CERN Accelerating science

Over the years, CERN has always been open to the scientific communities of all nations, overcoming political barriers. CERN scientists worked with their Soviet and US counterparts throughout the Cold War. It is no accident that many Eastern European countries joined CERN soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And today, scientists from all regions of the world rub shoulders at the Laboratory.

CERN was the prototype for scientific collaboration in Europe, and has given rise to organisations with remits ranging from astronomy to biology. The latest organisation to follow in CERN’s footsteps is SESAME, a laboratory for the Middle East in Jordan. That Israel and the Palestinian Authority should be among the founder members of SESAME may seem surprising, but perhaps no more so than the countries of Europe coming together in the wake of the Second World War to found CERN.

A myriad of engineers, technicians and scientists develop novel technology and expertise that can be applied to fields other than high-energy physics. This is made possible by the CERN community, which develops the expertise and shares it with society. CERN also collaborates with industry – including large companies, SMEs or recent start-ups – and engages with other stakeholders, such as policy makers, especially those acting in CERN’s Member States.

What is our knowledge-transfer mission?

The scientific advancements of CERN push the frontiers of technology, which has a positive impact on society globally. Although the core mission of the Laboratory is fundamental research in particle physics, it also has a remit to train the next generation of scientists and to bring nations together. The transfer of CERN technologies and expertise to society is an integral part of these activities, providing novel solutions in many fields.