Fermilab’s PIP-II Accelerator Project Honored for UK-US Collaboration
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Officials recently honored a collaborative effort between the United States and the United Kingdom for the construction of the PIP-II particle accelerator at Fermilab during an event held March 2, 5 at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. This accelerator will generate a beam of neutrinos sent through the Earth for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, a large undertaking at the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility in South Dakota.
The Proton Improvement Plan-II project, a key initiative at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, received the Pioneering UK-US Breakthroughs Award as part of the inaugural UK-US Global Research and Innovation Impact Showcase. “For the past 15 years, this has been a goal we’ve steadily worked toward,” said Peter McIntosh, director of the STFC Accelerator Science and Technology Centre, highlighting the sustained commitment that has positioned the U.K. as a national center of excellence in superconducting radio-frequency technology. UK-US Collaboration Honored for PIP-II Accelerator Construction The successful partnership constructing the PIP-II particle accelerator has earned recognition from both the United States and United Kingdom, demonstrating the benefits of international scientific collaboration. PIP-II is a key initiative at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The award, titled Pioneering UK-US Breakthroughs, specifically acknowledged the work of Peter McIntosh and Ed Cavanagh, leaders of the PIP-II team from UKRI’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), on the accelerator’s cryomodules and superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) technology. This marks the first time a particle accelerator built in the U.S. has incorporated substantial contributions from international partners, with institutions in France, India, Italy, and Poland also lending expertise. PIP-II will accelerate protons to 800 million electronvolts, powering the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment currently under construction in South Dakota. The accelerator’s linac will utilize 23 superconducting radio-frequency cryomodules spanning 215 meters, with the UK team contributing three complete high-beta 650-megahertz cryomodules as the final stage. Through gradual growth and development, we’ve strengthened our capabilities and the PIP‑II project is now enabling us to move much closer to delivering complete, large-scale, fully integrated SRF systems for the first time, said a representative from ASTeC. This positions us well to meet the UK’s future needs and firmly establishes ASTeC as a national Centre of Excellence in SRF. The collaboration extends beyond scientific advancement; the U.K. government invested £79 million in the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility/DUNE, and the project has facilitated upgrades to facilities like STFC’s Daresbury Laboratory, including a cavity test bunker and specialized clean rooms, bolstering the U.K.’s advanced-engineering talent pipeline with more than 40 apprentices and five graduates trained on PIP-II technology. PIP-II Linac: Superconducting Radio-Frequency Cryomodule Design The construction of increasingly powerful particle accelerators relies heavily on superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) technology, and a recent international collaboration has yielded significant advancements in this area, specifically for the PIP-II linac at Fermilab and the United Kingdom. The linac itself will span 215 meters and incorporate 23 of these specialized cryomodules, including three complete high-beta 650-megahertz units contributed by the UK team. This investment now positions the U.K. as a significant contributor to the global particle accelerator complex and has trained more than 40 apprentices and five graduates in PIP-II technology. Fermilab director Norbert Holtkamp said, “Neither country could have delivered these outcomes alone.” Combining America’s scientific experience with the U.K.’s engineering agility is accelerating capability development and sharpening our collective technological leadership. We deeply value international collaboration, and the work of our partners around the globe is a key to advancing our science here in America. Regina Rameika, associate director for the Office of High Energy Physics at the DOE Office of Science LBNF/DUNE Powers UK Infrastructure & Workforce Development The Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Accelerator Science and Technology Centre (ASTeC) has significantly expanded its capabilities through contributions to the PIP-II particle accelerator at Fermilab, establishing itself as a national center for superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) technology. This wasn’t merely about building components for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE); it was about strategically investing in U.K. infrastructure and expertise. These improvements allowed Daresbury to perform SRF cavity and cryomodule preparation processes previously unavailable within the U.K., positioning the nation as a key player in the global particle accelerator complex. The PIP-II project, requiring 23 superconducting cryomodules over a 215-meter length, demanded a high level of precision; the U.K. team contributed three complete high-beta 650-megahertz cryomodules, representing the final stage of the linear accelerator. This emphasis on workforce development is crucial, as the skills gained are transferable to other sectors, including medical imaging, radioisotope production, security, and quantum computing. More than 40 apprentices and five graduates have been trained on PIP-II technology at Daresbury, strengthening the U.K. advanced-engineering talent pipeline. Through gradual growth and development, we’ve strengthened our capabilities and the PIP‑II project is now enabling us to move much closer to delivering complete, large‑scale, fully integrated SRF systems for the first time. It positions us extremely well to meet the UK’s future needs and firmly establishes ASTeC as a national Centre of Excellence in SRF. Source: https://news.fnal.gov/2026/03/fermilabs-pip-ii-accelerator-project-recognized-at-uk-us-research-showcase/ Tags: