CERN Accelerating science

The EU-funded EPITA project officially launched this week with a two-day kick-off event hosted at CERN, the coordinating institution. 

Funded through Horizon Europe’s Research Infrastructures programme, the project will develop innovative technologies to improve the performance and sustainability of particle accelerators and facilities in close cooperation with industry partners. 

The launch event, which took place on May 12 and 13, brought together representatives of the 42 project beneficiaries to set out their goals and plans for the next four years. 

Toms Torims, EPITA’s project coordinator, said the purpose of EPITA is “to maintain Europe’s technological leadership and competitiveness in accelerator science.”

“Through co-creation with industry we are not just building hardware, we are securing European technological sovereignty and delivering societal value through a resilient, inclusive and world-leading innovation ecosystem,” he said, introducing the event. 

EPITA builds and expands on the work carried out by the I.FAST project , which ended last year, and will further mature accelerator technologies to get them closer to being market ready.

The project will take several groundbreaking accelerator technologies that have been researched over the past two decades and create 22 new working prototypes to test their use. Some of these new technologies “could change the way we operate completely at accelerator labs around Europe”, according to Torims. 

The project is broken down into three thematic areas: accelerating systems, magnets and beamlines, and frontier technologies. Within these areas are nine work packages driving the technological aspects of the project. 

There are also several cross-cutting complementary activities built into the project. 

One focus is on sustainability. A dedicated task in work package two will develop standardised ways to assess the sustainability of large-scale research infrastructures by refining two commonly used tools, life cycle assessments and a design for sustainability, specifically for accelerator technologies. 

Elsewhere, the EPITA project will host a series of challenged-based innovation (CBI) events. These CBIs invite senior bachelor and master students for a week-long programme that results in them pitching innovative new uses for accelerators in a specifically chosen topic area. During I.FAST, four CBIs were organised, two on the topic of the environment and two on healthcare. 

The goal of the CBIs is to open up the world of particle accelerators to a young generation of talented students. 

EPITA also has strong connections to industry. There are 16 deep-tech partners involved in the project, with the managing director of the company Kyma, Raffaella Geometrante, acting as leader of work package seven on permanent magnets. 

The project also includes a specific task to collaborate with medical doctors to get their input on designing accelerator technologies for medical purposes.

EPITA is guided by two significant European roadmaps. The first is the European Strategy for Particle Physics (ESPP), which is one of the main references for EPITA. A fourth update of the ESPP is to be approved this month, and inputs to this have fed into EPITA’s planning. 

The second guide for EPITA is the League of European Accelerator-based Photon Sources (LEAPS)’s 2025 Technology Roadmap , which sets out the development of European research infrastructures in photon science for the coming years. 

The EPITA project received €10M in funding from the EU, and has €11M in matching funds from the project’s partners. 

At the kick-off meeting, the governing structure of EPITA was also finalised. Peter McIntosh from the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) will serve as governing board chairperson. The three-person Scientific & Technological Advisory Committee will be Steinar Stapnes of Oslo University, Lia Merminga of Fermilab, and Tadeusz Lesiak of the Polish Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Nuclear Physics (IFJ PAN). 

Europe has long been a global leader in accelerator science and technology, with the community strongly supported by public grants. The new European Union-funded EPITA project, full name Enabling Partnerships for Innovation & Accelerator Technology Advancement, aims to build on that. 

EPITA recently won €10 million in funding through the EU’s Horizon Europe programme and will over the next four years work closely with industry to develop innovative technologies to improve the performance and sustainability of particle accelerators and facilities. It will kick off officially in the middle of 2026. 

The project consortium consists of 43 beneficiaries from 16 countries and is coordinated by CERN. It is strongly connected to industry, with 17 of the partners either start-ups or SMEs.

In line with broader strategies, the project will build 22 prototypes of novel, innovative accelerator technologies with a broad range of functions. 

In this interview, project coordinator Toms Torims talks about the importance of the project for European competitiveness, how the technologies being developed could change the face of the accelerator landscape, and why he is excited to finally see the physical creation of ideas that he and many others have worked on for decades. 

What are the main challenges that you're trying to address with the Epita project?

