Andrew Harrison appointed as new CERIC Executive Director
CERIC is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Andrew Harrison as its new Executive Director, effective from December 2024.
I am looking forward to building on the achievements of CERIC under the leadership of Jana Kolar, pioneering open access to multiple techniques across a collection of research infrastructures to address complex scientific and societal challenges. CERIC’s Facilities have already had a marked impact on science and innovation, but there are many opportunities still to explore, from the life sciences and biotechnology to energy or quantum materials, through strengthening the collective capabilities of their instrumentation, and their engagement with the research community, particularly in Central Europe. – Harrison stated.
Professor Harrison brings a wealth of expertise in managing and advancing world-class research infrastructures (RIs), particularly user-focused facilities.
From 2022 to 2024, he served as Director of Science at the Extreme Light Infrastructure, where he played a pivotal role in developing its user access programme. Before that (2013-2022), he successfully led the Diamond Light Source, overseeing its transition from construction to full operations, while developing a strategy for long-term sustainability and achieving significant growth in its user base.
Prior to that he was a prolific user of RIs for neutrons and synchrotron X-rays as a materials chemist at the Universities of Oxford and Edinburgh, and from 2006 to 2013, he served as Associate Director for Science then Director General at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France, a globally renowned neutron science facility.
Prof. Harrison has also made substantial contributions to European and international scientific policy. He chaired both EIROForum (2012-2013) and the ERF AISBL (2017-), gathering Europe’s leading RIs beyond the EIROForum network. As the UK delegate to ESFRI (European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures) 2014-2019, he has played a key role in shaping policies and the evaluation framework for European RIs.
Throughout his distinguished career, Prof. Harrison has been a driving force in enhancing the research landscape across Europe, fostering scientific excellence, and building impactful partnerships with diverse stakeholders.
CERIC is confident that Prof. Harrison’s leadership will steer the consortium towards strengthening further its position as a distributed infrastructure of cutting-edge research and innovation.