Big Science is about …
The term and concept of Big Science that I use to evoke and discuss is the one that matches the following understandings:
- Scientific domain where experimental research is addressed through large-scale research infrastructure.
- A historical contextualisation of the international organisation of experimental research, in which the large-scale research is the bench for intergovernmental collaborative efforts to strengthen regional collaboration and political integration. This is the case for the establishment of CERN, for instance, in 1954 by 20 governments as the first European experience of large collaborative effort to renew a peaceful and political Western union.
- A sociological contextualisation of multilateral coordinating activities based on a large participation of scientists from a variable configuration of partner countries that tends to be global. The large international cooperation of thousands highly-skilled people that lead and take part to the conception, construction and operation of large-scale facilities.
- Although naturally extendable to any discipline and various scientific fields, “big” is hiding an implicit privileged reference to the so called “hard” (biology, chemistry, physics) scientific disciplines that apply the “experimental method” (with a personal attention to physics). “Producing testable predictions, performing controlled experiments, relying on quantifiable data and mathematical models, a high degree of accuracy and objectivity, higher levels of consensus, faster progression of the field, greater explanatory success, cumulativeness, replicability, and generally applying a purer form of the scientific method.”
- “Fundamental” research questions and achievements are “Big” by default, because their impact is large in advancing our understanding of natural phenomena, of the laws of the Universe and the establishment of explanatory theories or models.
- A more sociological and European contextualisation brings to the fusion of three dimensions (Hallonsten 2016): 1) big machines, referring to the size and complexity of the facilities; 2) big organisation, meaning large financial and human resources deserving hierarchical organisation as well as the application of a multicultural “best-effort” participation model (as it is the case in particle physics and astrophysics); 3) big politics, referring to the substantial political intervention and the increasing association of science and technology with economic growth, innovation and competitiveness.
Some interesting platforms of dialogue and coordination among Big Science RIs exist. Namely, the EIROForum, the forum of ERICs and Big Science Business Forum (BSBF). I suggest to explore their websites. Interesting symposia are co-orgnaised by the partner RIs. However, my personal vision is that these are formally the way through to achieve coordinated efforts along different and evolving focuses: technology transfer and procurement, innovation, computing etc.
What’s new ?
After having told this, I write here what is going on today and where are the current new frontiers (in Europe) according to my personal point of view.
Big Science, environmental compatibility and socio-economic development
The societal commitment of large scientific collaborations for Big Science projects is a multifaceted issue.
An unifying, forward-looking approach is nowadays required in the preparatory phase of any new research project.
The central role of science and researchers in society to establish a new alliance in Europe to address related but critical issues such as education, innovation, circular economy, energy efficiency, climate change and health is indispensable.
My commitment to CERN’s future accelerator project, FCC, but in a very similar way for all other new generation infrastructures, is in this sense.
My article on these topics and the challenges facing FCC:
Such an example as well as more in general my personal commitment as a scienitist and as a manager of research infrastructures, are quoted to illustrate not simply the « big poiltics » dimension but to introduce two new pillars or two more dimensions of Big Science today :
- Leverage open access to data (digital objects) of scientific results as well as of any R&D action for the benefit of innovation capacity, procurement, manufacturing and skills.
- Address the green deal and the energy data space as intergral part of the design phase of new generation Big-Science facilities.
Let’s see their implications [….] (Coming soon online …)
Some readings
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