EPITA is guided by two significant European roadmaps. The first is the European Strategy for Particle Physics (ESPP), which, in its 2020 update, set out a clear R&D strategy for accelerators. This is one of the main references for EPITA. A fourth update of the ESPP is expected to be finalised this year, and inputs to this have fed into EPITA’s planning. 

The second guide for EPITA is the League of European Accelerator-based Photon Sources (LEAPS)’s 2025 Technology Roadmap, which sets out the development of European research infrastructures in photon science for the coming years. 

So, the technological challenges we are trying to address are largely set out in these roadmaps. 

But looking at the bigger picture, the project is also about European scientific resilience and competitiveness. One challenge is to improve our research infrastructures across Europe, to upgrade them, and to find new technological solutions. 

Another important aspect is EPITA’s close links to industry. There are 17 industry partners in the project’s consortium, around 40%. I don’t think this has ever been the case for a CERN-coordinated project of this size before. It shows that we, as a scientific community, are supporting Europe’s businesses and helping to reaffirm the continent’s competitiveness. 

Tell me about the industrial partners you are working with.

They are European high-tech companies working in a broad spectrum of areas, from electronics, to materials, to additive manufacturing. Some of the partners are medium-sized, and some are very small enterprises that are really agile. The companies are really focused on technical solutions, or hardware. There is very little in the project related to simulations or IT tools or even artificial intelligence. We have in the project the goal to create 22 new technology prototypes, and in each work package there is an industry partner that will support the development of these prototypes. 

Tell me more about these prototypes.

So, these 22 prototypes are in line with the roadmaps mentioned before. They are all technologies that will help to improve the performance and sustainability of our research infrastructures. 

The prototypes cover a wide range from cryomodules, to single-cell cavities, to plasma-based beam bending devices, to high-temperature superconducting technologies…It would be unfair to just pick out a few as they are all important! 

What are you most excited about when it comes to technological developments happening in the accelerator field right now? 

What’s happening now is that we are moving up the development stages, or technology readiness levels, of a lot of different technologies. So, EPITA is based on a legacy of predecessor projects, from I.FAST to ARIES, so these technologies have come a long way and been built up during those projects from the initial idea. Now, with EPITA, we’ll get to see the real thing, on the table in front of us through these prototypes. 

For an engineer or an accelerator physicist this is wonderful, to see how these ideas that you came up with collectively and named together, they actually become real. This is exciting. 

Of course, some of them will not work, but that’s the nature of science. But we will get to see what does and doesn’t work, and that’s great. 

Some of the technologies, like the ones related to laser-driven acceleration or this light-weight silicon carbide laser mirror, if they are successful, could change the way we operate completely at accelerator labs around Europe. The impact could be huge. 

Could you tell me about some of the novelties of the EPITA project compared to its predecessors?

One interesting aspect is that some of our deliverables will be managed by industry partners, meaning that, for example, a direct result of the project will be the creation of a new production line. This is very different, but it shows you how the EPITA project is directly contributing to European industry and competitiveness. 

Another is that we now have financing for the Accelerator Science and Technology Industry Permanent Forum (AIPF). The AIPF was established in 2023 to act as a bridge between industry and research institutions, ensuring that both worlds align to meet societal needs and drive technological progress. So this financing will help support that work, which is extremely important. 

Finally, in the project there is a specific task set up to collaborate with medical doctors to get their input on designing accelerator technologies for medical purposes. Usually, it is engineers and accelerator physicists providing the medical industry with technologies and they just have to take it. For the first time, we will ask a pool or medical professionals what they think, and what they need, and this is hugely important. 

This article was first published on 13 March, 2026 in Accelerating News

CERN has received EU funding for 13 new projects following applications for calls announced in 2025, the highest number in one single year since at least 2007.

In total, CERN was involved in 17 project proposals under various Research Infrastructures calls – a section of the EU’s R&D framework programme, Horizon Europe.

Of the funded projects, CERN will lead the coordination of five. Those projects are: ATTRACT EXPAND, EPITA, iRIS, PRISMAP+, and RADNEXT 2030.

"We're very pleased at not only the number of new projects, but the variety and quality of them,” said Svetlomir Stavrev, team leader of CERN’s EU Projects Office. “With competition for EU funding increasing, it is further validation of CERN's excellence to receive such positive results.”

Two of the five projects coordinated by CERN, EPITA and RADNEXT 2030, received the maximum proposal evaluation score of 15/15, and ranked top in highly competitive calls.

