Annual Report 2007

Home , Colin Blakemore, European Latsis Prize

SETTING SCIENCE AGENDAS FOR EUROPE

Annual Report 2007

www.esf.org Contents

Professor Ian Halliday: President’s Message ...... 4-5

Dr. John Marks, 2007 Chief Executive: 2007 – Steps to position ESF in the European Research Area ...... 6

The 2007 Assembly...... 8

2007 in Review...... 20 - European Science Foundation says farewell to its Chief Executive Bertil Andersson.. 20 - ESF names Sir Roderick Floud as the Chair of the Social Sciences ...... 21 - ESF names Professor Jean-Pierre Swings as New Chair of the Space Sciences Committee ...... 22 - International Review Panel commends ESF’s efforts in EUROCORES ...... 23 - The ESF and the European Commission sign contract for COST in FP7 ...... 25 - ERA needs full involvement of non-governmental stakeholders, ESF & EUROHORCs comment to EC’s Green Paper ...... 27 - Poto nik, 52 countries’ representatives ponder research integrity in Lisbon ...... 29 - EURYI 2007: 20 researchers receive Nobel Prize-sized awards in Helsinki ...... 30 - ESF meeting sets cornerstone for science communication ...... 32 - IPCC’s Nobel Peace Prize win underlines International collaboration spirit, ESF involvement ...... 34 - UK House of Commons report lauds Marine Board’s works ...... 36 - ESF awards European Latsis Prize to Willi Kalender on Medical Imaging achievement ...... 37 - ESF’s 1st Science Policy Conference ponders questions on ERA, Global Research Area ...... 39 - Korea Research Foundation eyes entry into EUROCORES, RNPs ...... 41 - EuroBioForum sows the seeds for future life sciences initiatives in Europe ...... 42

2 European Science Foundation Highlights from 2007 ...... 44 - European Launch of International Polar Year...... 44 - Systems Biology to boost the understanding of cell function and disease...... 45 - Watching what we eat: ESF - COST conference on Food Systems...... 46 - Space scientists, humanities scholars explore outer space from new perspective .... 48 - Astronomers get their hands dirty as they lift the veil on galactic dust ...... 49 - Investigating Life in Extreme Environments report gives hints on life ...... 51

ESF’s principal activities in 2007 ...... 54 - Forward Looks ...... 54 - Science Policy Brieﬁngs ...... 57 - Member Organisation Fora ...... 59 - Research Infrastructures (RI)...... 61 - Exploratory Workshops...... 63 - Research Networking Programmes ...... 74 - Research Conferences ...... 79 - World Conferences ...... 85 - EUROCORES ...... 87 - EU Framework Programme Projects ...... 115

ESF’s Science Structure and their highlighted activities in 2007 .... 123 - European Medical Research Councils (EMRC) ...... 124 - Humanities (SCH) ...... 128 - Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences (LESC) ...... 134 - Physical and Engineering Sciences (PESC) ...... 138 - Social Sciences (SCSS) ...... 144 - Marine Board– ESF ...... 149 - European Polar Board (EPB) ...... 154 - European Space Sciences Committee (ESSC) ...... 156 - Committee on Radio Astronomy Frequencies (CRAF) ...... 159 - Nuclear Physics European Collaboration Committee (NuPECC) ...... 161 - Science Advisory Board ...... 164

Finance & Administration ...... 166

Human Resources ...... 179

Communications ...... 182

COST ...... 184 ESF structure ...... 186 ESF Member Organisations in 2007 ...... 187 Governing Council / Finance and Audit Committee ...... 191 Publications in 2007 ...... 192

European Science Foundation 3 4 European Science Foundation President’s Message: Ian Halliday

has seen a major change at the top of ESF. At the end of March Bertil Andersson left us for the lush tropical charms of 2007 Singapore. John Marks took over as Chief Executive. Finally the new Chief Executive Marja Makarow took the reign at the start of 2008.

