Peter is renowned across the world for his prediction of the existence of a new particle – the so-called Higgs boson – which he first proposed in 1964. It would be almost 50 years before the particle’s existence could be confirmed, with experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN finally confirming Higgs’ theory in 2012. He was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for this work in 2013, along with François Englert.
Peter was also a great teacher and mentor, inspiring generations of young scientists. He was a remarkable individual – a truly gifted scientist whose vision and imagination have enriched our knowledge of the world that surrounds us. His pioneering work has motivated thousands of scientists, and his legacy will continue to inspire many more for generations.
Professor Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University, said: “Peter Higgs was a remarkable individual – a truly gifted scientist whose vision and imagination have enriched our knowledge of the world that surrounds us. His pioneering work has motivated thousands of scientists, and his legacy will continue to inspire many more for generations to come.”