All the projects will kick off in 2026 at various times around spring and early summer.

The 13 projects involving CERN that have won funding from grants under the latest Research Infrastructures calls of the Horizon Europe programme.

Details of the projects

The ATTRACT EXPAND project, with a budget of €10 million, will build on the previous ATTRACT projects, an R&D&I ecosystem set up in 2018 to help turn world-class scientific research in Europe into commercial innovation. CERN’s innovation space IdeaSquare will play a key role in the project, coordinating it and acting as a hub within the ATTRACT Academy for many of the science-to-industry collaborations involving young European innovators. The new project aims to support 30 new high-potential technologies through an open call for funding.

EPITA aims to drive sustainable innovation in particle accelerator science by developing a portfolio of innovative technologies for a new generation of accelerators. This will be achieved through co-creation with industry in an open environment, maximising the technologies' impact while aligning with user strategies.

The project consortium consists of 43 beneficiaries from 16 countries, including six operators of research infrastructures, 10 research laboratories, 10 universities and 17 industry partners, most of which are SMEs.

EPITA has a total budget of over €21 million, with €10 million from EU grants and €11 million in matching funds.

iRIS aims to develop and pilot AI-powered solutions to enhance the sustainability of research infrastructures. The project’s goal is to improve the energy efficiency of particle accelerators and technical infrastructures, develop reuse of construction and demolition materials, and accelerate soil restoration.

Additionally, through shared FAIR data platforms and a harmonised sustainability assessment methodology for research infrastructures, the project will aim to build cross-sector adoption, transfer to industry and reuse by infrastructure projects worldwide.

The project has a budget of €5 million from EU grants.

PRISMAP+ builds on the work of predecessor project PRISMAP, and aims to provide a coordinated access of radionuclides for biomedical research in Europe. It is conceived as a new phase of the European medical radionuclide programme based on the production and delivery of high-purity grade radionuclides. Nuclear medicine and research with novel radiopharmaceuticals is a fast-evolving field, with the first blockbuster treatment, radiopharmaceutical Pluvicto, put on the market last year. This demonstrates the timeliness of PRISMAP+ which will provide access through the medical-radionuclides.eu platform and meets the strategic needs for a resilient medical radionuclide provision as identified by the European Council of the EU. The project has received €5 million in funding for this phase.

RADNEXT 2030 builds on the success of the RADNEXT project to establish a sustainable, transnational, and interdisciplinary radiation testing and research infrastructure supporting both scientific excellence and industrial competitiveness in Europe.

Radiation effects induced by energetic particles in electronic and photonic components and systems are a critical concern for space, avionics, high-energy physics, nuclear energy, IT infrastructure and many other mission-critical applications. This means access to testing facilities is increasingly important.

The project also supports activities at CERN, with RADNEXT 2030 enabling scientific access to the CHARM and HEARTS@CERN facilities. CERN has been one of the main RADNEXT beamtime users, with teams across multiple groups and sectors testing at a number of facilities.

The RADNEXT 2030 consortium brings together over 40 institutions from across Europe and beyond, and has a total budget of €12 million, including a €5 million contribution from the EU.

It was a busy period this autumn with CERN involved in 17 submitted proposals for funding under various “INFRA” calls in the European Union’s Research Infrastructures (RI) work programme of Horizon Europe.

The RI work programme aims to advance, improve or connect Europe’s network of research infrastructures and the researchers working there.

Of the newly submitted proposals, CERN joins as a beneficiary for 11 and as a coordinator for the other six.

In total, 159 proposals were submitted under the various INFRA calls this autumn, meaning CERN is involved in over 10% of all proposals.

This is the highest number of proposals CERN has been involved in under the yearly RI calls since the Horizon Europe research funding programme kicked off in 2021. Last year, for example, CERN was involved in 10 proposals, nine as a beneficiary and one as coordinator. Of these, five were funded and one made it onto the reserve list.

The increase is down to a number of factors. One of which is the fact that several projects coordinated by CERN, such as I.FAST, AIDAinnova and Radnext, ended this year after a four-year period, and these consortia have now applied for new funding.

Another reason is CERN’s EU Project Office’s push to encourage more submissions.

Results from the proposals will come mainly in early 2026.