We owe Bertil many thanks for his many achievements with ESF. I pick three. The capabilities, management and environment within the ESF organisation improved markedly. Bertil was heavily involved in the restructuring of the COST domains and peer-review. This is seen as a real improvement and the ESF relationship with the COST Committee of Senior Offcials also continued to grow. The ESF stewardship of the EURYI scheme was seen to be an outstanding success with peer-review of the highest standard. Imitation being the highest form of flattery, we were thrilled that the ERC took the style and methodology of EURYI to heart in its frst round of funding.

Indeed ESF should claim its share of the praise in making the case for the creation of the European Research Council (ERC) which I see as a beacon of hope on the European science landscape.

John Marks, equally, has served ESF well during his tenure of the Chief Executive post. The most contentious area was the negotiations over the new COST contract (for effectively e210 millions). The satisfactory conclusion of these negotiations was a major coup.

Our new Chief Executive Marja comes from a background in Finland that encompasses major University involvement in both research and research management as Vice-Rector in the University of Helsinki and in National Science Policy making as a member of the Finnish Government’s National Council for Science and Technology Policy. On the European scene she has been actively involved with EMBO. I welcome her here to ESF and wish her good luck in her new post.

The year has also seen the implementation of the Governance changes agreed in 2006; back to back Governing Council meetings with EUROHORCs; the new Governing Council Steering Committee; the new Science Advisory Board.

The year has seen delivery of interesting Forward Looks and policy advice from Systems Biology to Arctic environmental studies. I thank all the committees and panels that make this work both possible and influential. We continue to improve our relationships with our Member Organisations to increase the relevance of this work and to maximise the impact.

In the wider context the series of meetings held under the Portuguese Presidency, allied to the dynamism of Minister José-Mariano Gago, has moved the European Agenda forwards. Given the success of the ERC the expectant gaze of European Science has turned to the EUROHORCs and national budgets. How can they contribute to the ERA in the style pioneered by EURYI? Whatever the answer I am sure ESF will contribute.

European Science Foundation 5 2007 – Steps to position ESF in the European Research Area

Bertil Andersson, who said farewell to led to the increasing number of requests ESF as Chief Executive in March 2007, from the MOs to assist their peer review of gave 2006 the motto “From Strategy to national programmes. Implementation”. In 2007 we took further The 2007 EURYI Award ceremony in steps on the path of implementing the Helsinki, the fourth and last one, demon- Strategic Plan 2006-2010, bringing us strated the enthusiasm and appreciation closer to the Member Organisations and for EURYI by new and previous awardees further building their trust. Especially at and signalled trust in the quality of the the strategic level, we invested consider- ESF peer review procedures for the prize. able effort. EURYI has served as a prime example of We started to professionalise our flagship the successful joint operation between instrument Forward Looks by taking a ESF and EUROHORCs. more systematic approach to identifying Together with the EUROHORCs we pub- topics of strategic concern to our Member lished a response to the EC’s Green Paper Organisations and by introducing fore- on the Future of the ERA. In a next step a sight methodologies. During the year we joint Task Force will defne concrete activi- initiated Forward Looks on topics such as ties that we will undertake together to con- Investigator Driven Clinical Trials, Pensions tribute to building the European Research and Health as well as Religion and Belief Area. Systems. In each case the focus is on the research agenda while at the same time As the development of science has un- each topic is of considerable societal in- doubtedly a global impact, the European terest. The Forward Look report Systems Research Area (ERA) would only make Biology: a Grand Challenge for Europe sense if it is conducted in a global context. has been brought to the attention of the The frst ESF Science Policy Conference research organisations in Europe in order in November was therefore dedicated to discuss concrete actions. to exploring the ERA as part of a Global Research Area (GLOREA). Also in the ESF has notably strengthened its collabo- global arena ESF could serve as a platform ration with EUROHORCs (European Heads for its Member Organisations, in order to of Research Councils) in 2007. Our initiative organise the interaction with the non- jointly with EUROHORCs and the Czech European countries in a more effcient and Science Foundation to start a debate in effective manner. 2006 on European level Peer Review has resulted in a Member Organisation Forum In 2007 the world conference on Research with active participation from Member Integrity held in September in Lisbon, Organisations addressing best practices marked ESF’s return to the arena of best in peer review and developing shared (da- practice in research conduct which we tabase) resources for peer review. This has entered in 2000 with the Science Policy

