Allan Larsson, former Chief Negotiator for Sweden's campaign to host ESS, visited the site recently to present his latest book
"The 3rd October 2000 was a beautiful autumn day in Lund. The academic year had started after the long summer break, and students and teachers were working full out. Everything was as usual. Few, if any, could understand that this day could, in the future, be described as a scientifically historical day - for Sweden and Europe." These are the opening words of Larsson's 'Memo X' - the title of the chapter that describes his time campaigning for the ESS project, and the third of four 'memos' in his latest book, "I Vetenskapens Värld" (In the World of Science).
Larsson visited ESS last week to present the book, his third and final in a trilogy of 'memos'; his personal choice to avoid the somewhat sentimental context the term 'memoir' implies. The presentation was attend by both employees and external visitors, and included Larsson's anecdote of the very first meeting held at Gamla Biskopshuset in Lund, where more than a dozen of the foremost Swedish, Danish and Norwegian researchers and enthusiasts in research with neutrons had gathered. The meeting that proved pivotal in what would become Lund's - and Sweden's - bid to host ESS, and was epitomised with the now well-quoted statement: "a golden opportunity with a small chance of success".
Larsson came to ESS to present the book, his third and final in a trilogy of 'memos'; his personal choice to avoid the somewhat sentimental context the term 'memoir' implies. The presentation was attend by both employees and external visitors, and included Larsson's anecdote of the very first meeting held at Gamla Biskopshuset in Lund, where more than a dozen of the foremost Swedish, Danish and Norwegian researchers and enthusiasts in research with neutrons had gathered. The meeting that proved pivotal in what would become Lund's - and Sweden's - bid to host ESS, and was epitomised with the now well-quoted statement: "a golden opportunity with a small chance of success".
In "I Vetenskapens Värld" he details Lund University's successes in the struggle for national research funds and how, over a decade, Lund developed plans for and ultimately received a decision on establishing three major research facilities, MAX IV, ESS and Medicon Village. As chairman and negotiator, Larsson was deeply involved in the ESS project, and in his book he describes from the inside how the negotiations progressed and talks about the people who made the success possible.
Lars Börjesson, Chair of the ESS Council, also provided the audience with an insight into the man behind the book, as well as others who played crucial parts in the early stages of the Swedish campaign to host. He also highlighted that the ultimate phase of the project lies ahead - once ESS is operational and producing big science. As Larsson writes in the book, "The great story lies in the future" and will be written by the thousands of researchers who will come to ESS.
