It was with profound sadness that we learned of the passing of Mick Storr on 7 June in Geneva. A deeply respected member of the CERN family and an extraordinary educator, he inspired generations of teachers worldwide. 

Mick was born in Farsley, West Yorkshire, England, on 11 February 1949. After completing his PhD at the University of Birmingham in 1975, Mick came to CERN as a user affiliated with the University of Lancaster, working on the OMEGA Spectrometer in the Photon Beam Collaboration. He stayed on as a fellow and then a staff member in the Data Handling Division, joining the emulator effort in its early days. There, he developed key software for the 168/E emulators used in UA1 during the discovery of the W and Z bosons, and later for the 3081/E emulators used by the CERN–SLAC collaboration.

In 1989 he joined the Electronics and Computing for Physics Division, where he pioneered the use of object-oriented programming in high-energy physics and supported the World Wide Web development team. His role as Divisional Training Officer prepared him for the second part of his career.

From 1997, Mick oversaw the Technical Training Programme for nearly a decade, helping ensure its courses met CERN’s evolving needs. Alongside Michelangelo Mangano, he also co-founded and ran the CERN High School Teacher Programme. Mick had a unique gift for helping teachers overcome any sense of intimidation and recognise their essential role in CERN’s mission: laying the foundations for tomorrow’s scientists and engineers. His vision and dedication grew the CERN Teacher Programmes into a worldwide community built on curiosity, friendship and collaboration.

After retiring from CERN in 2013, Mick returned to his alma mater as an honorary senior research fellow and continued to contribute to science education as an active CERN user.

Many learned a great deal from Mick – a mentor, guide and constant source of encouragement. Much of what makes the CERN Teacher Programmes so special today reflects Mick’s values and unwavering belief in the importance of teachers and education. Many will remember his lectures, storytelling, songs, barbecues and the countless times he made every participant feel welcomed and valued. Mick had a remarkable ability to connect with people from every country and background, always with his unmistakable smile.

Mick often said, “At CERN, we never say goodbye, we only say au revoir.” Although those words are now painful to remember, they capture the extraordinary legacy he leaves through the many teachers whose lives he touched. 

Beyond his professional achievements, Mick had a wide range of interests. He was an accomplished squash player who was invited to join the Swiss national team, a lifelong footballer who later became a coach, and an active member of the Geneva Amateur Operatic Society. He skied most weekends with the CERN Ski Club, and even took up snowboarding in his fifties. Mick is survived by his daughters Sophie and Scarlett, and his grandchildren Isabelle and Max, who were a source of great pride and joy to him. 

Au revoir, Mick, and merci for 51 remarkable years at CERN.

His friends and colleagues