Connecting Europe’s Big Science Ecosystem
The event brought together experts from CERN, EISCAT, European Spallation Source (ESS), European XFEL, FAIR/GSI, Fusion for Energy, and MAX IV, uniting experience and perspectives from Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and Denmark.
AIMday (Academic Industry Meeting Day) is a well-established format where research organisations present their technical challenges, and academic and industrial experts select the questions most relevant to their expertise. Each question is explored through focused, one-hour workshops under the principle of “One Question, One Hour”, fostering intensive, solution-oriented dialogue.
This year’s thematic focus on Green Tech Solutions reflected Europe’s growing ambition to integrate sustainability into science and innovation. Throughout the day, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on real technical challenges, generating new ideas and paving the way for future collaborations that might not have emerged otherwise.
Inspiring the Next Generation
With many international experts gathered in Lund, the organisers also seized the opportunity to engage with students. A lunch seminar at Lund University’s Faculty of Engineering drew a full house of young talents eager to learn about careers in Big Science.
Pradeep Ghosh (FAIR) and Sandra Muhr (CERN) shared their insights and personal experience from working within large research infrastructures, offering valuable perspectives on international scientific collaboration.
INPROCAP coordinator Esther Davidsen (DTI) presented the project’s mission and how INPROCAP supports capacity building and innovation procurement in the Big Science sector. She also highlighted opportunities for research organisations and industry to benefit from the project’s tools and training.
Collaborative Spirit and Exchange
Between workshops, participants enjoyed the hallmark of Swedish hospitality — generous fika breaks — creating informal spaces for networking, reflection, and exchange before returning to the next session. The day concluded with a shared sense of momentum and partnership, underlining the importance of AIMday as a bridge between Big Science, academia, and industry.
