THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SYNCHROTRON-LIGHT-NATIONAL-LABORATORY IN BRAZIL

In 1981, a small group of Brazilian physicists started a very effectiv e campaign to construct a national synchrotron radiation laboratory. B y the end of 1984, the project was officially approved and, surviving political shifts brought about by the end of military rule, constructi on of the lab began in 1987. Why, in these times of declining budgets in world science, should a relatively poor country, struggling with fi nancial difficulties, decide to invest millions of dollars in a Big Sc ience facility? We examine the decision-making process leading to the lab's construction, focusing on three intermediate stages: the decisio n to build the lab; the choice of its site; and the size of the machin e. We show that basic support came much more from policymakers than fr om scientists and potential users, and that the political ability of t he few scientists directly involved with the project was crucial for i ts implementation. We conclude that the decision to build was made, no t to answer scientific problems or to achieve new technological applic ations relevant to Brazil, but mainly to stimulate technological devel opment, and to introduce the country to the new level of scientific or ganization represented by Big Science and National Laboratories.