Norbert Holtkamp appointed director of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

(Press-News.org) Norbert Holtkamp has been appointed as the new director of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, effective Jan. 12, 2026.

Holtkamp brings deep scientific and operational expertise to Fermilab, which is the premier particle physics and accelerator laboratory in the U.S. He is the former deputy director of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University and currently serves as a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, advocating for robust international scientific collaboration. He is also currently a professor of particle physics and astrophysics and of photon science at SLAC and Stanford.

University of Chicago President Paul Alivisatos made the announcement Dec. 15 in his capacity as chair of the board of directors of Fermi Forward Discovery Group, LLC, which operates the laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy and whose partners include University of Chicago and Universities Research Association.

“We’re excited to welcome Norbert, who brings of a wealth of scientific and managerial experience to Fermilab,” Alivisatos said. “He will champion Fermilab’s mission of pioneering scientific discovery, help ensure the success of projects critical to the lab’s future, strengthen the relationships necessary for shared achievements and inspire the next generation of researchers.”

Holtkamp has managed large scientific projects throughout his career—experience that will be critical as Fermilab continues to advance the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility-Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (LBNF-DUNE) among other ambitious projects. During his tenure at SLAC, he managed the construction of the Linac Coherent Light Source upgrade (LCLS-II), the world’s most powerful X-ray laser, along with more than $2 billion of on-site construction projects. He previously served as the principal deputy director general for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a multinational organization working to achieve fusion power at power plant scale.

Holtkamp is deeply familiar with Fermilab, having worked there from 1998 to 2001. During that time, he participated in the commissioning of the Main Injector—the lab’s most powerful particle accelerator—and also led a multi-laboratory study on the feasibility of an intense neutrino source based on a muon storage ring.

In his new role, Hotkamp will continue Fermilab’s work to modernize its operations and infrastructure to leverage the capabilities of LBNF-DUNE—the largest experiment in lab history—and other major projects.

“I am deeply honored to have been selected as the next director of Fermilab,” Holtkamp said. “Fermilab has done so much to advance our collective understanding of the fundamentals of our universe. I am committed to ensuring the laboratory remains the neutrino capital of America, and the world, and the safe and successful completion of LBNF-DUNE is key to that goal. I’m excited to rejoin Fermilab at this pivotal moment to guide this project and our other important modernization efforts to prepare the lab for a bright future.”

Holtkamp holds the equivalent of a master’s degree in physics from the University of Berlin and a Ph.D. in physics from the Technical University in Darmstadt, Germany.

Holtkamp’s appointment follows an extensive search by a panel of distinguished scientific and organizational experts. The search committee, which included prominent leaders from the laboratory’s critical stakeholders, was chaired by Argonne National Laboratory Director Paul Kearns and Vice-Chair CERN Director-General Designate Mark Thomson.

Holtkamp succeeds UChicago Prof. Young-Kee Kim, who has served as interim director since January 2025. Alivisatos expressed his gratitude for Kim’s “tiresless service” as director.  

“We asked Young-Kee to lead the laboratory for one year, and she immediately devoted her talent, leadership and boundless enthusiasm to aid the lab during a time of transition,” Alivisatos said. “Young-Kee played a critical role in strengthening relationships with Fermilab’s leading stakeholders, driving the lab’s modernization efforts, and positioning Fermilab to amplify DOE’s broader goals in areas like quantum science and AI.”

A 6,800-acre facility headquartered in Batavia, Ill., Fermilab aims to shed new light on the understanding of the universe—from the smallest building blocks of matter to the deepest secrets of dark matter and dark energy. Visit Fermilab’s website at www.fnal.gov to learn more.

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