Professor Ben Allanach

Professor Ben Allanach is Professor of Theoretical Physics in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics.

He has held postdoctoral research appointments at CERN, LAPTH (France), the University of Cambridge, and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. He holds Visiting Scientist status at CERN, where he continues to collaborate regularly.

A particle phenomenologist, Professor Allanach works at the intersection of theoretical models and experimental data in particle physics. His research focuses on uncovering new fundamental particles and forces through the study of proton–proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. When measurements deviate from Standard Model predictions, he proposes novel quantum fields and interactions to explain the anomalies. He then pursues the theoretical development of overarching mathematical frameworks that could underpin these phenomena, and suggests experimental strategies to test the resulting hypotheses.

Prior to his postdoctoral positions, he completed his PhD at the University of Southampton. He is the author of Symmetries, Particles and Fields, a Master’s-level textbook, and is a passionate advocate for public science engagement. He frequently contributes to national radio programmes to discuss developments in particle physics and discoveries from CERN and has co-hosted a CERN-themed dinner at TEDGlobal. Beyond academia, Professor Allanach has an interest in the arts. His visual work exploring physical phenomena has been exhibited in Quantum Selves. He has also contributed as a consultant to Guerilla Science’s Intergalactic Travel Bureau stage show in London.