Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09VIENNA583
2009-05-15 14:39:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:
Austrian Scientists Rally Against Proposed
how-toVZCZCXRO5580 RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHVI #0583 1351439 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 151439Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2574 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 1187
UNCLAS VIENNA 000583
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPL AU TPHY
SUBJECT: Austrian Scientists Rally Against Proposed
CERN Withdrawal
UNCLAS VIENNA 000583
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPL AU TPHY
SUBJECT: Austrian Scientists Rally Against Proposed
CERN Withdrawal
1. Last week's surprise decision by Austrian Science
Minister Johannes Hahn (OVP) to pull out of the
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) has
appalled Austria's scientific community. Austrian
scientists are furious that they will become "second-
class" users at CERN after 50 years of participation
and just as the Large Hadron Collider comes online.
In response, the Austrian Physical Society will
shortly submit its online petition (which has garnered
21,000 signatures within just a few days) to Austria's
Parliament, asking it to overturn the CERN decision.
2. Austrian researchers thought they had managed to
stave off severe budget cuts in basic research funding
with an earlier petition with 10,000 signatures to the
GoA. Nevertheless, the Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
has had freeze all decisions on grant appplicants and
has postponed its first two board meetings of 2009.
COMMENT: As the FWF is by far the most significant
public agency supporting basic research in Austria, it
appears that maintaining its moderate budget took
priority over CERN. By pulling money back home, the
GOA may also be trying to compensate for an apparent
sharp drop-off in private R&D funding. END COMMENT.
3. The Ministry intends to redirect Austria's EUR 16
million membership contribution to other international
projects and to domestic research programs supported
by the FWF. Programs expected to benefit include:
-- European Biobanking and Biomolecular Research
Resources Infrastructure Project (Austria),
-- European X-ray Free Electron Laser (Germany),
-- Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (Germany),
and
-- European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) Project.
However, funding for those projects will not be freed
up anytime soon. CERN's finance manager says that
that a withdrawal would incur Austria high costs
(equal to several annual membership contributions) in
terms of employee benefit obligations and other
contractual commitments which would come due upon
Austria's departure.
ORDWAY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPL AU TPHY
SUBJECT: Austrian Scientists Rally Against Proposed
CERN Withdrawal
1. Last week's surprise decision by Austrian Science
Minister Johannes Hahn (OVP) to pull out of the
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) has
appalled Austria's scientific community. Austrian
scientists are furious that they will become "second-
class" users at CERN after 50 years of participation
and just as the Large Hadron Collider comes online.
In response, the Austrian Physical Society will
shortly submit its online petition (which has garnered
21,000 signatures within just a few days) to Austria's
Parliament, asking it to overturn the CERN decision.
2. Austrian researchers thought they had managed to
stave off severe budget cuts in basic research funding
with an earlier petition with 10,000 signatures to the
GoA. Nevertheless, the Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
has had freeze all decisions on grant appplicants and
has postponed its first two board meetings of 2009.
COMMENT: As the FWF is by far the most significant
public agency supporting basic research in Austria, it
appears that maintaining its moderate budget took
priority over CERN. By pulling money back home, the
GOA may also be trying to compensate for an apparent
sharp drop-off in private R&D funding. END COMMENT.
3. The Ministry intends to redirect Austria's EUR 16
million membership contribution to other international
projects and to domestic research programs supported
by the FWF. Programs expected to benefit include:
-- European Biobanking and Biomolecular Research
Resources Infrastructure Project (Austria),
-- European X-ray Free Electron Laser (Germany),
-- Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (Germany),
and
-- European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) Project.
However, funding for those projects will not be freed
up anytime soon. CERN's finance manager says that
that a withdrawal would incur Austria high costs
(equal to several annual membership contributions) in
terms of employee benefit obligations and other
contractual commitments which would come due upon
Austria's departure.
ORDWAY