CERN inaugurates state-of-the-art Science Gateway for education and outreach in Geneva

Figure 1: Eliezer Rabinovici (from left), president of the CERN Council; Alain Berset, president of the Swiss Confederation; Fabiola Gianotti, CERN director-general; John Elkann, chair of Stellantis; and Renzo Piano, architect, cut the ribbon of Science Gateway, officially declaring the project open.

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, inaugurated its state-of-the-art facility for science education and outreach in Geneva. In a day-long inauguration event, CERN debuted Science Gateway to the president of the Swiss Confederation, ministers and other high-level authorities from CERN’s member and associate-member states, the project’s donors and partners in CERN’s research, education and outreach (Figure 1).

CERN member states include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Cyprus, Estonia and Slovenia are associate-member states in the pre-stage to membership. Croatia, India, Latvia, Lithuania, Pakistan, Turkey and Ukraine are associate-member states. Japan and the United States of America have observer status, as do the European Union and UNESCO. The observer status of the Russian Federation and of JINR is suspended in accordance with the CERN Council Resolutions of March 8 and March 25, 2022.

Figure 2: The CERN Science Gateway is designed to create a hub of scientific education and culture to inspire younger generations with the beauty of science.

When the project was announced in 2018, the CERN Science Gateway’s purpose was to create a hub of scientific education and culture to inspire younger generations with the beauty of science (Figure 2). Designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop, the facility opened to visitors from around the world, from the age of five and upward, on October 8.

The Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) was established in 1981 by Renzo Piano with offices in Genoa, Italy and Paris. The practice has since expanded and now also operates from New York.

RPBW is led by 10 partners, including its founder and Pritzker Prize laureate, the architect Renzo Piano. The practice permanently employs about 130 architects together with a further 30 support staff including 3D-visualisation artists, model makers, archivers and administrative and secretarial staff.

RPBW has successfully undertaken and completed more than 140 projects around the world, including the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles and the École normale supérieure Paris-Saclay.

Figure 3: Fabiola Gianotti, CERN director-general.

The inauguration ceremony began with an address by Fabiola Gianotti, the CERN director-general, who stressed the value of education and outreach with the public (Figure 3). “Sharing CERN’s research and the beauty and utility of science with the public has always been a key objective and activity of CERN, and with Science Gateway we can expand significantly this component of our mission,” she said. “We want to show the importance of fundamental research and its applications to society, infuse everyone who comes here with curiosity and a passion for science, and inspire young people to take up careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).”

Science Gateway is a place where scientists and the public can interact daily, stressed Gianotti. “For me, personally, Science Gateway is a dream that has become a reality, and I am deeply grateful to all the people who have contributed, starting with our generous donors,” she explained.

CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, is the home of the large hadron collider (LHC), the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator, which includes a train inspection monorail (TIM) system that monitors its health.

Figure 4: Alain Berset, president of the Swiss Confederation.

“Those familiar with Venn diagrams will agree that this invisible circle puts CERN at the intersection between Switzerland, France and Europe, thus symbolizing its commitment to shared scientific and political values,” said Alain Berset, president of the Swiss Confederation, in his address (Figure 4). “CERN truly is an exceptional facility and one that enables Switzerland and Geneva to shine on the world stage.”

Figure 5: The Science Gateway comprises five areas housing exhibitions, laboratories and an auditorium that can be flexibly configured into different spaces depending on requirements, as well as a shop and a restaurant.

The iconic building, inspired by the tubular structure of CERN’s accelerators, comprises five areas housing exhibitions, laboratories and an auditorium that can be flexibly configured into different spaces depending on requirements, as well as a shop and a restaurant (Figure 5).

The transparent glass panels and bridges further represent CERN’s commitment to collaboration across borders and culture and open science that is accessible to all.

“This will be a place where people meet: kids, students, adults, teachers and scientists, everybody attracted by the exploration of the universe, from the infinitely vast to the infinitely small,” said Renzo Piano, chief architect of the project (Figure 6). “It is a bridge, in both a metaphorical and a real sense. This building is fed by the energy of the sun, landed in the middle of a newly grown forest.”

Not only is the building visually striking, but CERN and the architects committed to it being fully carbon neutral, and almost 4,000 sq m of solar panels supply more power than the building’s needs. Over 400 trees were planted, situating the whole campus in a living forest.

While the full project was launched in 2018, construction of the Science Gateway campus took just over two years, with the first stone of the building being laid in June 2021.

Figure 7: Architect Renzo Piano and Stellantis Chairman John Elkann enjoy the building’s visually striking features.

The overall cost of Science Gateway was about $110 million, which was funded exclusively through donations. In particular, the Stellantis Foundation is the largest single donor and contributed almost $50 million toward the project. “CERN is an example of how we can work together in harmony, using scientific knowledge and ingenuity for the greater good,” said John Elkann, chairman of Stellantis (Figure 7). “Stellantis Foundation is proud to partner with such an institution as it opens to the public the new Science Gateway, which also celebrates a great innovator like Sergio Marchionne. My family and I strongly believe in the power of education, which is the mission of the Fondazione Agnelli, a commitment we reinforce today with conviction and passion.”

Figure 8: The ceremony took place in the new 900-seat auditorium, named after Sergio Marchionne, former CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

The ceremony took place in the new 900-seat auditorium, named after Sergio Marchionne, former CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, who recently passed away (Figure 8).

Stellantis, through its philanthropic activities and its foundation, invests in individuals through education projects that spark innovation and excellence.

The Fondation Hans Wilsdorf is also a major donor. Other donors are the LEGO foundation, the Loterie Romande, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Rolex, the Carla Fendi Foundation, the Fondation Gelbert, Solvay, the Fondation Meyrinoise du Casino and the town of Meyrin.

Guests visited the education laboratories and the unique immersive exhibitions and enjoyed the Big Bang Café, the Collider Circle square and other areas of the Science Gateway campus.

Figure 9: Visitors were able to experience first-hand the range of Science Gateway’s opportunities, from interactive exhibitions to laboratories for hands-on experiments and immersive spaces.

Throughout the day, guided by CERN scientists and children of CERN personnel, visitors were able to experience first-hand the range of Science Gateway’s opportunities, from interactive exhibitions to laboratories for hands-on experiments and immersive spaces (Figure 9). They also had the opportunity to visit CERN’s scientific breakthroughs and technologies, learn about the history of the universe and admire the mysteries of the quantum world. Teenagers guided guests through various inquiry-based laboratory activities throughout the afternoon.

“We celebrate the courage and passion to innovate that CERN has always demonstrated and the commitment to share the fruits of its research with people from all countries and of all ages,” said Eliezer Rabinovici, president of the CERN Council. “May the science leaders of tomorrow come from among the curious children who will fill this wonderful place with joy in the coming years.”

The new center is expected to host up to 500 000 visitors a year from across the world. Science Gateway will be free of charge and open six days a week, from Tuesday to Sunday.