Speaker
Description
The promotion of synchrotron radiation and in particular of new facilities often requires presentations to broad audiences, illustrating the benefits from its use. However, such presentations systematically encounter a problem: identifying good arguments to demonstrate the practical and financial benefits, in addition to the scientific ones. Until recently, one could not find reliable and detailed quantitative information, and it was necessary to make only qualitative statements with limited impact.
However, this situation has been changed by a new and unique event: the COVID pandemics. Which stimulated sophisticated estimates of its financial impact by eminent economy experts. Such estimates also provide a solid background to evaluate the financial benefits from the use of synchrotron sources. In essence, synchrotron radiation crystallography was essential for the quick identification of the COVID virus structure, which allowed the timely development of vaccines. Thus, by analyzing the effects of the vaccines one can evaluate, in particular, the mitigation of the financial losses from the pandemics. Which also correspond to the financial benefits from synchrotron radiation activities. The results are absolutely astonishing, revealing that such activities are one of the most profitable enterprises of all times.
Their benefits are not millions nor billions, but reach several trillions dollars, beating even the companies with the largest revenues in the world such as Amazon, Walmart and Apple,. And reaching an outstanding benefit/cost ratio. These realities, of course, boost the effectiveness of the promotion of existing and new facilities.
