1. European Synchronisation of Research Infrastructure Policies
John Womersley, ESS
March 2018

2. Why “Research Infrastructure Policy?”
Don’t need a policy for a bottom-up, peer-reviewed, PI-led research portfolio
The priorities can emerge from a selection for excellence
But we do need a policy for major investment decisions
Only a finite range of possibilities
Competing with other major national investments
Long term commitment

3. Three waves of Research Infrastructures
First Wave – big science as laboratories
e.g. CERN
National and international labs for high energy and nuclear physics
Second Wave – big science as user facilities
e.g. ESRF, ESS, XFEL
Refocus national centres to host machines for materials science and structural biology
Third Wave – big science as data
e.g. Climate science, bioinformatics, social science
Federate and network centres as national nodes of a distributed RI

4. Research Infrastructure Roadmaps
A roadmap is a strategy for investment
Sets priorities
Which means saying no to some good ideas
Should only contain good science
But can’t contain all the good science
Competing with other major public investments - not purely a statement of the research community’s priorities

5. Three levels of roadmaps
Science community roadmaps - zero budget
Demonstrate/generate alignment of community
European roadmaps – few % of budget
Ensure only one pan-European initiative in each major research area
National roadmaps – 95% of the budget
Define strategy for major national spending decisions

6. Business Plans If the roadmap is a strategy for investment …
then a business plan is the case for that investment
How will the investment be managed?
What difference will the investment make?
Scientifically, socioeconomically, politically…
Tangible deliverable
e.g. scientific paper
Result of change
e.g. new product or service
Measureable impact
e.g. jobs created or cost avoided

7. National Research Infrastructure Policy reflects national priorities
Research strengths
e.g. UK in radio astronomy
National industrial strengths and priorities
e.g. pharmaceutical industry
Geography and history
e.g. Arctic vs. Mediterranean, forestry, tropical diseases
And even politics
public investment decisions should reflect society’s priorities as expressed through a democratic system

8. Alignment not synchronisation
Science questions may be universal, but national research priorities and strengths are not
Not everyone can afford to participate in everything
Each European project needs a leader and not everyone can be a leader in everything
Strength in diversity – a stronger, more durable consensus will emerge from independent processes
But helpful if national roadmaps are aligned in goals and intent
Synchronised
Aligned

9. Sustainability
Sustainability is not a performance metric – it is a state of mind
A research infrastructure or a research field has sustainable support when there is good consensus between management, funders and users over its continuing relevance, quality and value for money
How can we build that consensus?
Note - environmental sustainability is a separate, important issue

10. Building a consensus towards sustainability
Think broadly across the research field rather than in individual silos: an ecosystem of research infrastructures
Example: neutron scattering facilities
European facility (ILL) plus several national facilities serving a European user base (ISIS, PSI, MLZ…)
Major new investment (ESS)
Decommissioning of older reactor sources
Neutron instrument-days
2014
2034

11. We should aim to manage this ecosystem of research infrastructures coherently
Remain at the scientific cutting edge
Coordinate investments to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication where large public investments are needed
Ensure broader access to the facilities and help steer experiments to the most appropriate
New access mechanisms
Outreach to new research communities and European countries
Outreach outside Europe
Broaden impact and demonstrate relevance of the whole system
Engage key stakeholders and the public

12. We should aim to manage this ecosystem of research infrastructures coherently
Research Infrastructure Policy is then not just about selecting new projects, but must also
Consider users and data
Properly plan for operations funding, both for new infrastructures and existing ones
Plan to decommission older facilities once their scientific productivity passes its peak – alignment of policy is critical here
Include both European facilities and national facilities of European relevance

13. Summary
We need to make national and international scale investments in shared research capability
These investments need to be made strategically
We do not need strict synchronisation of policy – but we do need alignment
RI policy should not just select new projects, but manage the whole research infrastructure ecosystem
only time to scratch the surface here – lots more to discuss!

14. Thank you! @johnwomersley @essneutron ESS is 42% complete
Accelerator operations start in 2019
User Programme starts in 2023
Thank you!
@johnwomersley @essneutron

15. Why do governments invest in science?
shift in emphasis since the end of the Cold War
Normative values
Market values
Prosperity
Cultural value
Innovation
Science for peace
Jobs
Education
Public outreach
Openness
International Collaboration
Startup companies
Democracy
Spinoffs
Science drives economic growth
Makes the country worth defending
Scientists more comfortable here
Closer to their own self-image
Makes fewer demands on them
Political actors more comfortable here
“It’s the economy, stupid…”
This is where the funding is

16. What do we mean by Research Infrastructures?
National and international scale investments in shared research capability that go beyond what any single institution (or even nation) can support
Dramatically increase scientific reach
Address research questions of long duration requiring pooled effort
Promote collaboration, interdisciplinarity, interaction with industry