CERN Committee meeting 10 March 1998

1. Savings in the CERN budget (Ö Skeppstedt)
   The problem is the 42 MSEK deficit that will appear in the NFR budget starting year 2000, because of the politically determined reduction of Swedish spending on international research organizations. During the spring NFR will be discussing what to do in a number of meetings, including the special international day on 17 April, the physics committee on 11-12 May, and the APS analysis group on 26 May. NFR must come up with a recommendation how to handle the situation at the 9 June meeting. That is, whether to leave CERN or to find measures that could cut the budget elsewhere. In the subsequent discussions, a number of arguments were raised why Sweden should remain in CERN, but the strategy of how to ensure that is not quite clear.

2. Financing of Swedish participation in ATLAS and ALICE (L Gidefeldt, Ö Skeppstedt, T Ekelöf)
   It appears FRN would be willing to guarantee 7 MSEK annually, provided that NFR assigns the highest priority to the projects. However, NFR is not likely to do that before it has decided whether to recommend a continued membership in CERN on 9 June. Therefore Sweden cannot sign the ATLAS memorandum of understanding in April.
   T Ekelöf stressed that the lack of financial clarity is jeopardizing Swedish chances of getting an in-kind order to Kockums for cryostat vessels for the ATLAS toroidal magnet. A possible strategy might be to try to delay the CERN contract procedure. The committee offered its support for the actions of the consortium.

3. International cooperation (L Gidefeldt)
   This was mainly discussed under point 1 already.

4. Upcoming CERN meetings (L Gidefeldt, Ö Skeppstedt)
   A good Swedish return coefficient is noted for 1997 supplies.
   12 countries have expressed willingness to support financially the running of LEP also in year 2000, but the CERN DG is asking for further contributions. It appears impossible to obtain an extraordinary Swedish CERN contribution, but the LEP groups were suggested to hand in an ordinary project application and have the case tested that way.

5. Seminar on CERN and Swedish industry (L Gidefeldt)
   The idea is to obtain support from the Ministry of Industry ("Näringsdepartementet") for the investment of Swedish companies into high technology at CERN. The seminar is intended to attract around 25 persons, and the program is planned by A Hugnell (TTA Technotransfer). The committee also asks the appointed leader group (P Carlson, S-O Holmgren and H-Å Gustavsson) to get closer involved in the planning.

6. Investigation on Swedish High Energy Physics (T Sjöstrand)
   Undersigned presented a brief report on current and future projects and raised a number of questions on possible Swedish actions in the short and long term, as possible directives for a full investigation. It was decided to narrow the scope to projects at CERN beyond LHC, to ensure that Sweden gets involved at an early state of the planning. G Jarlskog is asked to write the directives to the investigation for the next meeting. The investigation is seen as a one-year effort.

7. Summer students at CERN (T Ekelöf)
   The preselection has been done (with participation by T Åkesson) and the real selection is 17-19 March for the first round. The committee decided to discuss selection procedures and Swedish conditions at a future meeting.

8. CERN exhibition (E Johansson)
   The exhibition will be inaugurated 2 April at 16 p.m, at "Tekniska Museet" in Stockholm. The ceremony is expected to last 3-4 hours, containing both formal and informal elements, hopefully attracting some 100 people. Thereafter the exhibition will run for 10 weeks. NFR money will cover guided tours by doctorands, and special days are also planned. After Stockholm the exhibition continues to "Teknikens Hus" in Luleå for another 10 weeks, with Sverker Fredriksson as contact person. The committee expressed its appreciation for the important work done by E Johansson.

9. International day (L Gidefeldt)
   NFR arranges an information day on its international committees 17 April. G Jarlskog is expected to present the CERN committee. Some brief information material should be given to NFR members beforehand. G Jarlskog to draft in cooperation with L Gidefeldt and circulate among committee members.

10. Technician program of NFR/TTA (L Gidefeldt)
    The outcome of the first selection round is presented. Some applicants were likely to become ordinary technical students at CERN and were not considered. There were not as many applicants as expected, so essentially all the rest have been accepted in this program.

11. Next meeting
    Next meeting will be on 10 June.

12. Other business
    L Gidefeldt reported on the NFR postdoc priority list handed to STINT. The list contains 40 names whereof 10 physicists (out of a total of 33 applications) whereof 1 particle physicist. It is hoped that 25-35 will make it.
    G Jarlskog reminded of the TMR Marie Curie fellowships, where typically 20% of the applicants are accepted; this year even 25%. It is allowed to apply to CERN; since CERN gets high points as a host institute it is even a fairly good strategy.