Carlo Rubbia, Eric Maskin, Martin Perl, Riccardo Giacconi, Leon M. Lederman, Roy Glauber, Samuel Ting
- Carlo Rubbia - Nobel Prize 1984
- Eric Maskin - Nobel Prize 2007
- Martin Perl - Nobel Prize 1995
- Riccardo Giacconi - Nobel Prize 2002
- Leon M. Lederman - Nobel Prize 1988
- Roy Glauber - Nobel Prize 2005
- Samuel Ting - Nobel Prize 1976
(Carlo Rubbia, CERN, Nobel Prize in Physik 1984)
(Eric Maskin, IAS Princeton, Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 2007)
(Martin Perl, Nobel Prize in Physics 1995)
(Riccardo Giacconi, Nobel Prize in Physics 2002)
(Leon M. Lederman, Nobel Prize in Physics 1988)
(Roy Glauber, Nobel Prize in Physics 2005)
(Samuel Ting, Nobel Prize in Physics 1976)
We are gravely concerned that Austria intends to withdraw its membership of CERN, the world's leading laboratory for particle physics. The experiments carried out at CERN will significantly advance our understanding of the fundamental laws that govern the universe. Austria has provided valuable intellectual and financial contributions during the past 50 years of CERN membership. CERN's role as a technology centre and as a bridge between nations and cultures goes far beyond merely scientific aims.
We urge the Austrian government to reconsider the decision to discontinue its membership in CERN. Austria must remain in the worldwide research community as an active participant, to secure its firm place at the forfront of science and technology, and for the benefits of all its people.
Original letter to Minister Hahn
- Georges Charpak - Nobel Prize 1992
(Georges Charpak, Nobel Prize in Physics 1992)
Je pense que la démarche du gouvernement Autrichien relève d'une vision primaire et dangereuse. Elle contribue à vouloir reduire l'Europe à une poussière de petits pays incapables de participer aux aventures passionnantes qui s'ouvrent à nous face aux nouveaux géants et aux problèmes qui nous sont servis par le CERN.
Translation:
I think the action of the Austrian government reflects a narrow-minded and dangerous vision. It contributes to trying to reduce Europe to a handful of tiny countries, incapable of participating in the fascinating adventures opened up to us by the new, gigantic machines of CERN and the problems they will allow us to solve.
(per email on May 17, 2009)
- Samuel Ting - Nobelpreis 1976
(MIT Thomas D. Cabott Institute Professor of Physics, Nobelpreis für Physik 1976)
Over the last half century, CERN has made fundamental contributionsto science and instrumentation. It is now a truly world-class Laboratorywhere scientists from all over the world can work together from differentgeographic, political and religious backgrounds. CERN is truly the most successful international collaboration. CERN is now on the verge of major fundamental breakthroughs in science. I urge the Austrian authorities to reconsider their position.
(posting on hephy.at from May 17, 2009, authenticity confirmed)
- Tim Hunt - Nobel Prize 2001
(Tim Hunt, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 2001)
I am shocked to hear that the Austrian government contemplates the termination of their subscription to CERN. This is a country with an illustrious tradition of first-rank ground-breaking molecular and atomic physicists; how can it turn its back on the latest project to explore the innermost secrets of our universe, particularly at this juncture, when the most exciting new results are expected? I would regard this almost as an act of vandalism, especially considering how CERN represents a beacon of European scientific collaboration whose benefits and influence go much further than the abstruse details of high-energy particle physics (thinking of the famous concrete example of the World Wide Web's invention).
I very much hope that the decision is reconsidered and reversed.
- Richard J. Roberts - Nobel Prize 1993
(New England Biolabs, Nobel prize in physiology or medicine 1993)
I find it strange that Austria would choose this moment to pull out of CERN, when it stands at the brink of making some momentous new discoveries. Since Austria has supported it since its birth this seems like a repudiation of all the good science that has been carried out there and an insult to the eminent physicists who have worked over the years. I would urge the Austrian government to reconsider this ill-advised decision.
(Comment on www.hephy.at on May 14, 2009 - authenticity confirmed)
- Nobel Prize 1979
(Boston University - Nobel Prize in Physics 1979)
Austria gave us Boltzmann, Ehrenfest, Meitner, Pauli, Schroedinger, Weisskopf, Zeilinger and so many other illustrious physicsts. Yet, this founding member contemplates withdrawing from CERN just before its most magnificent moment. I deplore this unconscienable act in the strongest terms. What funds may be saved cannot compensate for the harm that will be inflicted upon Austria's young scientists and its international reputation.