On a similar note, there has also been an increase in the number of submissions for funding under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)’s Doctoral Network scheme.

The Doctoral Networks programme aims to train new, highly qualified PhD candidates through interdisciplinary collaborations, involving multiple institutes and in some cases private companies.

For the latest call this year, CERN is involved in 11 proposals, two as coordinator and nine as a beneficiary. In recent years, CERN has generally been involved in just a few proposals per call.

Results from the Doctoral Networks proposals will be announced in April 2026.

ATTRACT, a pilot designed to improve Europe’s generation of commercial innovation from its world-class scientific excellence, held its final conference on 2 and 3 July, attended by numerous European leaders. Participants reflected on ATTRACT’s successful investments, entrepreneurship support and training academy and considered how to replicate these achievements in future.

Despite its substantial investment in research and development (R&D), Europe has historically faced challenges in translating scientific advances into market-ready products. Led by CERN and involving eight other European scientific organisations and institutes (1), ATTRACT was launched in 2018 to address this by investing 60 MEUR of EU public funding into 170 early-stage R&D projects. These projects were primarily in the fields of detection and imaging technologies, which have broad applications across science, industry and society.

By leveraging research infrastructure capabilities, streamlining funding mechanisms and fostering cooperation with public and private investors, ATTRACT supported 18 projects identified for their high potential. This support has already led to the creation of eight startups, several of which have entered second-round private financing. Furthermore, the ATTRACT Academy trained over 1300 young European innovators, contributing to the development of the next generation of deep-tech entrepreneurs. The European Commission has recognised the initiative as one of the top five projects contributing to the New European Innovation Agenda.

At the final conference, Jean-David Malo, Acting Director for the European Research Area and Innovation at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), described ATTRACT as “a source of potential gems on which we should build”. He stated that the project inspired the European Commission to introduce an “innovation challenge” element in future rounds of EU funding, aiming to help develop the most promising breakthrough technologies.

Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament and a prominent voice in EU research policy, also expressed strong support for the ATTRACT initiative. He stressed that the connection between research, innovation and competitiveness was often underestimated.

“Research and innovation is not only about discovery, but also about creating a community of shared values,” Negrescu noted. He also referenced recent reports by former Italian Prime Ministers Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi, which highlight how research infrastructures such as CERN and supercomputing centres help develop Europe’s technological and economic sectors.

Representing far more than a successful pilot, ATTRACT marked a strategic shift in CERN’s engagement with innovation, entrepreneurship and societal challenges. By applying its scientific excellence and infrastructure to early-stage deep-tech development, CERN is reinforcing its relevance to Europe’s innovation ecosystem and deepening its strategic relationship with the European Commission. ATTRACT has helped place CERN at the heart of a renewed science-policy alliance that directly links scientific discovery with European prosperity. In this context and with the European Commission’s support, ATTRACT is ready to engage in whatever comes next.

Explore the ATTRACT project

This article was first published on CERN's website on 22 July. Read the original article here. 

1. Led by CERN, the ATTRACT initiative involves the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), the European XFEL, Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), Aalto University, the European Industrial Research Management Association (EIRMA) and ESADE Business School. The initiative is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

With the latest Horizon Europe work programmes now published, we set out in this article a guide to help CERN scientists and engineers find the right call to match their research field.

Horizon Europe is the main scientific funding programme in Europe, and supports a range of research topics, including many linked to work being carried out at CERN.

The latest 2025 work programmes have calls related to artificial intelligence, advanced sensor technologies, batteries, quantum computing, and more.

Our guide focuses on calls under pillars II and III of Horizon Europe, which are the most applicable to CERN scientists and engineers. Pillar II is broken into thematic clusters and funds projects aiming to tackle global and European societal and industrial challenges.

Pillar I provides grants for single beneficiaries to pursue basic research, as well as funding large projects involving several research infrastructures. You can find more information on pillar I calls at the following links:

• European Research Council grants
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
• Research infrastructures

Pillar III aims at funding projects involving technologies that are closer to being market ready. One funding scheme in pillar three that could be of interest to CERN researchers is the European Innovation Council, which aims to help develop and scale up breakthrough technologies. More information on specific EIC calls is set out later in this article.

For general information on Horizon Europe’s various calls, take a look at the European Commission’s website here.

