Three women, one mission: the bid book for the Einstein Telescope
Paula Beger, Anouk Schmid and Carine Van Hove are working towards the final stage of the Euregio’s bid for the Einstein Telescope: the bid book. This document must be ready by the end of 2026 to convince decision-makers at government level in European countries of the strength, potential and future-proof natureing of our location. Women are often in the minority in science, but this team is a striking exception. We spoke to bid book manager Paula about the trio’s approach, plans and ambitions.
A breath of fresh air
‘We were obviously chosen on the basis of our qualities,’ says Paula. ‘Nevertheless, I was surprised during the first meeting by the large number of men at the table. Many of them have been working in the same way for years. We want to bring a breath of fresh air in something different. We’re professional in what we do, but we also want to introduce a different way of communicating and working together. With a softer, more open approach, we can provide valuable insights and contributions.’
Roles within a trinational team
As bid book manager, Paula talks to lots of people to gather as many ideas and as much information as possible for the bid book. Who does what? What expertise is available? And which external parties are needed? ‘I have to dig for information while maintaining an overview of the bid book’s progress and the various roles within our team,’ she notes.
Paula comes from the State Chancellery and the Ministry of Culture and Science in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Her government in Düsseldorf is fully committed to the Einstein Telescope and has seconded Paula to the project office for this important role.
Each has her own role within the team, and Anouk Schmid focuses on the effects that the arrival of the Einstein Telescope will have on the region and its inhabitants. She unites three countries in one person: as a German living in Visé in Wallonia, she joined the bid book team via the Dutch partner LIOF. Carine Van Hove works for the Euregio Meuse-Rhine from the province of Belgian Limburg. ‘As a product manager, she looks at the economic effects that the Einstein Telescope will have in the EMR for our region and the rest of Europe. She was part of the ET-EMR task force and the advisory body that considers the valorisation opportunities of the Einstein Telescope. She therefore knows exactly what’s going on in the development of the Einstein Telescope,’ explains Paula.
Building an aeroplane
It is not yet clear what the final bid book will look like. ‘All options are still open. We don’t want to think in terms of a fixed product at this stage, so that we have as much room as possible for new ideas,’ explains Paula. ‘We’re guided by the information we receive. Sometimes it feels like I’m already flying in an aeroplane while I’m still building it.’ The timeline for the final product is also flexible: ‘It’s important that all plans can be adjusted until we have a definitive idea. The ultimate goal is to have a product available by the end of 2026.’
Starting small
‘To achieve a successful end result, I have developed my own strategy,’ says Paula. ‘I collect ideas from other bid book teams and read about similar projects, such as at CERN, or interview experts on topics such as environmental management or infrastructure. It reminds me of writing my PhD thesis. You start small, ask open questions, gather information and come up with something innovative.’
Boost for the region
“For me, the bid book is successful if the region can benefit from it,” says Paula. ‘We live in a world where science is often seen as something distant and abstract. But this project has a huge and real-life impact. Not only will people from the region benefit from it, but so will others. We’re setting up a major European project in a region where different languages flow seamlessly into one another. This attracts people from all over the world.’
