Panagiotis Charitos – författare

The essays in this book aim to map the nature and extent of the societal impacts of Big Science and the mechanisms that generate such effects, as well as highlight the complex realities that can be used as guidelines to fund Big Science facilities, and how we can maximise their impact. As science itself has become a subject of study and debate beyond the scientific community, these collected essays aim to encourage a dialogue with relevant stakeholders (such as scientists, policymakers, research managers and industry) and highlight the complex role that science plays in today's society.

Key Features:

A single reference volume comprising a multitude of perspectives on the socioeconomic impacts of Big Science. Our author list comprises globally renowned expert authors with a wealth of domain knowledge and direct experience of Big Science facilities. Coverage emphasises transferability of best practice/lessons learned from Big Science organisations. The aim is to inspire research managers as well as communications and outreach officers of other Big Science projects. The text is relevant for policy experts, employees of funding agencies and professional science communicators.

The essays in this open access volume identify the key ingredients for success in capitalizing on public investments in scientific projects and the development of large-scale research infrastructures.Investment in science – whether in education and training or through public funding for developing new research tools and technologies – is a crucial priority. Authors from big research laboratories/organizations, funding agencies and academia discuss how investing in science can produce societal benefits as well as identifying future challenges for scientists and policy makers. The volume cites different ways to assess the socio-economic impact of Research Infrastructures and their role as hubs of global collaboration, creativity and innovation. It highlights the different benefits stemming from fundamental research at the local, national and global level, while also inviting us to rethink the notion of “benefit” in the 21st century.Public investment is required to maintain the pace of technological and scientific advancements over the next decades. Far from advocating a radical transformation and massive expansion in funding, the authors suggest ways for maintaining a strong foundation of science and research to ensure that we continue to benefit from the outputs. The volume draws inspiration from the first “Economics of Big Science” workshop, held in Brussels in 2019 with the aim of creating a new space for dialogue and interaction between representatives of Big Science organizations, policy makers and academia. It aspires to provide useful reading for policy makers, scientists and students of science, who are increasingly called upon to explain the value of fundamental research and adopt the language and logic of economics when engaging in policy discussions.

The essays in this open access volume identify the key ingredients for success in capitalizing on public investments in scientific projects and the development of large-scale research infrastructures.Investment in science – whether in education and training or through public funding for developing new research tools and technologies – is a crucial priority. Authors from big research laboratories/organizations, funding agencies and academia discuss how investing in science can produce societal benefits as well as identifying future challenges for scientists and policy makers. The volume cites different ways to assess the socio-economic impact of Research Infrastructures and their role as hubs of global collaboration, creativity and innovation. It highlights the different benefits stemming from fundamental research at the local, national and global level, while also inviting us to rethink the notion of “benefit” in the 21st century.Public investment is required to maintain the pace of technological and scientific advancements over the next decades. Far from advocating a radical transformation and massive expansion in funding, the authors suggest ways for maintaining a strong foundation of science and research to ensure that we continue to benefit from the outputs. The volume draws inspiration from the first “Economics of Big Science” workshop, held in Brussels in 2019 with the aim of creating a new space for dialogue and interaction between representatives of Big Science organizations, policy makers and academia. It aspires to provide useful reading for policy makers, scientists and students of science, who are increasingly called upon to explain the value of fundamental research and adopt the language and logic of economics when engaging in policy discussions.

The second volume of open access essays builds upon the success of the initial installment, "The Economics of Big Science (© 2021, 978-3-030-52390-9, Open Access book as well)," delving deeper into the tangible socio-economic value generated by fundamental science missions and elucidating the various ways in which this benefit is realized. This collection showcases contributions that stem from socio-economic impact studies conducted on the activities of Research Infrastructures. These studies were presented and discussed by the authors during a dedicated session on the "Economics of Big Science" at the headquarters of the European Space Agency (ESA) in Paris in May 2023, organized by EIROforum.The authors, affiliated with prominent universities, research centers, and international research organizations, actively contribute to an international collaborative effort. Their aim is to develop strategies and policies that ensure fundamental scientific research in Europe translates into tangible and sustainable  societal and economic benefits. This volume is intended to be a valuable resource for policymakers, funding agencies, scientists, and academics across diverse domains. It serves as a comprehensive reference for the evidence of socio-economic impact stemming from fundamental scientific research within Open Science, Research, and Innovation environments. Moreover, it equips stakeholders with evidence supporting the effectiveness of impact analysis and facilitates the design of best practices in this regard.