Einstein Telescope on German shortlist for scientific projects
The German Federal Government has positioned the pre-stage of the Einstein Telescope on the national shortlist for large scientific infrastructures as a project of scientific, economic and social importance to Germany whose realisation should be pursuid with priority. In this, the Einstein Telescope has been assessed as an instrument of ‘the highest scientific potential with high innovation potential’.
At a press conference, German Minister Dorothee Bär (Federal Ministry Research, Technology and Space) announced the shortlist of 9 scientific projects chosen from a list of 32 submitted plans.
That list of 9 scientific projects includes the preliminary phase of the Einstein Telescope. Associated with this, as scientific leaders in Germany, are the RWTH Aachen, the University of Münster, the Ruhr University Bochum and the Technical University Dresden.
The first three universities previously signed the MOU (memorandum of understanding) to cooperate with a total of 20 universities in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium on the candidature of the Einstein Telescope in the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion.
The German Federal Ministry Research, Technology and Space and the German Science Council will consult with German universities, research institutions and the federal states on further steps in the coming period. Minister Bär indicated at the press conference that the extent of (financial) support for the nine projects has not been determined. However, she did indicate that all these projects make a major contribution to science, economy and society.
Support federal government
From the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the government in Düsseldorf had previously indicated its support for the candidacy for an Einstein Telescope in the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion and its willingness to contribute substantially to its construction, provided that the federal government also supports this candidacy and significantly contributes. Placing the Einstein Telescope preliminary stage on the shortlist thus marks the next step.
