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My Precious! The Location and Diffusion of Scientific Research: Evidence from the Synchrotron Diamond Light Source

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  • Christian Helmers
  • Henry G. Overman

Abstract

We analyze the impact of the establishment of a GBP 380 million basic scientific research facility in the UK on the geographical distribution of related research. We investigate whether the siting of the Diamond Light Source, a 3rd generation synchrotron light source, in Oxfordshire induced a clustering of related research in its geographic proximity. To account for the potentially endogenous location choice of the synchrotron, we exploit the availability of a `runner-up' site near Manchester. We use both academic publications and patent data to trace the geographical distribution of related knowledge and innovation. Our results suggest that the siting of the synchrotron in Oxfordshire created a highly localized cluster of related scientific research.
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Suggested Citation

  • Christian Helmers & Henry G. Overman, 2017. "My Precious! The Location and Diffusion of Scientific Research: Evidence from the Synchrotron Diamond Light Source," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 127(604), pages 2006-2040, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:econjl:v:127:y:2017:i:604:p:2006-2040
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/ecoj.2017.127.issue-604
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    Cited by:

    1. Tamay Besiroglu & Nicholas Emery-Xu & Neil Thompson, 2022. "Economic impacts of AI-augmented R&D," Papers 2212.08198, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2023.
    2. Neumark, David & Simpson, Helen, 2015. "Place-Based Policies," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, in: Gilles Duranton & J. V. Henderson & William C. Strange (ed.), Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, edition 1, volume 5, chapter 0, pages 1197-1287, Elsevier.
    3. Margarida Madaleno & Max Nathan & Henry Overman & Sevrin Waights, 2022. "Incubators, accelerators and urban economic development," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(2), pages 281-300, February.
    4. John Van Reenen, 2022. "Innovation and Human Capital Policy," NBER Chapters, in: Innovation and Public Policy, pages 61-83, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Giebel, Marek & Rösner, Anja, 2025. "Reaching for the society: The commercialization effects of NASA technology licensing," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(10).
    6. Pedro Llanos-Paredes, 2023. "The effect of applied research institutes on invention: Evidence from the Fraunhofer centres in Europe," Research Evaluation, Oxford University Press, vol. 32(3), pages 566-576.
    7. Folke Valfrid Snickars & Ulf Karlsson, 2017. "Research infrastructure, networks of science and regional development - the case of Oskarshamn," REGION, European Regional Science Association, vol. 4, pages 119-131.
    8. Castelnovo, Paolo & Florio, Massimo & Forte, Stefano & Rossi, Lucio & Sirtori, Emanuela, 2018. "The economic impact of technological procurement for large-scale research infrastructures: Evidence from the Large Hadron Collider at CERN," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(9), pages 1853-1867.
    9. Patrick Lehnert & Curdin Pfister & Dietmar Harhoff & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2020. "Innovation Effects and Knowledge Complementarities in a Diverse Research Landscape," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0164, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW), revised Jan 2022.
    10. Song Zhang & Mark van Duijn & Arno J. van der Vlist, 2020. "The external effects of inner‐city shopping centers: Evidence from the Netherlands," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(4), pages 583-611, September.
    11. Andrea Bastianin & Paolo Castelnovo & Massimo Florio & Anna Giunta, 2022. "Big science and innovation: gestation lag from procurement to patents for CERN suppliers," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 531-555, April.
    12. Görg, Holger & Mulyukova, Alina, 2022. "Place-Based Policies and Agglomeration Economies: Firm-Level Evidence from Special Economic Zones in India," IZA Discussion Papers 15123, IZA Network @ LISER.
    13. Christian Helmers & Mark Rogers, 2015. "The impact of university research on corporate patenting: evidence from UK universities," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 1-24, February.
    14. repec:oup:rseval:v:32:y:2024:i:3:p:566-576. is not listed on IDEAS
    15. van der Wouden, Frank & Youn, Hyejin, 2023. "The impact of geographical distance on learning through collaboration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).
    16. Blandinieres, Florence & Pellens, Maikel, 2021. "Scientist's industry engagement and the research agenda: Evidence from Germany," ZEW Discussion Papers 21-001, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    17. Llanos Paredes, Pedro, 2023. "The effect of applied research institutes on invention: evidence from the Fraunhofer centres in Europe," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 120473, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    18. Görg, Holger & Mulyukova, Alina, 2024. "Place-based policies and firm performance: Evidence from Special Economic Zones in India," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    19. Besiroglu, Tamay & Emery-Xu, Nicholas & Thompson, Neil, 2024. "Economic impacts of AI-augmented R&D," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(7).
    20. Andrea, Bastianin & Chiara F., Del Bo, 2019. "Procurement in Big Science Centres: politics or technology? Evidence from CERN," Working Papers 410, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised 21 May 2019.
    21. Pfister, Curdin & Koomen, Miriam & Harhoff, Dietmar & Backes-Gellner, Uschi, 2021. "Regional innovation effects of applied research institutions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(4).
    22. Xiyi Yang & Xiaoyu Zhou & Cong Cao, 2024. "Beamtimes and knowledge production times: how big-science research infrastructures shape nations’ domestic and international science production," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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