Nima always knew he would somehow end up at CERN.   

His father, a physics teacher in Iran, encouraged and inspired him to take part in the 2023 non-Member State summer student programme (NMSSS). After his third application attempt, he was accepted onto the programme and suddenly, the dream he had always imagined started to unfold before his eyes.   

Despite the repercussions he could face in his country of origin for attending the programme, Nima describes his experience at CERN as “surreal”. He met students and academics from around the world and worked at the intersection of physics and engineering.   

Under the guidance of his supervisor, Nima was eventually given the “opportunity of a lifetime” and was able to obtain a PhD scholarship at CERN, where he will continue his career in particle physics.  

Determined to pursue his studies, he describes CERN as “more than just a scientific institution. CERN changed my whole life,” he says. “It is a sanctuary to me, it is home.”