Gloria Puliga

Big Sciences projects aim to solve the so-called Grand Challenges. Examples of Grand Challenges are the production of net and clean energy or the discovery of the black hole existence. Big Science facilities are among the most expensive items in terms of public research expenditure, they are characterized by high uncertainty and their results can be appreciated only after a long timescale. In a time of scarce public resources for research, it is clear the need to deeply understand the impact that Big Science projects may have on society. Thanks to the analysis of the ITER case, the most important Big Science project for discovery the feasibility of fusion energy as a clean energy source, this work shows how the evaluation only of the final scientific result may be somehow misleading. To build Big Science projects, the involvement of industry is needed. Then, industry often joins its effort with Public Research Organizations. This exchange of knowledge and technology needs to be managed with a particular focus and with specific tools and it generates one of the most immediate impacts on the knowledge based-economy. Companies involved in Big Science projects benefit from an impact that is not only economic, but also in terms of brand image and acquisition of new competencies. Moreover, companies seem to act as a means to generate also an impact on society.