6 European Science Foundation Central to our operations is the quality of the staff. Our human resources policy was improved by introducing a performance- based salary system and a job classifcation Briefng on Good Scientifc Practice in with salary levels based on relevant markets Research and Scholarship. The joint such as our Member Organisations. In ad- initiative with the US Offce of Research dition training of staff in management and Integrity has generated a lot of healthy foresight will give us a more professional discussion and debate within the science edge in the ever-changing environment. and science policy community worldwide. It was the frst global event that allowed ESF membership continued to grow. The researchers and organisations to confer National Foundation for Science, Higher on such a pivotal issue. The Conference Education and Technological Development is followed up by a Member Organisation of the Republic of Croatia, the Agence Forum to develop the role of our Member National de la Recherche of France and Organisations in these matters. the Slovenian Research Agency joined ESF’s central role in scientifc networking ESF. in Europe will continue also under FP7 as a result of the successful conclusion of the I want to thank the staff of the ESF in 210 M€ COST contract. The negotiations Strasbourg, Brussels and Ostend for required a major effort from all parties in- their support during this year of transi- volved with an outcome of which we can tion under my leadership. ESF is also ex- be proud. The good interaction with the tremely grateful to the Chairs of Standing European Commission added a positive Committees and the Expert Boards, who note to the not always easy negotiations. are the real driving forces of our science The focus on strategy was not just con- endeavours. Finally I would like to thank fned to external activities. Our Standing Bertil Andersson for his dynamic contribu- Committees have successfully made the tions and trail-blazing efforts to push ESF transition from scientifc coordination and forward. proposal review to developing strategic directions as is illustrated by the EMRC I welcome our new Chief Executive White Paper on the present status and Professor Marja Makarow joining us in the the future strategy for medical research in beginning of 2008. Her extensive experi- Europe and the Position Paper published ence in research and science policy will by the Humanities Committee on the role give us the edge to rise to the challenges of the Committee in the changing context facing the ESF. of the Humanities. Only through this strategic thinking can our Committees influence the European science agenda in their Dr. John Marks disciplinary areas. Chief Executive 2007

European Science Foundation 7 The 2007 Assembly

The 34th annual Assembly of the European Dr. Richard Dyer and Professor Katherine Science Foundation (ESF), attended by Richardson Christensen. over 70 senior representatives from the In his annual address to the Assembly, Dr. ESF Member Organisations and other John Marks, ESF Chief Executive, high- international bodies, took a number of lighted the wide range of ESF’s successes important decisions of the organisation in during 2007: “It has been highly rewarding order to strengthen the future. to see the growing engagement of MOs and The Assembly, which took place on the increasing support for both the stra- November 30 at the Maison de la Région tegic role of ESF through Forward Looks Alsace in Strasbourg, unanimously ap- and for the researcher driven collaborative proved the admission of three new research programmes EUROCORES,” Dr. Member Organisations (MOs), bringing the Marks told the Assembly. total number of members to 77 from 30 He pointed out that there is a growing countries – a move that will further secure evidence of the increased trust of Member ESF’s position as an important force in the Organisations in ESF especially when it European research landscape. comes to the relation with EUROHORCs, The new Member Organisations are the both with the research funding agency National Foundation for Science, Higher members and the research performing Education and Technological Development agency members of EUROHORCs, the of the Republic of Croatia, the Agence strong support of EUROHORCs for the National de la Recherche of France and strategic role of ESF and the support for the Slovenian Research Agency, who join EUROCORES as the main instrument for the ESF with effect from 1 January 2008. research collaboration. There was also increased interaction with the Academy On informing the delegates of these or- members of ESF. ganisations of the Assembly’s decision, Dr. Marks highlighted the following ex- ESF President Professor Ian Halliday amples to substantiate this claim. remarked “We welcome you very warmly and we hope we can work together suc- ■ The establishment of the Forward Look cessfully in the future, for the beneft of (FL) on Investigator Driven Clinical Trials your organisations, for the beneft of ESF, with the support from major players in the and most importantly for the beneft of medical feld: such as the UK’s Medical European research”. Research Council, INSERM, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and the Another major decision made by the US’s National Institutes of Health (NIH). Assembly was to approve two new Vice-

