Pioneering the Future of Accelerators

© 2023-2025 CERN


My Experience with CERN’s AWAKE Program

At Stella Nova, we specialize in bringing clarity and execution to complex, high-stakes engineering challenges. One of the most formative experiences that shaped this vision was my work on the AWAKE experiment at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, during 2020.


What is AWAKE?

AWAKE (Advanced WAKEfield Experiment) is the world’s first proton-driven plasma wakefield accelerator. It’s an ambitious project that aims to revolutionize particle acceleration by using plasma waves—generated by proton beams—to accelerate electrons to high energies over very short distances.


What Makes AWAKE So Special?

Traditional particle accelerators, like the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), are massive. They stretch for kilometers and require extraordinary infrastructure. The AWAKE experiment, however, is pioneering a technique that could shrink this scale dramatically.

The concept is both elegant and complex: when a powerful proton beam is shot into a plasma, it creates a wake — much like a speedboat creates waves in water. These plasma waves can then accelerate other particles (such as electrons) to very high energies over very short distances. It’s like hitching a ride on the shockwave of a supersonic jet — only at subatomic scales.

This technology could drastically reduce the size and cost of future accelerators, potentially opening doors to new physics research and real-world applications in medicine, energy, and materials science.

© 2023-2025 CERN

© 2023-2025 CERN

© 2023-2025 CERN


The Impact: Redefining What's Possible

Scientific Breakthrough AWAKE proved that proton-driven plasma wakefield acceleration isn't just theoretical—it's a viable path toward more compact, powerful particle accelerators that could enable discoveries previously thought impossible.

Future Applications The technology developed through AWAKE could lead to particle colliders that achieve higher energies over dramatically shorter distances, potentially revolutionizing how we explore fundamental physics.

International Collaboration Contributing to a project spanning 23 institutes demonstrates our capability to work at the highest levels of international scientific collaboration and complex project management.


Dr. Wiwattananon Role in AWAKE: Leading Through Complexity

In 2020, Dr. Wiwattananon joined CERN’s Engineering Department as part of the integration team for AWAKE’s Run 2 upgrade. Though the COVID-19 pandemic soon forced everyone to work remotely, I was entrusted with leading major coordination and integration efforts for the upcoming phase of this groundbreaking experiment.

Here’s a snapshot of what  Dr. Wiwattananon worked on:

  • 3D Infrastructure Integration:  Dr. Wiwattananon collaborated with the team to plan the integration of new large and complex components—electron sources, plasma cells, magnets—into existing underground tunnels, ensuring fit, function, safety and feasibility.

  • Multidisciplinary Coordination: Dr. Wiwattananon served as a bridge between physicists, engineers, service experts, and product owners to translate laboratory infrastructure goals into technical infrastructure integration requirements.

  • Systems Engineering & Planning: Dr. Wiwattananon used structured systems engineering methods to define work packages, and propose layouts that respected scope and timeline.

  • Remote Efficiency During the Pandemic: Despite lockdowns, Dr. Wiwattananon maintained momentum through video meetings, virtual reviews, and meticulous documentation—delivering critical proposals that shaped the approved Run 2 layout.


What This Means for Stella Nova’s Clients

The challenges Dr. Wiwattananon faced at CERN mirror those my clients face: tight deadlines, evolving requirements, and the need to align diverse expert teams toward a single goal. Whether working underground in one of the most advanced labs in the world or collaborating across global teams, Dr. Wiwattananon has learned how to transform complexity into clarity.

Now, through Stella Nova, Dr. Wiwattananon brings this expertise to organizations building the future—in space, medical tech, AI, and beyond.

If your project demands technical excellence, bold thinking, and flawless execution under real-world constraints—Stella Nova is ready to help it thrive.

The AWAKE Run 2 Programme and Beyond, Symmetry 2022, 14, 1680. https://doi.org/10.3390/sym14081680


Ready to work with a team pushing the boundaries of physics?
Let's discuss how we can bring this same innovative approach to your next project.

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