Mike Lamont

Director for Accelerators and Technology

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Mike Lamont - Director for Accelerators and Technology (Image: CERN)

Mike Lamont (born in 1959, British) was deputy head of the Beams department before being appointed as CERN’s Director for Accelerators and Technology.

In 1981, Lamont graduated from the University of Manchester with a first class degree in physics. He continued his studies at the University of Cambridge (Part III maths), followed by a PhD in physics (Lattice Gauge Theory) at Liverpool University, receiving his doctorate in 1986.

Lamont joined CERN as a fellow in 1989, starting his CERN career working on the controls of the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) and Large Electron–Positron Collider (LEP), before becoming an engineer-in-charge for SPS/LEP Operations in 1991. In 1996, Lamont became LEP Machine Coordinator, working with the LEP team on commissioning, machine development and exploitation during the second phase of LEP.

Deputy project leader for LHC Controls from 2000 to 2003, he subsequently led the development of the LHC software architecture and the operational model for the collider. In 2003, he became LHC Machine Coordinator, overseeing the preparation for the first injection tests, which eventually took place in 2008.

From 2009 to 2016, Lamont led the Operations group in the Beams department. The group is responsible for beam-based operation of the CERN accelerator complex and delivery of beam to the associated experiment facilities. During Lamont’s tenure, the extended LHC team enjoyed facing the challenges of LHC commissioning and the establishment of robust operations performance.

In 2017, Lamont became deputy head of the Beams department. Besides departmental duties and chairing a number of working groups at CERN, Lamont co-coordinated the Physics Beyond Colliders study and has represented CERN on several international scientific advisory committees.

Lamont succeeded Frédérick Bordry as Director for Accelerators and Technology in January 2021.