By Peter Witten and Susanne Gottlieb Togeby, AAU Communication and Public Affairs
Photos: Peter Witten and CERN

Among researchers, the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics is considered an honor on par with the Nobel Prize. This prestigious award has now been given to Associate Professor Lotte Ansgaard Thomsen from the Department of Sustainability and Planning at Aalborg University.

The prize comes with a monetary award of three million dollars, which will be donated for the benefit of research.

Lotte Ansgaard Thomsen is not the sole recipient – the prize is awarded collectively to 13,508 researchers from more than 70 countries. Together, they have contributed over a number of years to groundbreaking research at CERN, Europe's particle physics laboratory near Geneva, Switzerland.

The world's smallest particle

"What we study at CERN are the smallest particles in the universe—the tiniest building blocks that make up everything. This is done by accelerating protons close to the speed of light in a circular 27-kilometer-long tunnel. The protons then collide at four points where four detectors collect data from the collisions. This data can be used to understand what happens within nanoseconds after a collision. The detector I worked on, ATLAS, is the size of the Eiffel Tower, but located underground," explains Lotte Ansgaard Thomsen.

The prize is awarded for results based on data collected at CERN. This includes a deeper understanding of the Higgs boson, discovered in 2012. The Higgs boson is a fundamental particle that gives other elementary particles mass. Additional insights include the understanding of matter and antimatter, which helps explain why the universe exists and what happened right after the Big Bang.

A dream come true

Lotte Ansgaard Thomsen’s interest in physics began in high school in Hasseris.

"It became a focused dream—to go to CERN and to understand the universe," she says.

That dream of conducting research at CERN became reality.

"During the ten years I spent at CERN, we evolved from using simple algorithms to applying AI methods. In those years, I assisted PhD students from Yale University in developing and implementing these AI algorithms," says Lotte Ansgaard Thomsen.

The three million dollars from the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics are being donated to the CERN & Society Foundation. The funds will be used to provide fellowships to PhD students, allowing them to spend time at CERN and gain experience at the forefront of science.

Enormous impact

Lotte Ansgaard Thomsen highlights the enormous impact of CERN’s research:

"After CERN, I spent a few years in industry, and that's when I fully realized the immense influence CERN had, especially on digital reforms. At CERN, we had for many years one of the world’s largest datasets and were quite advanced in data and algorithm development. We worked on data handling, triggers, data storage, cloud computing, and AI methods. People from CERN often moved on to top jobs, especially in the US. There was even a six-week program designed to transition from CERN to positions at American companies like Netflix, Meta, and others. The AI and data management methods developed at CERN have definitely helped shape the world we see today. CERN was essentially big data and AI before those became buzzwords," says Lotte Ansgaard Thomsen, adding:

"At CERN, we used these methods as tools to study the smallest building blocks of the universe, but they can be applied to many other things. The important task for the world is to choose the right applications."

A small piece, but significant

She feels honored to be one of the 13,508 researchers awarded the Breakthrough Prize.

"It’s a nice pat on the back. It reassures us that we did something right. I'm proud to have lived and worked at CERN during those years. It’s just a small piece in understanding the world, but even contributing a little is still something significant," says Lotte Ansgaard Thomsen.

AAU Rector Per Michael Johansen and Pro-Rector Anne Marie Kanstrup congratulated Associate Professor Lotte Ansgaard Thomsen on Monday on receiving this prestigious award.

Read more about the Breakthrough Prize here