Insider Brief
- Norbert Holtkamp has been appointed director of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, effective January 12, 2026.
- Holtkamp brings prior leadership experience from SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and ITER, with a background in managing large-scale scientific infrastructure projects.
- He succeeds interim director Young-Kee Kim and will oversee major initiatives including LBNF-DUNE and Fermilab’s ongoing modernization efforts.
PRESS RELEASE — Norbert Holtkamp has been appointed director of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, effective January 12, 2026. Holtkamp brings prior leadership experience from SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and ITER, with a background in managing large-scale scientific infrastructure projects. He succeeds interim director Young-Kee Kim and will oversee major initiatives including LBNF-DUNE and Fermilab’s ongoing modernization efforts.
University of Chicago President Paul Alivisatos made the announcement Dec. 15 in his capacity as chair of the board of directors of Fermi Forward Discovery Group, LLC, which operates the laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy and whose partners include the University of Chicago and the Universities Research Association.
“We’re excited to welcome Norbert, who brings a wealth of scientific and managerial experience to Fermilab,” Alivisatos said. “He will champion Fermilab’s mission of pioneering scientific discovery, help ensure the success of projects critical to the lab’s future, strengthen the relationships necessary for shared achievements and inspire the next generation of researchers.”
Holtkamp has managed large scientific projects throughout his career — experience that will be critical as Fermilab continues to advance the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility-Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (LBNF-DUNE) among other ambitious projects. During his tenure at SLAC, he managed the construction of the Linac Coherent Light Source upgrade (LCLS-II), the world’s most powerful X-ray laser, along with more than $2 billion of on-site construction projects. He previously served as the principal deputy director general for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a multinational organization working to achieve fusion power at power plant scale.
Holtkamp is deeply familiar with Fermilab, having worked there from 1998 to 2001. During that time, he participated in the commissioning of the Main Injector — the lab’s most powerful particle accelerator and also led a multi-laboratory study on the feasibility of an intense neutrino source based on a muon storage ring.
In his new role, Holtkamp will continue Fermilab’s work to modernize its operations and infrastructure to leverage the capabilities of LBNF-DUNE — the largest experiment in lab history and other major projects.
“I am deeply honored to have been selected as the next director of Fermilab,” Holtkamp said. “Fermilab has done so much to advance our collective understanding of the fundamentals of our universe. I am committed to ensuring the laboratory remains the neutrino capital of America and the world, and the safe and successful completion of LBNF-DUNE is key to that goal. I’m excited to rejoin Fermilab at this pivotal moment to guide this project and our other important modernization efforts to prepare the lab for a bright future.”
