Perimeter Institute welcomes new Executive Director, Dr. Marcela Carena

Dr. Marcela Carena, a distinguished scientist recognized worldwide for her expertise in particle physics, has been appointed the new Executive Director of Perimeter Institute. She takes over the role from Robert Myers, one of Perimeter’s founding faculty members, whose five-year term as Director ended this Fall.

Carena, the first woman to lead Perimeter, is no stranger to the Institute. Previously, she held a post as a Distinguished Visiting Research Chair at Perimeter – the same position once held by Stephen Hawking – and has served as the Chair of Perimeter’s Scientific Advisory Committee since 2022, offering impartial scientific advice to the Institute regarding the direction of its research programs.

Now, she embarks on a new journey, taking the helm at an exciting time as Perimeter celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025.

“It is an honour and a privilege to be chosen as Perimeter’s new Executive Director,” said Carena. “Perimeter is one of the world’s foremost institutes pursuing breakthroughs in a one-of-a-kind, innovative environment.” 

She is particularly keen to enhance Perimeter’s role as a training ground for young scientists and innovators. “Perimeter is inspiring the next generation of explorers across Canada and globally,” she said. “Ultimately it’s the people that make all the difference.”

Perimeter takes training seriously, delivering programs for students from high school age through to doctoral studies. Its Perimeter Scholars International (PSI) master’s program has become particularly well regarded in the international scientific community and is highly competitive.

Carena brings an impressive scientific record to bear in her new role too, having served as Head of the Theory Division at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) and a physics professor at the University of Chicago. She is one of the world’s most renowned experts in particle physics.

Her research explores possible connections between the Higgs boson (a new particle discovered at CERN in 2012), the as-yet-unexplained phenomenon of dark matter, and the origin of matter in the early universe. She is particularly interested in finding ways to test theoretical ideas, like supersymmetry and warped extra dimensions, in tangible experiments. Carena has implemented this kind of research at Fermilab and the University of Chicago in partnership with physicists at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider.

Recently, Carena has been exploring the intersections between particle physics and quantum information, to tackle problems of quantum theory in the early universe. Her research dovetails with Perimeter’s existing expertise in quantum science, particle physics, and cosmology.

“We are thrilled to have a renowned scientist of Marcela Carena’s calibre leading Perimeter into the next stage of its evolution,” said Mike Serbinis, Chair of Perimeter’s Board of Directors. “As Perimeter enters its 25th anniversary year as one of the leading theoretical physics institutions on the planet, Marcela’s depth of expertise in experimental and theoretical particle physics, as well as her commitment to diversity and training students will strongly position us for the next 25 years,” Serbinis said.

One of Perimeter’s strengths is its ability to build strong partnerships among Canadian and international partners, fostering a strong research ecosystem that benefits everyone. Carena brings an impressive background in establishing such scientific collaborations and has worked to create opportunities for scientists from diverse backgrounds, including originating a program that has brought students from Latin America to Fermilab to pursue research projects. She has also worked with the US Department of Energy and the US State Department to promote collaboration between Fermilab and international partners, developing agreements with research councils and institutions across the globe.

Robert Myers, who has been Executive Director since 2019, welcomed Carena’s arrival at the Institute.

“It has been an honour to serve as Perimeter’s Director these last five years,” he said, “and it is a pleasure to pass the baton now to Marcela. With her outstanding record of innovative research and exceptional service to the physics community, I am certain that her leadership will guide Perimeter into a bright and exciting future.”

During his term as Director, Myers adeptly supervised the establishment of Perimeter’s Clay Riddell Centre for Quantum Matter in 2020, launched new initiatives in Quantum Causal Inference and Celestial Holography, and also established Perimeter’s innovative new PSI Start training program. 

Myers remains at Perimeter as a faculty member and BMO Financial Group Isaac Newton Chair in Theoretical Physics.

“On behalf of all of the faculty at Perimeter, we look forward to collaborating with Marcela as we continue to bring together the brightest minds from around the world, nurture emerging new talent, and explore creative new approaches to answering some of science’s deepest questions,” Myers said.

Serbinis thanked Myers and echoed his enthusiasm for Carena’s appointment.

“I want to thank Rob for his leadership, commitment and dedication to building Perimeter into one of the leading centres for scientific research on the planet. Nearly all the technology we see around us today owes its existence to the theoretical physics breakthroughs of the past century. As Perimeter enters its 25th year, we want to inspire the scientific leaders who will guide us into the next century of remarkable breakthroughs,” he said. 

To learn more about Marcela Carena, please click here to read Perimeter Institute’s official press release.