Whatever basic science resolves, at some stage it is of use to society. The problem is we do not know when or where.

In 2004 he was appointed DESY's Research Director. On 12 November 2012 he was awarded an Edison Volta Prize. In December 2007 the CERN research council announced that Heuer will take office as CERN's Director General starting 1 January 2009 following the term of Robert Aymar.