High Energy Physics

Department

High Energy Physics (HEP) performs exciting, cutting-edge theoretical and experimental research in Quantum Fields, Particles and Gravity. The scientific aim of the department is to understand the ultimate building blocks of matter, space, and time and the fundamental laws governing their interaction at extremely high energies and short distances, beyond currently established theories.

The High Energy Physics department is part of the Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics (IMAPP).

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Highlights

Béatrice Bonga's lesson on black holes, is now a teaching programme

25 November 2025 News item

Béatrice Bonga gave an interactive lesson about black holes. It was so enthusiastically received that Radboud University's Wetenschapsknooppunt (Science Hub) turned it into a teaching programme.

NWO grants for research into particle accelerators, energy systems and more

04 November 2025 Research news item

Two consortium projects involving researchers from Radboud University have received funding from NWO.

Nikhef Theory Day in Nijmegen

27 October 2025 News item

On October 24th, we welcomed about 25 theoretical particle physicists from across the country.

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Events

Huygens Colloquium: Béatrice Bonga

Monday 2 February 2026, 12:30 pm - 1:15 pm Colloquium / Seminar

Béatrice Bonga is the speaker at the Huygens Colloquium in February. This event is for staff and students of the Faculty of Science.

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Research

The High Energy Physics department explores new physics via cosmic rays at Pierre Auger, ATLAS@CERN, and neutrino projects like PTOLEMY and DUNE, using quantum and machine learning tools. We model quantum gravity to fill the Standard Model's gaps, tested by LIGO/Virgo data, anticipating future discoveries. Our scientific contributions can be found in the Publications archive in Radboud Repository.

Collider Physics

We participate in collider-based particle physics experiments with a focus on the “big” questions of particle physics. Our main involvement is with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, near Geneva, Switzerland.

Collider Physics

Cosmic Rays

Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays are the most energetic particles ever observed. Through the collisions of cosmic rays with the atmosphere we study not only their nature and origin, but also particle interactions at the highest energies. Currently, the main activity of our group is the analysis of data from the Pierre Auger Observatory. In addition, we participate in the design and development of the Giant Radio Array for Neutrino Detection and the Southern Wide-view Gamma-ray Observatory.

Cosmic Rays

Gravity

The Gravity team explores gravity at all scales, focusing on Quantum Gravity to unify quantum theory with general relativity, and Strong Gravity including theoretical work, simulations of black hole mergers, and analysis of gravitational wave data.

Gravity

Particle Physics Theory

The Particle Physics Theory group explores fundamental particles and their interactions, questioning the nature of dark matter, dark energy, and the universe's stability.

Particle Physics Theory

Education

The department of High Energy Physics offers various courses in the education programmes at the Faculty of Science. It is closely involved in the Bachelor's Physics and Astronomy and the Master's specialisation Particle and Astrophysics.

PhD / Graduate school

High Energy Physics offers doctoral projects across all areas of their research specialism. It is possible to enter the graduate schools from DRSTP and OSAF. Look for research inspiration in the PhD dissertations archive in Radboud Repository.

Internships

Would you like to your internship at High Energy Physics? Please get in touch for more information. You can find examples of relevant subjects in the Bachelor's theses and Master's theses archive. There you can find theses that have been written at the High Energy Physics department over the past years. If your thesis should be in the archive, please contact us.

Vacancies

View all relevant job opportunities in the High Energy Physics department at Radboud University and NIKHEF.

Contact information

Location

Huygens building

Visiting address

Heyendaalseweg 135
6525AJ Nijmegen

+31 24 365 20 98

Postal address

Postbus 9010
6500GL NIJMEGEN

Contact person

G.M.H. Verberk-van Haren (Gertie) A.G.M. Groenen-van Eldijk (Ardi)

All employees from High Energy Physics