Published: “Big Science in the 21st Century, Economic and societal impacts”
Very recently the book entitled: “Big Science in the 21st Century, Economic and societal impacts” was published. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the impact that Big Science has on our society and the important benefits that Big Science provides for society.
Contributions to the book were made by a very diverse group of writers, from many different perspectives. They each talk about the major challenges and benefits of Big Science in various different disciplines and in many countries. The lessons that can be learned from existing Big Science Organisations and the best practices to increase the benefits for society are discussed in detail.
In particular attention is given to the insights and recommendations from the ENRIITC project to further improve and professionalise the connecting capabilities of the Industrial Liaison Officers (ILOs). NWO-I was a major partner in this project. Chapter 8 specifically addresses this topic: “Industrial liaison officers, key intermediaries between Big Science organisations and their industrial suppliers”. As a first author, Toon Verhoeven, former ILO of DIFFER, describes the important role of ILOs, which also in the Netherlands started to ensure a good match between supply and demand and thereby obtaining, sometimes large, orders for the Dutch business community.
Triggered also by the efforts of the Dutch ILO-network, this approach has gradually evolved into the creation of a “consolidated European Big Science marketplace”. An important step in the evolution was the creation of the Big Science Business Forum, where all important Big Science Organisations can share and discuss their investment plans directly with the interested business community. The social aspects of Big Science will become increasingly important, which will also place increasing emphasis on the total innovation ecosystem for Big Science, creating a more intimate bond between Big Science Organisations and the industry involved.
Five chapters of this book can be read for free, including a chapter on developments at CERN. The book can be found at: https://ioppublishing.org/news/big-science-in-the-21st-century-a-new-ebook-published-by-iop-publishing/
Event reports
ICSO conference
The 15th International Conference on Space Optics (ICSO 2024) took place from 21-25 October 2024 in Antibes, France, bringing together experts from around the world to explore advancements in optical, optoelectronic, and photonic technologies for space applications. Co-organized by ESA and CNES, the conference provided a dynamic platform for exchanging knowledge on research, development, qualification, and flight experience of optical technologies used in space missions.
Space Tech Expo Bremen
The Space Tech Expo Europe, taking place in Bremen from 19-21 November 2024, is Europe’s largest B2B space industry event, bringing together over 700 exhibitors and 8000 industry professionals. Alongside a dynamic program of conferences and pre-arranged B2B meetings, it offers a platform for showcasing innovations in satellite technology, launch systems, and cutting-edge in-orbit solutions.
NOVA 25 Symposium
The NOVA 25 Symposium, celebrating 25 years of the Netherlands Research School for Astronomy (NOVA), took place on 12-13 December 2024 at the World Forum in The Hague. The two-day event highlighted NOVA’s achievements in astronomy, including science breakthroughs, advanced instrumentation, and industry collaborations. Modern day astronomy is all about collaboration, within The Netherlands (NOVA), within Europe (European Southern Observatory ESO, with the Very Large Telescope and Extremely Large Telescope), and globally (NASA-ESA Space Observatories like James Webb and Habitable Worlds Observatory). The Netherlands is a champion in such collaborations.
