From Big Science to ERIC: The Evolution of European Research Infrastructures and Their Role in EU Integration

From Big Science to ERIC: The Evolution of European Research Infrastructures and Their Role in EU Integration

The establishment and operation of research infrastructures in Europe have been pivotal in shaping science policy and fostering interstate cooperation since the mid-20th century. With the creation of the European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) in 2009, the European Commission introduced a groundbreaking legal framework under EU law, marking a paradigm shift in how such infrastructures are organized and governed. This webinar explores the historical and political evolution of research infrastructures in Europe, focusing on the key milestones that paved the way for the ERIC framework.

Drawing on a historical analysis of patterns in the negotiation and implementation of large-scale research projects, the webinar will provide insights into how the ERIC framework aligns with established practices while introducing new mechanisms for coordination, accountability, and compliance at the supranational level. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how RIs have contributed to European integration by fostering shared responsibility, promoting subsidiarity, and aligning national interests with EU policy objectives through financial incentives and legislative innovations.

Katharina C. Cramer is a social scientist and historian specialised in the history, politics and organization of Big Science and research infrastructures in Europe. She studied political science, sociology and history at the universities in Bonn (Germany), Istanbul (Turkey), and Luxemburg and completed her doctorate in history at the University of Konstanz (Germany). She is co-founder of TILLER ALPHA, a start-up company from the University of Bonn that co-creates and innovates analytics for research infrastructures and core facilities to explore and understand the cognitive and social dynamics of user communities, collaborative ecosystems and usage patterns of scientific instruments.

Join us on 29 January 2025 at 14:00 CET.

Register online.

Moderator: Dr Michaela Th. Mayrhofer

Speaker: Katharina C. Cramer

This webinar is a offered by ELSI Services & Research Department at BBMRI-ERIC.