Call deadlines vary but in general are set for this September or October.

How to use our guide

First scan the column in the tables below titled “if your R&D has to do with…” to identify quickly if some areas connect with your research.

If that is the case, take a good 45 minutes to read the associated call(s) and pay special attention to the sections called “Expected Outcome” and “Scope” because this is what the call is about.

Fill in the template that is at the bottom of this article. This is not for nothing. It serves two purposes:

• Leads you to think about your idea in a structured way
• Facilitates a faster and more focused discussion with the CERN EU Office

Send an email to Roy Pennings and/or Pablo Garcia Tello requesting a discussion meeting including the filled template.

Funding opportunities guide for CERN

Pillar II: Digital, Industry and Space

Pillar II: Climate, Energy and Mobility

Pillar II: Health

Pillar III: EIC Pathfinder Challenges

Pillar III: European Innovation Council Pathfinder Open

The Pathfinder Open is a bottom-up funding programme. If you have a project idea, please fill out the EU Project Idea Template (below) and then contact Roy Pennings and/or Pablo Garcia Tello. 

EU Project Idea Template

You can download the template attached below if you are interested in applying to any of the calls. 

A wide array of developments aimed at advancing detector technologies for particle accelerators were showcased at the final annual meeting of the AIDAInnova project this month. 

The meeting, held in Prague at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences between 5 to 8 May, brought together representatives of many of the EU-funded project’s 46 beneficiaries, including several representing companies. 

With the project now in its final year, talks centered on demonstrating the results of the work carried out over the past four years. 

The project is structured to improve detector technologies and facilities through three pillars: developing the backbone technologies that underpin detectors, developing detector facilities, and developing future detector technologies. 

Notable progress has been made in several key technological areas, such as advancing calorimeters and particle identification detectors (PIDs), improving hybrid pixel sensors for 4D tracking, advancing gaseous detectors including carrying out a detailed study for eco-friendly gases, and developments linked to cold liquid neutrino detectors designed for use at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, which is currently under construction in the US. 

Further to this, significant progress has been made on improving test beam and data acquisition infrastructure and upgrading and characterising irradiation facilities. 

Detectors of the future: Blue sky research

The AIDAInnova project also supports blue sky research, with four notable projects presented during the meeting. This included the development of compensated Low-Gain Avalanche Diodes (LGADs) for extreme fluences, the development of innovative nanocomposite scintillators for fine-sampling calorimetry, the development of a Silicon Electron Multiplier sensor, and the Wireless Data Transfer project that aims to develop wireless communication links that could replace or supplement traditional wired data connections in particle detectors. 

Despite the complexity of all of the projects, there have been promising results and the lessons learned can lay the foundation for future or continued research. 

AIDAInnova meets industry

The annual meeting was also a chance for researchers and industry representatives to network and discuss the project. A panel discussion on the links between the project and industry was held, and was a chance to explore the cross-over needs in terms of detector technologies. 

Following the panel, three companies, Pfeiffer Vacuum, Crytur and Foton, had the chance to display some of their products and explain their work to AIDAInnova participants. 

A talk during one of the plenary sessions on the knowledge transfer aspect of AIDAInnova showed that 10 technology disclosures have been submitted, surpassing the project’s initial target of five. A report summarising the various technologies developed during the project that have potential applications in industry is set to be published this summer. 

AIDAInnova and the future

With the project set to wrap up in autumn this year, this annual meeting was a chance for the project’s participants to look ahead to the future. 

For the detector community, there are still many technical challenges to overcome in order to advance various scientific fields, including high-energy physics. There is now a clear path to follow after the development of the Detector Research and Development Roadmap by the European Committee for Future Accelerators (ECFA). This document will help steer any future European-wide projects on detector technologies and facilities. 

Work has already begun on preparing the proposal for a new European call that would lead to the successor project of AIDAInnova.

The two fields of particle detectors and quantum technologies are intrinsically linked in a variety of ways, and yet there are few occasions for those working in these areas, especially early-career researchers, to come together to share knowledge and learn. 

That was the purpose of the two-day course on quantum applications that took place on January 23 and 24 at CERN, organised through the EU-funded AIDAinnova project. 

The event featured talks by 15 prominent experts in the fields of detectors and quantum technologies and attracted more than 100 participants over the two days, in person and on video conference.

