CERN Courier

CERN Courier
EditorMark Rayner
CategoriesHigh-energy physics
Frequency6/year
PublisherIOP Publishing
First issue1959
LanguageEnglish, French
Websitehttp://cerncourier.com/cws/latest/cern
ISSN0304-288X (print)
2077-9550 (web)

CERN Courier (or sometimes CERN Courier: International Journal of High Energy Physics) is a bi-monthly trade magazine covering current developments in high-energy physics and related fields worldwide. It was established in 1959. Since October 1998 the magazine has been published by IOP Publishing on behalf of CERN. Up to volume 45 no. 5 (2005) the magazine was published both in English and French. The French edition was published under the title Courrier CERN : Revue internationale de la physique des hautes énergies. Currently it is a single-language edition where articles are published either in French or English with an abstract in the other language, although most articles are in English. CERN Courier is distributed to member-state governments, institutes and laboratories affiliated with CERN, and to their personnel. As of 2019 the magazine is published bi-monthly, prior to this there were typically 10 to 12 issues per year. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the CERN management.

The first editor, Roger Anthoine, started CERN Courier with an initial print run of 1000, and by the time he had to put it on hold, little more than a year later, the number had already risen to 3000. In 2015 some 21,000 copies are printed 10 times a year and the journal has a massive readership online.[1] Over the years, particularly with the advent of the CERN Bulletin in 1965, CERN Courier evolved from being a house publication to become a scientific journal. The Courier thus became the ambassador of CERN and particle physics to a large community of knowledgeable specialists and inquisitive people, having been rebranded in 1974 with the subtitle International Journal of High-Energy Physics.[2]

In addition to news and events, CERN Courier will often present cover pieces on influential physicists or retrospectives of significant historical moments in high-energy-physics history. Book reviews, white papers, obituaries, and product releases are also featured in the magazine.

The 50th anniversary of the first publication of the CERN Courier provided the opportunity for a modest celebration on 2 September 2009. All six of the principal editors that the magazine has had over its 50 years met together for the first time. After getting acquainted and re-acquainted over lunch, they gathered in the library at CERN to answer questions about producing the magazine over the years. From right to left: Roger Anthoine, Alec Hester, Brian Southworth, Gordon Fraser, James Gillies and Christine Sutton.

The CERN Courier has been published regularly since the start, apart from the period April 1960 to January 1962 when the magazine "hibernated" owing to unfortunate circumstances.[2] The magazine has been edited by the following editors:

  • Roger Anthoine (1959–1961)[2]
  • Alec Hester (1962–1965) [3][4][5]
  • Brian Southworth (1966–1985)[4][6]
    • Together with Gordon Fraser (from 1977, volume 17, no. 4), Henri-Luc Felder (French edition from 1973, volume 13, no. 4)
  • Gordon Fraser (1986–2001)[7][8]
    • Together with Brian Southworth (until 1990, volume 30, no. 4) and Henri-Luc Felder (French edition until 1992, volume 32, no. 8)
  • James Gillies (2002–2003)[8][9]
  • Christine Sutton (2003–2015)[9]
    • Christine Sutton handed over to the next editor as of no. 9, 2015 [10]
  • Antonella Del Rosso (2015–2016)[11]
    • Antonella Del Rosso was editor from no.9 2015 to no. 5 2016[12]
  • Matthew Donald Chalmers (2016–2024)[12]
    • Matthew Chalmers was editor from no. 6 2016 to no. 3 2024.
  • Mark Rayner (2024– )[13]
    • Mark Rayner is the editor since no. 4 2024.
Resplendent in CERN 25th anniversary T-shirts — the CERN Courier team. In the album one can see Henri-Luc Felder, editor who took care of the French edition, Monika Wilson who looked after journal distribution and other administrative matters, Brian Southworth Editor, Micheline Falciola, responsible for the advertisement pages and liaison with the printers, and Gordon Fraser, editor who took care of production of the English edition and who wrote most of the high energy physics articles.
  1. ^ "CERN Courier media information 2015" (PDF). physicsworld.com. IOP. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 30, 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Sutton, Christine (2015). "Roger Anthoine: A man of many parts - celebrating the 90th birthday of CERN Courier's first editor". CERN Courier. 44 (3): 41.
  3. ^ Weisskopf, Victor F. (1962). "A message from the Director-General". CERN Courier. 2 (1): 2.
  4. ^ a b Anthoine, Roger (1965). "The end of a chapter". CERN Courier. 5 (12): 186.
  5. ^ "CERN retirements". CERN Courier. 33 (2): 24. 1993.
  6. ^ "Editors". CERN Courier. 25 (10): 418. 1985.
  7. ^ "Editors". CERN Courier. 26 (1): IV. 1986.
  8. ^ a b "Magazine plays its part in physics history". CERN Courier. 42 (1): 20–21. 2002.
  9. ^ a b "Editors". CERN Courier. 43 (1): 3. 2003.
  10. ^ "Maintaining an ideal". CERN Courier. 55 (9): 5. 2015.
  11. ^ "Editorial information". CERN Courier. 55 (9): 3. 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Short but intense..." CERN Courier. 56 (5): 7. 2016.
  13. ^ "About CERN Courier – CERN Courier". 2024-07-01. Archived from the original on 2024-07-01. Retrieved 2024-07-04.