Media reports Switzerland contemplates firing hundreds of Russian scientists
Date
9/22/2024 9:07:50 AM
(MENAFN) Switzerland is set to expel hundreds of Russian researchers affiliated with the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), following the lab's decision to sever ties with Russia due to the ongoing geopolitical situation. According to a report from the journal *Nature*, this move will impact scientists working at the CERN particle physics laboratory, with the expulsion taking effect later this year.
CERN plans to end its cooperation agreement with Russia on December 1, 2023, which will prohibit any scientists linked to Russian institutions from working on its premises. Those affected will also lose their residency permits in Switzerland and France, further complicating their ability to remain in the region.
Earlier in the year, CERN announced its intention to cut ties with Russian specialists, culminating in the non-renewal of its cooperation agreement, which is set to expire on November 30. In March, a CERN spokesperson indicated that fewer than 500 specialists associated with Russian organizations remained, all of whom will be barred from the facility once the agreement lapses.
CERN has a long history of collaboration with the Soviet Union, dating back to 1955, although neither the USSR nor Russia has ever held full membership. Russia applied for associate membership in 2012 but withdrew the application six years later, maintaining only observer status until it was suspended in March 2022 in response to Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.
Historically, Russia has made significant contributions to CERN, including financial support and assistance in the construction of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator, which successfully achieved its first collisions in 2010. The LHC has been pivotal in advancing scientific understanding, including the confirmation of the Higgs boson, the particle that provides mass to fundamental particles like electrons and quarks.
This latest development highlights the ongoing fallout from the geopolitical tensions surrounding Russia's actions in Ukraine, affecting scientific collaborations that have thrived for decades. As CERN navigates these complex international relationships, the expulsion of Russian scientists marks a significant shift in the landscape of particle physics research.
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