The topics presented ranged from introducing the principles of quantum mechanics, to elaborating on different application areas, such as quantum sensing, metrology, quantum computing, and superconducting nanowire detectors. There were also four  industry talks from representatives of Amsterdam Scientific Instruments, IBM Quantum, STMicroelectronics and Hamamatsu.

This merging of academia with industry was particularly appreciated by participants and speakers alike. 

“What I thought was especially nice was to get more insight on some concepts that are being applied in industry,” said one speaker Daniel Egger, who works as a researcher in the Quantum Applications Research and Software group in IBM Research – Zurich. 

He highlighted talks on quantum random number generators and quantum sensors as being particularly interesting for him. “Getting a sense of what is happening outside of research is valuable,” he added. 

Karla Ivanković Nizić is doing a PhD at the Institut Ruđer Bošković in Zagreb and was one of five participants who received financial support through AIDAinnova to attend the course. She is working on the development and optimisation of single-crystal Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) diamond detectors for use in cryogenic temperatures and radiation-harsh environments. 

“I liked the course a lot,” she said, adding that she applied for it to gain more knowledge for her research, network with industry representatives and to have the opportunity to visit CERN.

In that respect, she said the course met her expectations. “The best thing was that it merged industry and academia, and created opportunities to network with a lot of different people. This is very valuable for those pursuing PhDs,” she said. “It was also really great to see that after finishing a PhD there are many opportunities in industry.”

The course also featured a poster session with 15 early-career researchers demonstrating projects that they are working on. The topics ranged from dark matter detection to cryogenic technologies for quantum and particle detection and advanced detector technologies for cosmic observations. 

The second day of the event kicked off with a networking breakfast, giving participants and speakers the chance to meet and discuss their areas of interest. 

“It was a fantastic event that broadened our horizons, showcasing how technology and techniques familiar to us in particle detectors are being applied to quantum systems,” said CERN senior scientist Anne Dabrowski, who led the organisation of the event.

“The lectures were outstanding, and the audience — comprising individuals of all ages and backgrounds — was highly engaged. I’d like to thank all the organisers for their efforts in putting together such an event,” she added.

The event was carried out in synergy with the United Nations’ 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ), which marks 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics.

Recordings of the talks are available at this link.

The Aidainnova project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101004761.

Members of the I.FAST consortium gathered at the Polish Academy of Arts and Science in Krakow for the fourth annual meeting. Credit: PAU

Several key developments in particle accelerator science that will shape the future of the field were presented at the recent annual meeting of the I.FAST consortium, a European Union-funded project now into its final year.

The meeting, which took place in Krakow, Poland, between 8 to 11 April, was an opportunity for the project’s partners to present results in several key technological areas, as well as a chance for the industrial and academic partners involved in the project to network and discuss new ideas.

Among the highlights was a presentation on a new strategy for developing thin films for superconducting radio frequency cavities, which was recently submitted to the European Strategy for Particle Physics update as part of an ongoing process to define the direction of particle physics over the next decade.

There were also talks on the progress made within I.FAST on the high-efficiency klystron prototype designed for use as part of CERN’s high-luminosity upgrade of ist Large Hadron Collider (LHC), and on the results from the testing of two separate RF electron photo-guns. Results were also presented in other key technological areas, such as in new accelerator applications, light sources, permanent magnets, additive manufacturing, and superconducting materials.

The I.FAST project is set to wrap up later this year and with many of the final results already accomplished, this fourth annual meeting was a chance for younger scientists and engineers involved in the project to present their work and findings.

There was also space in the week’s programme to dive into I.FAST’s relations with industry, with several sessions dedicated to innovation. There were talks on supporting start-ups and spin-outs, a look at Switzerland as a case study for technology transfer, and a discussion on the exchange between industry and academia in the field of accelerator science.

The event also provided the chance to delve into various activities taking place in the Polish particle accelerator community, looking at several facilities and projects to which the country contributes.

A key topic in accelerator science in recent years has been sustainability. A joint half-day workshop hosted by the Europe-America-Japan Accelerator Development Exchange Programme (EAJADE) and I.FAST outlined many initiatives to make large-scale particle accelerator projects more environmentally friendly. The session concluded with a discussion on what actions can and should be taken going forwards.

