The Standard Model of particle physics is an extremely successful theory describing the elementary particles and their interactions. The existence of the Higgs boson is predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics as a consequence of its explanation of the origin of mass. However, for the past almost 50 years, experimental searches for the Higgs boson have come up empty, and the issue of its existence has emerged as one of the most pressing questions in physics.  On July 4th 2012, the CERN Large Hadron Collider announced the discovery of a new subatomic particle, one which seems to closely resemble predictions for the Higgs boson.  This breakthrough will be described, updated with more recent results and discussed in the context of its implications for the next steps in our quest to understand the fundamental principles underlying the nature of the universe.

Professor Barberio is a member of the Experimental Particle Physics Group at the University of Melbourne. She joined the University of Melbourne in 2004. Previously, she was a staff researcher at CERN, (CH), the European laboratory of Particle Physics.

She played a crucial role in data analysis in the OPAL experiment at Large Electron Positron Collider at CERN. Precision measurements made at this collider have confirmed the theory describing the fundamental particle behaviour to an extraordinary degree of precision. She is  currently participating in the e ATLAS experiment and her group had an important role in the discovery of the Higgs boson like-particle at the Large Hadron Collider.

Please join us for refresments prior to the colloquium at 11:30am in the RSPE tearoom