I am a particle physicist working on theoretical calculations and statistical modelling for high-energy particle collisions, in close connection with the interpretation of experimental data and relying on cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. Currently I am a Full Professor of Theoretical Physics at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam and a staff member of the Theory group of Nikhef, the Dutch National Institute for Subatomic Physics. Since January 2025 I also serve as Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the Faculty of Science of the VU.
Download Juan’s Curriculum Vitae (updated June 2026)
I carried out my undergraduate studies at the Universitat de Barcelona and completed my PhD there in 2006, under the supervision of José Ignacio Latorre and Stefano Forte. I then held postdoctoral positions at LPTHE in Paris and at the University of Milano and INFN, before securing a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship to carry out my research at the Theory Department of CERN. Between 2014 and 2016 I held a junior faculty position as STFC Rutherford Fellow at the Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics in Oxford, and Lecturer at Balliol College. In October 2016 I moved to the VU Amsterdam and the Nikhef Theory group, being promoted to Associate Professor in 2018 and to Full Professor in 2022.
My research as a principal investigator has been supported by several grants, awards, and fellowships, including a MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship, an ERC Starting Grant, an STFC Rutherford Fellowship and Grant, various NWO and Netherlands eScience Center grants, and a co-investigator grant by the Swiss National Science Foundation. I was also an elected Fellow of the Young Academy of Europe.
Research
The overarching theme of my research is advancing the frontier of theoretical calculations for high-energy particle collisions, with the ultimate goal of deepening our knowledge of the fundamental laws of nature at the smallest possible distances. My work is organised around three main lines: the determination of the quark and gluon structure of the proton using machine learning; model-independent searches for New Physics through the Standard Model Effective Field Theory; and the interplay between collider and astroparticle physics, in particular through the interactions of high-energy neutrinos. A common thread across these lines is a close connection with experimental data and the development of scientific software tools. More details are available on the Research page.
Mentoring, teaching, and management
I am a devoted mentor, engaged in the education of future scientists from bachelor students to PhD candidates and postdocs. I have supervised 15+ PhD candidates and 25+ MSc students, and mentored 10+ postdoctoral researchers, several of whom secured their own independent funding (e.g. NWO Veni and Marie Curie fellowships) to join my group. Several alumni from the group have moved on to successful careers in academia, at institutions such as CERN and ETH Zurich, or in industry as data scientists.
Before my current position as Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, I chaired the National Graduate School of Subatomic Physics and Nikhef’s Education Committee, overseeing training and supervision activities for the roughly 150+ PhD candidates at Nikhef and its partner universities. You can meet the current and former members of my group on the Group page.
I have taught multiple courses at all levels: from bachelor and master courses to specialised graduate lectures and training events. See my teaching page for more details and links to my teaching materials, including home-made lecture notes for all my courses.
Contact
Room 03B-11, VU Onderzoeksgebouw, Department of Physics and Astronomy, VU Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam. Phone: (+31) 20 59 87933. Email: j.rojo@vu.nl
Room H353, Theory Group, Nikhef, Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Email: j.rojo@nikhef.nl
An up-to-date list of my publications is available on INSPIRE-HEP and on Google Scholar.
Juan Rojo's Website 