The final day of the meeting focused on the future and a potential follow-up to I.FAST that would continue and expand on the major developments that have so far been achieved.

A final I.FAST meeting will take place in October this year to conclude the project.

I.FAST is funded under the Horizon 2020 programme and brings together 48 beneficiaries from 15 countries, including 16 industrial partners, to explore innovative options and develop cutting-edge technologies for future accelerator platforms.

The I.FAST project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101004730.

Barbara Rusconi, project manager and financial analyst at CERN

Barbara Rusconi has been managing the finances of projects funded by the European Union that CERN is a part of since 2017.

In her role as project manager and financial analyst, she works closely with CERN’s EU Projects office to oversee the budgets, expenses and financial reports of some 20 different EU projects.

In this interview, she breaks down the difference between her job and the one carried out by EU support officers, talks about the EU projects she believes can have a positive impact on the world, and explains why she thinks it is not just scientists who make CERN special.

This is the first article in a new ‘meet the team’ series aimed at introducing the members of CERN’s EU Projects Office and sharing their perspectives on their work, CERN, science, EU projects and more.

Tell me about what your job entails?

My job consists of following up all EU-funded projects from a financial point of view. That means from the proposal stage until we receive the final payment.

There are six phases in my job. The first is meeting with the head scientist to prepare the right budget for the proposal. The second phase only goes ahead if the proposal is accepted and the project receives funding. At this point, we receive the first payment from the funder – often the European Commission via the Horizon Europe programme – and we divide the budget into material and personnel, in other words sorting out the budget on the CERN system. Then, during the lifetime of the project, we manage regular payments for expenses and submit financial reports to track expenditures. Those are the third and fourth phases. The fifth phase is preparing documents for audits, which are required for projects that receive over €430,000. The last phase is preparing the final financial report, which, when approved, grants us access to the final payment of the budget.

What is the biggest challenge in your job?

I manage around 20 projects in total, and I get all sorts of questions – it could be about employing new staff, paying for equipment and everything in between! It’s natural that some requests for changes get made during a project’s lifetime, but some requests can trigger a complete reset of the process and the budget. It is my role to communicate this and ensure that departments and project leaders understand the pathway to follow.

How is what you do different to what those working in the EU Projects office do?

Normally a project has three sides; the content side where scientists or engineers carry out the work planned in the project, the administrative side, which deals with making sure all the milestones and deliverables of the project are met and that the project stays on track, and the financial side, where I work and take care of all the budgetary aspects.

If a CERN scientist or engineer is interested in applying for EU funding, should they contact you or the EU Projects office?

It depends what their question is. If it is an administrative question, I will direct them to the EU Projects office as they have an extensive knowledge of the administrative issues of EU projects. Whereas if they have a financial question, I can help them. In any case, I will be able to direct them to the appropriate person. We can say that the two roles of EU Office and External Grants are complementary, we complete each other, and make sure that EU projects are implemented following EU and CERN rules.

What are some of your favourite projects that you are managing right now?

Currently, I have three favourite projects:

1. The FCCIS (Future Circular Collider Innovation Study), which ended recently, was about the feasibility to build the FCC. It is fascinating to be able to contribute to the birth of such a big effort that could revolutionise what we know about science today.
2. RADNEXT (RADiation facility Network for the EXploration of effects for indusTry and research) which makes CERN’s irradiation facility available to different users. I enjoy working on this because it is a large project with over 30 beneficiaries around Europe. It requires all tasks to be repeated by each of them and it is a great opportunity to learn.
3. The TRUSTroke (Trustworthy AI For Improvement of Stroke Outcomes) project works on a novel AI-based tool that detects pathologies in the brain and predicts the risk of disease recurrence. Being a part of the pieces working towards the goal of this project puts me in contact with groups at CERN which I normally do not have contact with. I find this enriching and it also helps to build connections.

From the outside, people tend to view CERN as being a place for particle physicists. What is your perspective on that?

CERN’s main mission is exploring the fundamental particles of the universe, and of course for that you need theoretical physicists or applied physicists. But CERN is much more than that.

There are entirely different worlds behind physics that allow the CERN machine to work. There are extremely talented people working in financial services, business administration, translation, legal services, community management, communications and many more! It takes all kinds of profiles to make CERN what it is today, and I think it’s really important that we all recognise and share this success.