Presidents, Dr. Arnold Migus, Director ■ The EURYI Awards 2007 with the enthu- General of the French CNRS, and Professor siastic support and participation of new Matthias Kleiner, President of the German and previous Awardees and the strong DFG, for a three-year period, starting advocacy for the instrument by Nobel from 1 January 2008. They would replace Prize winner Tim Hunt. A sign of trust in

8 European Science Foundation the quality of the ESF peer review proce- ■ The role of ESF in initiating and now co- dures. (p. 30) ordinating new science in Life in Extreme Environments – this demonstrates the ■ The successful conclusion of the 210 M€ COST contract which shows a sign of ability of ESF’s Committees, Standing trust in ESF’s ability to manage effciently, and Expert, to collaborate and generate and with high quality, fnancially and con- really new interdisciplinary frontier topics. tractually complex contracts and provide (p. 51) effcient management support for this ■ The high profle of attention for the key European networking instrument. Conference on Research Integrity in (p. 184) Lisbon. It shows the ability of ESF to cre-

■ The publication of research articles from ate worldwide partnerships to address EUROCORES in leading high impact important topics. (p. 85) journals. A sign that EUROCORES are

attracting excellent researchers and producing excellent results. (p. 87)

The 34th Assembly of ESF took place in Strasbourg on 30 November 2007.

European Science Foundation 9 10 European Science Foundation The 2007 Assembly

■ ESF’s Science Advisory of EUROCORES, in revised and new mod- Board els, after the end of the FP6 coordination contract. Dr. Marks also informed the Assembly about the activities of the newly created In a major strategic opportunity, the ESF Science Advisory Board (SAB). The SAB and EUROHORCs established a joint held its frst meeting on 26 September working party to provide a joint response in Copenhagen, where it discussed to the EC’s “Green Paper on the Future of EUROCORES themes and Forward Look the ERA”. The response identifes the need topics, making recommendations to the to consider the ERA as a richer landscape Governing Council, and also the develop- than the Green Paper indicates, and indi- ments of its wider role within the ESF. cates that ESF and EUROHORCs will take responsibility for implementing their part of The Board is chaired by Raimo Väyrynen, the ERA agenda and have identifed an 11 the former President of the Academy of point agenda. (p. 28) Finland, with a scientifc high-level membership of fve other independent members ■ Collaboration with groups of covering the whole research spectrum ESF Member Organisations: appointed using nominations made by ALLEA the ESF Member Organisations, plus the Another signifcant group of ESF MOs, fve Chairs of the ESF Scientifc Standing the academies, also collaborates in ALL Committees, acting frst and foremost in European Academies (ALLEA.) ALLEA their scientifc capacity. is represented in the Governing Council ■ Collaboration with groups of by an observer. The Strategic Plan an- ESF Member Organisations: nounces that ESF will address the needs EUROHORCs and wishes of its various categories of members. The role of the Academies is of The closer working relationship with the particular signifcance when it comes to EUROHORCs has been signifcantly de- the strategic and quality assurance roles veloped and strengthened during 2007. In of ESF, where the academies have been addition to the relatively simple expedient especially invited to nominate candidate of greater coordination of EUROHORCs members for the Science Advisory Board and Governing Council meetings, the ties and they could potentially play a signifcant have developed strongly in a number of role in Forward Looks. practical and strategic ways. Together with the President of ALLEA, the Building on the mutual experience ESF Chief Executive has sent a letter to in EUROCORES and with EURYI, those Academy members of ESF which are EUROHORCs have made common pot also ALLEA members. In that letter acad- peer review mechanisms a priority and emies were invited to share their needs have strongly supported the continuation and expectations regarding the role of ESF.

