Beamtimes and knowledge production times: how big-science research infrastructures shape nations’ domestic and international science production

Frontier scientific discoveries increasingly rely on big-science research infrastructures that demand substantial investment and international collaboration. This study examines the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) and its impact on China’s scientific output, distinguishing national (domestic-only) from international (cross-border) publications. Using a difference-in-differences design at the discipline level, the authors find that SSRF significantly boosts high-impact outputs in disciplines dependent on synchrotron light, particularly raising the share of high-impact national publications. The results underscore big-science infrastructures’ dual role in fostering international collaboration while enhancing domestic scientific capability and competitiveness, offering implications for research assessment and science policy.