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The creation of Risø forty years ago was one of the largest, single investments in Danish research. The intention was to realise Niels Bohr’s visions of the peaceful use in Denmark of nuclear energy for electricity production and other purposes. Things turned out differently.
Risø decided to take the opportunity of its 40th anniversary in 1998 to have its history written in a form that would contribute to the history of modern Denmark. We asked four historians of science and technology to carry out this task, and for almost two years they studied records and publications and interviewed present and former staff members of Risø.
The result was a book in Danish entitled "Til samfundets tarv - Forskningscenter Risøs historie" by Henry Nielsen (ed.), Keld Nielsen, Flemming Petersen and Hans Siggaard Jensen (Risø 1998). The book recounts Risø’s history on the political and administrative level and presents selected and characteristic aspects of the comprehensive research that has been carried out at Risø.
The present text is a slightly reworked translation of the last chapter of that book. It contains a summary of Risø's history and some reflections on forty years of change. Change in Danish society at large, in research policy, in energy policy, in technological expectations. Changes at Risø, in leadership, in organisational structure, in strategy and in fields of research. Some of Risø’s largest projects are briefly characterised.
"Risø National Laboratory - Forty Years of Research in a Changing Society"
This publication is a slightly reworked translation of the last chapter of the book "Til samfundets tarv - Forskningscenter Risøs historie".
Free copies of the publication can be ordered from:
Risø DTU
Information Service
Bld. 115, Postbox 49
DK-4000 Roskilde
Tel. +45 4677 4004
Fax: +45 4677 4013
bibl@risoe.dtu.dk |