FAIR project evaluated by international group of experts

Press release, 26th October 2022

Following the decision of the FAIR Council, the highest body of the FAIR GmbH’s shareholders, for an up-to-date review of the FAIR project, the international committee of experts appointed for the task has completed its final report. The decision was motivated by the challenging financial status of the project. The report has been presented at an extraordinary FAIR Council meeting on October 25th, 2022. In addition to scientific and technical aspects, the experts also reviewed the prospects for finances and schedule.

The team of external experts was headed by the experimental particle physicist Professor Rolf-Dieter Heuer, who was director-general of the European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN for six years, and the experimental physicist Professor Robert Tribble, deputy director for science and technology at Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA. The committee consisted of renowned experts, who have been assessing the project in great detail since April 2022.

The expert group evaluated the science program of FAIR as compelling, often world-leading: According to the expert report, there is no other facility now being planned or under construction that can carry out the full program of science planned for FAIR. Even in case of delays, it will still be possible for FAIR to tackle many of the outstanding questions in nuclear physics.

The committee suggests a stepwise approach for the realization of the project, bringing the facility progressively into operation. It has also recognized that, as a consequence of various unforeseeable developments additional costs are unavoidable to reach the first step of viable operation. The FAIR Council will now consider the steps to be taken based on the outcome of the review, including the implementation of a proposed cost cap for the realization of the first step.

The Scientific Managing Director, Professor Paolo Giubellino, said: “I am very proud that the scientific program of FAIR once again has been rewarded with a very positive response of an international committee with high standing. We are grateful to the international scientific collaborations for their outstanding job in preparing FAIR’s scientific program”.

The FAIR management is looking forward to the next realization steps, following the decisions of the FAIR-Council, in order to realize the first scientific experiments at FAIR as early as possible.

This press release with pictures is available on our website

https://www.gsi.de/en/start/news/details/2022/10/26/fair-projekt-von-internationaler-expertinnengruppe-evaluiert