Honorary Fellowship accepted on behalf of the late Professor Peter Higgs
The family of Nobel Prize-winning Professor Peter Higgs has accepted the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s highest accolade, following his passing, in recognition of his contributions to theoretical physics.
Jonny Higgs, the son of the late Professor Higgs, accepted an Honorary Fellowship on behalf of his father at the Society’s Annual Statutory Meeting in Edinburgh. Honorary Fellows are individuals internationally renowned and known outside of their specialism, embodying the highest echelons of achievement.
While Professor Higgs had nominally accepted the conversion of his Fellowship to Honorary Fellowship prior to his passing on 8 April this year, Jonny was welcomed at the RSE this week to formally accept on his behalf.
Jonny Higgs said:
“I am very touched to have been asked to accept this Honorary Fellowship from the RSE on my late father’s behalf.
“I understand that an Honorary Fellowship is the highest honour the RSE can bestow on someone for their academic achievements, and it is very moving to see just what high esteem my father, and his work, is held in.
“While he was an unassuming man, driven not by accolades but by a profound curiosity for the mysteries of the universe, I believe he would be very proud to have his life’s work recognised by an institution that held such significance to him.”
Professor Higgs had been elected as an Ordinary Fellow of the RSE in 1974, and had his Fellowship elevated this year recognising his extensive contributions in theoretical physics. This prestigious elevation, proposed by Fellows and endorsed by the RSE Council in March 2024, marked the RSE’s recognition of Professor Higgs’ truly exceptional distinction.
President of the RSE, Sir John Ball, said:
“Professor Higgs’ reputation as a physicist was exemplary, and it is only right that the RSE was able to honour him in the proper way before his passing.
“Moreover, I am very proud that we were able to welcome his family to the RSE this week as a gesture to show just how much of an impact his work has made.”
Among a raft of other professional accolades, Professor Higgs was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013, for the discovery of the subatomic particle which became known as the Higgs boson or the Higgs particle. Professor Higgs had initially theorised the existence of such a particle in 1964, and in 2012, two experiments conducted at the CERN laboratory confirmed the existence of the Higgs particle.
