomson joined TRIUMF Executive Director Nigel Smith, KEK Director General Shoji Asai, CNRS Scientific Director in charge of Nuclear Physics Marcella Grasso, and moderator David Castle (Researcher in Residence at the Office of the Chief Science Advisor and University of Victoria professor) for a discussion on the role MRFs play in driving collaboration, innovation and national resilience. The panel explored how international facilities like TRIUMF and CERN drive economic, social, and strategic benefits globally, and how Canada can better leverage its national assets in the face of a shifting global landscape.
Following the panel, the group was hosted for a reception in Parliament by TRIUMF’s Member of Parliament Wade Grant (Vancouver Quadra). The event brought together the leaders of these international facilities with various members of parliament, policy stakeholders, and staff for a reception highlighting Canada’s international science leadership and critical role in the global science ecosystem.
(image: Mark Thomson addressing the audience as part of the TRIUMF reception in Ottawa)
“It was a pleasure to welcome CERN’s Director-General Mark Thomson to TRIUMF,” said Smith. “His visit was a meaningful recognition of the science infrastructure Canada has built and the value of Canadian science on the global stage. Like CERN, TRIUMF plays a pivotal role for our nation in driving discovery, training talent, building national resilience, and connecting to the broader world of research. We look forward to continuing to strengthen strategic partnerships between Canada and Europe in the areas of science and innovation.
See more photos from Mark Thomson’s visit here.
