2020
Visualising the atomic structure of COVID-19
About Harwell
Harwell is a research and innovation supercampus, home to a unique array of cutting-edge scientific facilities, institutes, businesses, and expert teams working to advance knowledge and find solutions.
Who we are
Founded in 1946 as a hub for pioneering technology, our Oxfordshire campus is a unique collaboration between government, academia and industry, and now hosts over 7,000 scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and technicians – all focused on solving complex problems.
We design, build and use extraordinary scientific equipment including particle accelerators that reveal the subatomic structure of materials, X-ray beams brighter than the sun for examining living cells, quantum computers that could
revolutionise whole industries, and space simulation chambers for testing satellites before launch.
How we work
The campus is managed and developed by a Joint Venture made up of the Science and Technology Facilities Council, the UK Atomic Energy Authority and a private sector investor, Brookfield. We are investing significantly in the campus to enable sustainable growth and an even faster rate of innovation.
The campus has space to grow for decades to come, and works closely with national, regional and local government to ensure we grow in a way which maximises our contribution to science, the economy and the local community.
In 2022, Harwell became part of the Advanced Research Clusters (ARC) network. ARC is an alliance of innovation campuses funded by Brookfield in the UK and Europe. The ARC network provides membership benefits to those who work at Harwell campus, including free events, exclusive discounts and access to space at other ARC campuses.
For more information
From the opening of the first Medical Research Council laboratory in 1947 to the launch of the Diamond Light Source Synchrotron in 2007 and the Health Tech Cluster in 2016, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus is rich in world-firsts and proud of its direct role in scientific leaps forward.
2007
Diamond Light source synchrotron opened
1947
Medical Research Council laboratory opened
2025
Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre opened
Clean, calm, quiet, and free from traffic. The green spaces within Harwell are a mix of landscaped areas and re-wilding zones. Reset with a head-clearing stroll around campus or take in the scenery by bike while you explore the area.
Sustainability
