The Duke of York visits CERN


The Duke of York chats before inaugurating the UK@CERN exhibition. From left to right: Robert Aymar, CERN's Director General, the Duke of York, and leading UK scientists at CERN: Jim Virdee, CMS deputy spokeman; theorist John Ellis ; and Steve Myers, head of the AB Department.


On 23 November, the Duke of York visited CERN and, in his capacity as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, inaugurated the UK@CERN Exhibition. This biennial trade show was initially held in 1968, the first such exhibition by a CERN member state. This year 22 companies displayed goods and services that could be of interest to CERN scientists.

In his inaugural speech, the Duke emphasized that business between companies and CERN "is a two-way information flow with mutual benefits." The companies make sales but also benefit from technologies that CERN transfers to them. CERN benefits from the exchange, the Duke said, addressing CERN's scientists, because it "frees your time for what you do best: science."