(posting on www.hephy.at on May 11, 2009 - authenticity confirmed)
- Claude Cohen-Tannoudji - Nobelpreis 1997
(Honorary Professor at Collège de France Physics, Nobel Prize in Physics 1997)
CERN is a wonderful example of success of the European collaboration for the development
of scientific research. Outstanding results have been already obtained by this institution and
new breakthroughs are expected soon at the forefront of our understanding of fundamental
interactions with the development of the Large Hadron Collider. Austria is an active member
of this European collaboration. The success of CERN provides a great stimulation to the
young generations and encourages them to choose scientific careers. The withdrawal of
Austria from CERN would cause a great damage to Austria and to Europe at a time where the
development of Science and Technology is a crucial issue.
- Gerard 't Hooft - Nobel Prize 1999
(Spinoza Institute, Utrecht University, NL, Nobel Prize in Physics 1999)
Big science projects such as CERN serve many important purposes. For the scientists, only large international institutions can provide the financial resources and the manpower to build the huge machines that can probe further into Nature's mysteries to reveal new features. For young students as well as the advanced ones, nothing is more inspiring than the technical challenges presented by these gigantic structures. For the public it shows how modern science works to yield a logical picture of Nature. For politicians these projects show in a unique way how different nations and cultures can collaborate peacefully on important enterprises.
Many poor and developing nations have the ambition to join CERN as soon as they can afford. They wish to allow their people to join with these glorious human adventures. I think it is a duty for all well-developed, rich and powerful countries to show to their own people as well as to the rest of the world how important good science is. A cost-benefit analysis should include the observation that a world without modern science would be left to war, poverty and a multitude of natural disasters.
We stand with our Austrian colleagues who are now deprived of the possibility to join CERN's unique research projects into the basic constituents of matter, and who now face the difficulty of explaining to the young people in their nation the fundamental importance of the scientific approach.
Gerard 't Hooft,
Utrecht University
- Frank Wilczek - Nobel Prize 2004
(Center for Theoretical Physics, M.I.T. - Nobel Prize in Physics 2004)
Scientific prospects at CERN have never been brighter and more exciting, as the great Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project approaches its operational phase. Many years' investment in research, development, and construction are about to bear fruit. There are good reasons to anticipate discoveries that will dramatically advance our most basic understanding of what the physical world is made of, how it works, and even how it came to be. While the primary goal of CERN is to address such fundamental issues, the laboratory is also a treasury of engineering marvels. It has been a seedbed of innovation in computer and communications technology, cryogenics, and large-scale, high-tech project management. Young people learn cutting-edge skills at CERN that they take back to businesses and schools of their home countries. For these reasons I believe that CERN has yielded, and will continue to yield, excellent long-term returns on investment, just as a matter of economics, even apart from its unique scientific value. In addition, since its origins in the aftermath of World War II, CERN has been an inspiring, visible symbol of European unity and cultural vitality. It would be a great loss for Austria, and a blow to Europe and the scientific world, if short-term thinking and lack of vision caused Austria - birthplace of Ludwig Boltzmann, Erwin Schrödinger, Wolfgang Pauli, Victor Franz Hess, and Lise Meitner - to pull out of CERN now.
- Jack Steinberger - Nobel Prize 1988
(CERN, Nobel Prize in Physics 1988)
To the Austrian Government:
As a longtime physicist at CERN, it is a severe shock to learn about a possible withdrawal of your country from this 55 year old European venture. It is true that progress in particle physics is now very difficult, given all that we have learned in the past half century, much of it at CERN, but it is also true that there is a lot which is yet to be learned such as "what is dark matter?" and "what is physics like at energies higher than a few hundred GeV?". The most powerful engine driving this research for the near future is the LHC at CERN, now coming into operation after many years of construction, with the participation of Austria.
It should also be taking into account that CERN serves in advancing technology in Europe, in the development of diagnostic devices for medicine, and in training the next generations of scientists and technologists.
If I can permit myself a further comment, it would seem to be in the interest of Austria to consult any proposed change of its CERN membership status with its European neighbors which are members of CERN.
Respectfully yours, Jack Steinberger Nobel Laureate, Physics, 1988
- Burton Richter - Nobel Prize 1976
(Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, USA, Nobel Prize in Physics 1976)
It is regrettable that Austria feels it has to leave the CERN organization after 50 years of membership. CERN has shown how international collaboration can allow science to progress on a scale beyond what can be done by any one European nation. It is a strange time to withdraw since the leading high energy accelerator facility in the world, the LHC, is about to begin operations. The number of observer nations from outside Europe that have contributed people and money to this project is a testament to just how important it is. Austria of course has to set its own priorities, but I wonder if the withdrawal has been really thought through. Technology comes out of laboratories too, and CERN?s contribution of the world-wide-web has undoubtedly returned more to the Austrian economy than all of its contributions over the entire 50 years of membership.