The new face of Luxembourg research and innovation

"The best way to predict your future is to create it (quote by Abraham Lincoln)". The first words of the speech of Georges Bourscheid, President of the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, leave no doubt: the LIST intends to take control of its destiny and be a major player in research and innovation in Luxembourg and beyond. To achieve this, the Board of Directors, as announced in late December recruited Professor Dr. Gabriel Crean as CEO. The President reiterated Thursday his strong support of this new face of Luxembourg research. "Gabriel Crean has the scientific and technological background alongwith the managerial experience that coincide perfectly with the profile we were looking for, starts Georges Bourscheid . I am delighted that we have managed to attract him to Luxembourg. I am sure he will allow the LIST to achieve the expected levels of scientific and technological excellence and, international recognition."

Gabriel Crean is of course not only a face. The Irishman has an impressive CV. He occupied since 2012 the position of "Vice President for Technology and Director for Europe" of CEAtech, the Technological Research Division of the Atomic Energy Commission and Alternative Energies in France. With 4,500 employees, the CEAtech is the premier RTO (Research and Technology Organization) in Europe and has three world-class research institutes. Gabriel Crean is internationally recognized for his contributions to European science, technology and innovation policy. He is an academic fellow of the European Policy Centre; a leading european "think tank". He is an elected member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. He is President Emeritus of the European Materials Research Society. Prof. Crean has also worked as a consultant for several European governments and the European Commission.

With his experience, Gabriel Crean takes over as Chief Executive Officer on May 1, 2015.

"In this difficult period for Europe, and its member states, innovation will be the main driver of economic growth, said the future CEO. The LIST has an important role to play in supporting and developing innovation in Luxembourg. We must focus LISTs technological research on the needs of our industry."

As announced in 2012, the LIST is not just the combination of the CRP Henri Tudor and Gabriel Lippmann activities within a new structure. "We took advantage of the occasion to lay new foundations to make the LIST an Organization for Research and Technology, an RTO strong and ambitious at European level, said Georges Bourscheid. Our vision is to be in 10 years time in the Top 10 European RTOs in a number of targeted priority areas and to be a key partner for the economic development of Luxembourg."

To achieve these goals, the Institute relies on the activities of its three research departments: "Materials Research and Technology", "Environmental Research and Innovation" and "IT for Innovative Services".

The LIST as an accelerator

"Besides these business unit departments, we will set up a structure to allow the LIST to become a real RTO", said Chairman of the Board of Directors. This team will notably have the task of ensuring business development, intensifying collaboration with business and industry, commercializating the Institute's research results, and finally supporting its strategic development. "The role of an RTO is to transform the results of scientific research into useful technological building blocks for markets, says Professor Crean. Today, the challenge is to reduce the time between research and application in industry. Hence the need for an RTO. The LIST is the accelerator for Luxembourg. New products appear every two years on the market. You have to be fast." For Professor Crean, transforming scientific research into technologies to meet industrial needs and accelerate the innovation process will increase the attractiveness of Luxembourg. He intends to work in close collaboration with the Ministry of Research and the Ministry Industry along with the Government agencies, such as Luxinnovation.

Regarding LIST relations with other research and innovation actors in Luxembourg, the future CEO is very clear: "Luxembourg is too small for internal competition. We need to work closely with other research stakeholders along the Luxembourg innovation chain, including the University of Luxembourg. The size of the country is a benefit to go faster. Luxembourg could become a model for the rest of Europe."

Supported by the Secretary of State for Higher Education and Reseach, Marc Hansen, who stated that there are many synergies between the vision of the LIST and that of the Government, Gabriel Crean has no shortage of ideas and ambition for the LIST. He will begin to implement them on 1st May.