Ursula Bassler is a German and French particle physicist who took up the role of CERN Director for Stakeholder Relations in January 2026. She earned her PhD in particle physics from Pierre and Marie Curie University in 1993. 

From 2007 to 2013, she led the Particle Physics Division at CEA-Irfu. She subsequently served as Scientific Director for Particle Physics and Computing at IN2P3 and held the position of Deputy Director from 2016 to 2018.

Ursula Bassler was President of the CERN Council from 2019 to 2021. Between 2021 and 2024, she was Scientific Director for International Relations, European Affairs and IN2P3 Laboratories.

In 2024, she joined the Laboratoire Leprince-Ringuet at the École Polytechnique, where she contributed to studies on future particle colliders. In 2025, she was awarded the Beate Naroska Guest Professorship at the University of Hamburg.