A view from outside: an interview with R. Aymar

'Deep' and 'open'. These were the words used often by Dr Robert Aymar when he talked to the Bulletin last week about the investigations of the External Review Committee (ERC). Dr Aymar, who is director of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), chaired the ERC, which was set up in December 2001 in response to the increased cost to completion of the LHC. The committee's final report was presented to the CERN Council at its meeting in June.
The ERC's remit was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the LHC accelerator, its experimental areas, CERN's share of detector construction, and CERN's non-LHC activities. 'We went as deep as we could', says Aymar, during the five months that the ERC had for their investigations. During this time the committee met for six plenary sessions, each for 2-3 days. In addition there were sub-groups within the committee who met with different people from the complete hierarchy at CERN, from the Directorate, Division heads to ordinary staff members.
'The interaction with the staff was useful and deep', says Aymar. 'We have seen representatives of the Staff Association and any staff member who had a message for us. It was very, very open.' He found that the committee was 'well received', and points out that they took benefit from listening to people who contacted them unofficially as well as officially.
Aymar says that the ERC identified two main issues at the root of the crisis. One is cost-consciousness. 'Until recently the staff was not really conscious of cost. They were interested in the physics and technology being as perfect as possible.' But this must change, Aymar explains, if costs are be kept under control. The ERC has recommended new procedures to help in this respect, which are already standard in other areas of research. 'It has been happening elsewhere for 10-20 years,' he says, 'but this is the first time at CERN.' He acknowledges that this will involve a 'change in culture' that will take some time.
The second issue identified by the ERC was that from 1996 onwards the LHC was not given the necessary priority. 'The progress with LEP was very interesting and going well', says Aymar, as was work with ISOLDE, antiprotons and other programmes. Now however the LHC has become the absolute priority, with transfer of personnel to the LHC being one of the important steps in Aymar's view.
He is clear on what must happen now. 'The crisis did not end last year. There will be squeezing, changes ... people will have to do things they are not used to doing. Money has to be given to the LHC.' However, he points out that in discussions with staff, reactions to the ERC's proposals have been positive. He realises that it is vital to keep motivation, with a balance between current austerity and optimism for the future. 'The future IS bright', he says. 'We must look beyond the present difficulties to the future goal. To me, what is always important, is to look further into the future - 5 to 6 years, when the LHC, this important tool for particle physics, will be a success.'