Project co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund.
The term Big Science institutions refers to international organisations or scientific and research centres involved in Big Science projects. They are responsible for conducting large-scale experiments and research as well as for expanding the infrastructure required to achieve this purpose. They create innovations which transform science, industry and, in consequence, our lives and the future of humankind.
Europe is a Big Science powerhouse. Its infrastructure and the funds allocated to its running have enormous potential for research and science. International teams of scientists and engineers work on projects concerning, among others: nuclear energy, space exploration or molecular biology.
• CERN – Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire
• F4E – Fusion for Energy or The European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy
• ESA – European Space Agency
• ESS – European Spallation Source
• ESO – European Southern Observatory
Big Science institutions open up development opportunities not only for the scientists who carry out tests and experiments within the framework of their cooperation. Such collaboration benefits business as well. Big Science institutions have a high demand for various products and services, and generous multi-billion budgets to be spent on meeting this demand – funds could be allocated to companies and other units that will establish cooperation with Big Science institutions.
The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) is one of the largest and the most respected science and research institutions in the world. It uses the Large Hadron Collider to study the fundamental structure of the universe.
The European Space Agency (ESA) deals with the exploration and exploitation of space. It runs projects aimed at broadening knowledge about the Earth & space, and at contributing to the develeopment of technologies, chiefly satellite technologies, that will enhance the level of industry innovation in Europe.
The European Spallation Source (ESS) is a project focused on developing the world’s most powerful pulsed neutron source for the purpose of studying the matter. This technologically advanced infrastructure will enable the conducting of experiments related to the physics of particles, new sources of energy, medicine, biochemistry or pharmacology.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) is an organisation that provides support and organises coperation on research into astronomy or astrophysics. Its budget is spent mainly on the continuous development of research infrastructure. ESO is currently is involved in the construction of ELT (Extremely Large Telescope).
Fusion for Energy is an organisation whose key task is to manage the EU’s contrubition to the ITER project, which is the world’s largest experimental thermonuclear reactor. It is also responsible for the cooperation with European industry and R&D sector, aimed at financing projects related to the construction, production and testing of technical components for thermonuclear reactors.
Project co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund.