In Search of the Fundamental Building Blocks of the Universe
In the world of particle physics, no recent discovery has been more ground-changing than that of the Higgs boson—a type of subatomic particle thought to give mass to all other known matter. In an instant, its discovery propelled our theories about the origins, makeup and behaviour of the universe in a new and exciting direction.
For decades, particle physics has been guided by the Standard Model equations, a series of mathematical formulas that describe the building blocks of matter and their physical forces. The Higgs boson was a long sought-after and hidden particle that, now discovered, might fill gaps in the Standard Model formulas.
Dr. Pierre Savard, Canada Research Chair in Experimental High Energy Physics, has been pushing the frontiers of particle physics for decades. He is one of 3,000 global scientists working together to understand the Higgs boson. His goal is to find new evidence for how the particle behaves and interacts with other matter, including proof of its unique gravitational properties.
Savard and his research team are focusing on finding new ways to measure the Higgs boson and test the predictions of the Standard Model equations. Their findings have the potential to prove the existence of physical phenomena beyond what current theories have been able to tell us.
Ultimately, Savard’s research is contributing new and exciting knowledge to our understanding of the universe and our place within it, asking questions not previously imagined and developing the tools to answer them.