The 2023 Enrico Fermi Prize of the Italian Physical Society (SIF) has been awarded to Massimo Ferrario, Lucio Rossi and Frank Zimmermann for their outstanding contributions to accelerator technologies, ranging from plasma acceleration to the realisation of ultra-high energy particle colliders. Established by SIF in 2001, the centenary of Fermi’s birth, with an award of €30,000, the prize is awarded annually to one or more members for their significant contributions to physics.

Massimo Ferrario (INFN, Frascati) is cited for his formidable contributions to high-brightness photoinjectors, free-electron-laser photon sources and plasma-acceleration techniques. Following this path, he currently leads the EuPRAXIA project, which aims to develop the first dedicated research infrastructure based on novel plasma-acceleration concepts.

Lucio Rossi (University of Milan) is recognised for his key role in R&D for large superconducting ultra-high-field magnets, in particular those for the LHC. Rossi also proposed, founded and initially directed the High-Luminosity LHC upgrade based on advanced niobium-tin magnet technology, which is due to enter operations in 2029.

Described as one of the most prolific and creative authors in accelerator physics, and author of seminal discoveries that have made it possible to realise the most modern high-luminosity, high-energy colliders, Frank Zimmermann (CERN) is cited for his fundamental and pioneering contributions to the understanding and modelling of various effects related to accelerated electron beams. His current research contributes to the HL-LHC upgrade and future colliders, such as the proposed Future Circular Collider at CERN.

All three will receive the prize during a presentation at the opening session of the 109th National Congress of the SIF in Salerno, Italy on 11 September.