Dr. Marvin Flores, assistant professor of the UP Diliman College of Science National Institute of Physics (UPD-CS NIP) and the Team leader of the ATLAS group based in the Philippines, is among the thousands of researchers worldwide honored with the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.
ATLAS is one of the largest and most complex scientific instruments ever built. As a general-purpose particle detector measuring over 40 meters in length and around 25 meters in height, it was designed to investigate the fundamental building blocks of matter and the forces governing our universe. Its cutting-edge systems track particles produced in particle collisions at unprecedented energies, enabling discoveries like the Higgs boson and searches for new physics beyond the Standard Model.
“The Breakthrough Prize is a testament to the dedication and ingenuity of the ATLAS Collaboration and our colleagues across the LHC experiments,” said ATLAS Spokesperson Stephane Willocq. “This prize recognizes the collective vision and monumental effort of thousands of ATLAS collaborators worldwide.”
UPD-CS NIP has been at the forefront of ATLAS research since 2021, contributing to the search for new physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM).
“Our team’s work on BSM modeling and simulation exemplifies the innovation driving ATLAS forward,” said Flores. “This recognition affirms the impact of our contributions and inspires us to continue exploring the universe’s most fundamental questions.”
While the ATLAS Collaboration celebrates the recognition of the Breakthrough Prize, its focus remains firmly on the future. The third operation period of the LHC is currently underway and preparations for the High-Luminosity LHC upgrade are advancing rapidly. NIP’s High Energy Physics & Phenomenology team of 15 physicists and students is deeply involved in preparing ATLAS for its next chapter. Although their current contributions are currently in the theoretical and phenomenological side, the team is ramping up their experimental involvement through concrete steps like the formation of the ATLAS Philippine Cluster involving other Philippine universities.