European Science Foundation 11 The 2007 Assembly

A signifcant number of responses were time, all the concerned parties in a global received and served as input to a work- effort to tackle fraud, falsifcation and pla- shop between ESF and the academies in giarism in science and share their growing 2008. concerns over misconduct in science. Alongside the initiatives taken by other ■ The European Commission participants, the ESF with EUROHORCs ESF and the Commission have interacted has published a compilation of policies of over the years in multiple ways and the start its MOs in Europe and this, and together of the implementation of FP7 has been no with the Conference report, will form the exception. High-level staff meetings now take place on a regular basis, covering not basis of an MO Forum. just direct relationships (e.g. COST and ERA-Net contracts), but also exchange of ■ Instruments information on strategic developments at The ESF Strategic Plan identifes the in- ESF and the EC, and the potential for the struments with which ESF will implement use of ESF instruments and expertise (e.g. the strategy. In this section illustrative Forward Looks, scientifc reviews, peer review) to assist in delivery of the mutual highlights will be presented for the vari- ERA development objectives of ESF, its ous instruments. The section is organised MOs and the EC. according to the three strategic pillars: strategy, synergy and management. Standing Committees are acting as “quality gatekeepers” in a major RI Survey and the transfer of know-how and best practice from the EURYI scheme to assist the ERC in establishing their programmes and procedures.

■ Other Partnerships A major highlight in ESF’s work with partners outside its membership was when more than 300 participants from 52 countries gathered in Lisbon in September for the First World Conference on Research Integrity (p. 85). The event was initiated and organised by the European Science Foundation (ESF) and the US Offce for Research Integrity (ORI), together with the Portuguese EU Presidency. The conference itself marked a milestone for the science community as it linked, for the frst

12 European Science Foundation Strategy

■ Forward Looks ■ Exploratory Workshops ESF continues to fne tune Forward Looks The Exploratory Workshops instrument con- (FLs) in all phases such as its interaction tinues to be highly valued by the scientifc with the Member Organisations in the community. 172 applications were received identifcation of topics, professional man- in 2007 and 64 were selected for funding. agement by the Offce of FLs, and atten- Between 2005 and 2007 a reduction in the tion from the beginning for the possibilities number of applications was observed but of implementing the recommendations in the opinion of Standing Committees the from the Forward Looks have all been ad- quality of applications remained very high. dressed during the year. In January 2007 a As the number of events funded annu- workshop to shape a structured approach ally stays unchanged the success rates in- to Forward Looks was held, involving creased from 20% in 2005 to around 30% the US National Academies of Sciences, in 2006 and 2007. In 2007 an information campaign was conducted to promote the NSF, OECD, ESF FL Chairs and Member new profle of the Exploratory Workshops Organisations with experience in foresight. being more focused on exploring frontiers In September a workshop with Directors of in science and developing follow-up strate- Strategy of MOs was held to discuss ways gic actions. This was to result in redoubled of improving the identifcation of FL topics interests in the instrument in 2008. and how the implementation in MOs could be promoted. The recent changes in the management of the awarded workshops ensure that the In August the Forward Look report Systems instrument plays an increasingly important Biology: a grand challenge for Europe was role as an input into the strategic work of published. The report concludes with a set the Standing Committees. of specifc recommendations that aims at bringing together Systems Biology efforts The use of the ESF Pool of Reviewers, as in Europe. The report, which includes 12 reported last year, has continued to show essays from the scientifc experts in aca- a very signiﬁcant improvement in overall demia and industry, illustrates “Europe’s quality and efﬁciency in peer review for the potential to be at the forefront of pinpointing instrument. the systemic causes of diseases” aiming at the rational design of targeted therapies ■ MO Fora and drugs. (p. 45) Building on the report, MO Fora is a response to the clearly ex- an ESF Task Force of nine experts in the pressed need by MOs to be able to meet feld, has published a series of recommen- and discuss topics of common interest dations including setting out a road map and is assuming a greater importance with to establish a pioneering Systems Biology the development of a greater awareness research programme in Europe. by MOs of the breadth of ERA issues they should address. The instrument is developing by means of an annual call, approval and reporting to the Governing Council.

European Science Foundation 13 The 2007 Assembly

The MO Forum on Peer review had its ESFRI roadmap exercise. Discussions kick-off meeting in October 2006 with are well advanced for the launch of an a Conference Peer Review – its pres- on-line database of European RIs, using ent and future state and is continuing as its starting point the survey, in which to develop. The Fora approved in April ESF Standing Committees would act as 2007, Evaluation of Funding Schemes quality gatekeepers for new entries, as and Research Programmes and Research they did for the survey. Discussions are Careers, each attracting interest from about 40 MOs and other stakeholders, also ongoing concerning the possibility for held or will hold their kick off meetings in ESF contribution in future ESFRI Roadmap October and November respectively. contexts, either in terms of Forward Looks or reviews of existing RI landscapes. Research Infrastructure at the Corporate level. Other RI activities have included: participa- The results of the EC–ESF-EUROHORCs tion in ESFRI meetings; work with Member collaboration on the (2nd) Survey of current Organisations in coordinating approaches research infrastructures at the European to Research Information Systems (CRIS level of scale and excellence were pre- systems); and participation in initiatives re- sented by ESF at the major RI Conference held during the German EU Presidency lated to open access to research data and in Hamburg in June. Since it focuses on the permanent preservation of research current operational infrastructures, the data. Survey has been complementary to the

14 European Science Foundation Synergy ■ Research Networking Programmes ■ EUROCORES The 2006 Call received a substantial EUROHORCs and the Governing increase (nearly 50%) in the number of Council have given their strong support proposals, at 132, indicating both the to EUROCORES as their mechanism for continuing popularity of this classic à la cross-border research cooperation of carte ESF instrument with the scientifc choice. There has been a debate on both community, and the increasing success of the structural models and funding models the common call. Following lessons learnt of EUROCORES and in addition to a fur- with the rather disappointing viability rate ther streamlined “classic” EUROCORES a of 8, launched in early 2007, from 18 pro- new TOP-CORES model should operate pusals recommended to MOs in response in parallel. It combines further developed to the 2005 call, a lower number of 15 science programme proposals with the from the 2006 Call are presently with MOs building of commitment in the funding or- for funding consideration. The response ganisations. This should shorten decision to the 2007 Call will be reported at the time lines to 9 months.The Collaborative Assembly. Research Toolkit, a selection of operational processes and expertise representing best ■ ESF Conferences practice from EUROCORES and other programmes, is now available to MOs. 2007 has seen the second year of devel- Though the long-term objective for the opment of the partnership strategy for ESF funding of EUROCORES research remains Research Conferences. There has been a full common pot, for the medium term growth, but also a consolidation taking funding organisations have agreed to fund- into account successes and lessons learnt ing solutions on a case by case basis. from the initial start-up period. In 2007, 23 conferences within the main body of the Currently 30 EUROCORES Programmes scheme have been organised, as well as are in their active phase, representing the highly successful World Conference on 125M€ of research funding, supporting Research Integrity reported elsewhere. A more than 5500 scientists and involv- number of new partnerships are being dis- ing 66 funding organisations. The early Programmes, such as OMLL, SONS1 and cussed which will allow a gradual expansion EUROMARGINS are now reaching the of the Scheme, towards the strategic target end of their life cycle, and it is rewarding to of 40, and additional World Conferences, see the increasing number of high impact such as a Europe-Africa Conference in publications emerging. Following the 2007 partnership with the International Council Call, six new EUROCORES themes have of Science, the Association of African been selected, on the recommendations Academies and several Academies in of the Science Advisory Board. With the Europe, are also in development. Early in EUROCORES coordination contract from 2007, the ESF Conference Unit relocated the Commission coming to an end in 2008, to the ESF-COST Offce in Brussels in MOs and ESF are now preparing for the order to increase operational effciency funding of scientifc networking and coor- and enhance synergy between COST and dination costs from their own resources. ESF.

European Science Foundation 15 The 2007 Assembly

ue, with ESF providing basic coordination, Management until 2013. The reason for this is that the

European Research Council has decided to ■ EuroBioFund take forward the objectives of the Scheme EuroBioFund (EBF) is an initiative hosted by at a considerably higher level of funding, al- the ESF and funded by the Sixth Frame- lowing more grants to be given out. work Programme to facilitate the develop- Experience from EURYI has been trans- ment of research programmes for emerg- ferred to the European Research Council ing life sciences areas. Following the frst and has formed a template or informed a EuroBioForum, held in December 2006 in signifcant part of their Starting Investigator Helsinki, EBF launched a second Call for Research Grants scheme. Expressions of Interest (EoIs) in February. At the close of the Call, 23 eligible EoIs ■ COST were received, representing 175 proposers The closing of the FP6 contract and the from 25 countries, including the US and implementation of the 210 M€ FP7 contract Canada. Following review, six groups were between the ESF and the European Com- presented at EuroBioForum 2007 on 5-7 mission, signed in July 2007, were a major December in Lisbon, in a Portuguese EU focus for the frst part of 2007. The new Presidency event. contract sets out a series of work pack- ages that focus on improving conditions for ■ EURYI COST Actions and Domain Committees, the On 27 September in Helsinki, Nobel Prize development of new ideas for interdisciplin- winner Tim Hunt gave a stirring endorse- ary science initiatives, a better exploitation ment of the Scheme as he presented 20 of the European “Near Neighbours” policy excellent young investigators with their and a stronger focus on outreach and com- Awards of more than 1 M€. This was the munications. The increased annual budget fourth and fnal year that EUROHORCs and and duration of the FP7 contract result in an ESF have made these EURYI Awards. Re- expanded scope of activities, with a conse- ward excellence and the potential for scien- quent restructuring of the COST Offce, the tifc leadership, allow researchers to create introduction of new management systems their own research teams in independence, and new activities, and a renewed focus on attract young researchers to continue their ESF-COST scientifc synergies. career in Europe, these were the goals of EURYI. The Scheme itself has become The changes implemented during the FP6 renowned amongst Funding Agencies, period, notably in proposal generation and top scientists and applicants through its assessment and of the Domain Commit- high quality and very competitive selec- tees, will be carried forward. tion processes and its high value awards. EURYI has demonstrated that common The collection date of 30 September 2007 peer review and common pot mechanisms resulted in about 500 Preliminary Propos- without juste retour are possible, with over als for new COST Actions of which 25 one third of the about 100 M€ scheme were approved in June 2008. The previ- budget moving across national borders. ous collection date in March resulted in the The 4th Call was the last under the EURYI approval of 25 new Actions in November Scheme, though its fnal awards will contin- 2007.

16 European Science Foundation 2006 for its classic bottom-up instruments, Operations ESF refreshed the Pool in 2007 and continues to see benefts from improvements in Quality assurance is a key to trust in ESF’s procedures, where a crucial aspect is selec- both the quality of the review process and tion of referees and Committee and Panel the effciency of offce procedures. Being part members. An important step in improving of the pool is considered an honour by many the quality of the peer review processes has scientists. IT tools to improve the electronic been the creation of the ESF pool of review- submission and handling of proposals in all ers. Following its successful introduction in phases, are under constant development.

European Science Foundation 17 The 2007 Assembly

In recent years, ESF has received an in- own communication teams is also an impor- creasing number of requests from MOs tant part of that strategy and the ESF Com- and partner bodies for assistance and munications team has established a network support in peer review. Such requests are with their MO counterparts to both improve a recognition of ESF’s reputation and ex- information flow and to act as a “mini-MO pertise. The level of requests has reached Forum” on communications issues. the stage where the Governing Council has approved a range of measures and ■ Finance principles which will allow ESF to respond more effectively and professionally in the On the basis of the achievements of 2006 future. in respect of the accounts and budget framework, 2007 saw the full initiation On another level, ESF is looking to improve of the annual cycle of strategic budget other aspects of its handling of instruments discussions taking place in the “new and activities. To do this a system of Per- look” Governing Council, with the broad formance Indicators has been developed strategic directions being debated in April and is being refned which, alongside the and their fnancial consequences being use of “Scorecards”, provides information debated and decided in September. The on effciency and the use of resources. The Governing Council gave its approval to a data and trends enable ESF management budget which will reach a level of about to address use of human resources and 50 M€, with about 7.4 M€ coming from matters of concern and Governance to MO contributions to the General Budget. address matters of balance in the use of ESF’s budget. In the last week of July 2007 the European Commission and ESF signed the con- ■ Communication tract for ESF to continue to provide and manage the administrative, technical and Putting Member Organisations in the cen- scientifc secretariat of COST (European tre of ESF’s mission is not just a matter for Cooperation in Science and Technology) the science and strategic activities of ESF. under the Seventh Framework Programme It is an even more basic priority for ESF’s (FP7). This contract covers the frst 12 mission that what ESF is doing and what months of COST operations with a budget it can offer is communicated to the MOs. of 30 M€. This initial agreement will be During 2007 ESF has launched its com- continued smoothly through appropriate pletely redesigned website and a corpo- amendments along the FP7 period until rate level Member Organisation Newsletter June 2014 with an overall funding of at which it publishes twice a year, following least 210 M€. The signing of this contract the Governing Council meetings in April represents a massive vote of confdence in and September/October. ESF, and provides further impetus for the The Communications strategy has seen the increasing professionalisation of ESF’s f- visibility of ESF increase, particularly with nancial, HR and management services. At high profle news items (e.g. Nanomedicine, the same time, ESF, with the great support EURYI) gaining wide press coverage. In- of colleagues in the COST offce, success- creasing visibility and contacts with MOs fully closed the COST FP6 contract.

18 European Science Foundation As one of its moves to implement best Hungary have been hosted so far and practice in management, and with the full other selections are in the pipeline. support of the Finance and Audit Commit- In line with this policy, the ESF has also tee (FAC), ESF has begun to develop a Risk agreed to act as an international host in Register which identifes crucial issues and the fellowship programme of the Spanish potential “failure points” in ESF’s activities, MEC. especially in terms of fnancial impact and legal liability. The creation of the register A call for tender to identify potential suppli- and its monitoring will allow ESF senior ers for the important ESF Information Sys- management to identify, manage, and tems project, focusing on the modernisa- where necessary implement remedial action of many offce processes and multiple tion, on business critical issues. information systems, including those at the COST offce, has been issued in the ■ The esf offices Offcial Journal of the European Union in The rapid growth in recent years of ESF November 2007. staff in Strasbourg and Brussels to a total of 136 has largely ceased, with a few additional specialist positions being added in response to strategic priorities e.g. science staff to support the Forward Look instrument and dedicated positions to deliver specifc aspects of the COST work plan. Almost two thirds of the staff is directly or indirectly employed through funding from external contracts, mainly from the Commission. With the assistance of our MOs, we hope to be able to maintain the excellent level of science support provided by the EUROCORES Coordinators after the termination of the contract with the Commission at the end of 2008. ESF’s Human Resources strategic plan is being implemented, with increased management training, improved clarity of structure and position responsibilities as well as accelerated introduction of a performance based remuneration system across the offce.

In order to strengthen the links with Member Organisations, ESF has created positions for short term project-oriented secondments from Member Organisations for periods of 4-6 months. Six secondees from Italy, the Netherlands, Finland and

European Science Foundation 19 2007 in Review

■ European Science Foundation says farewell to its Chief Executive Bertil Andersson

After more than three years as the Chief Executive of the Strasburg-headquartered European Science Foundation (ESF), Bertil Andersson left in March 2007 for the Far East to take up the post of Rector at the Nanyang Technological University in Sin- gapore.

Professor Andersson’s works have helped the 34-year old ESF further develop into the science platform that its 77 Member Organisations can count on to implement a pan-European science agenda through interdisciplinary science activities. Also during his time at the ESF Professor In the course of his tenure with the ESF, Andersson led the way in changing the Professor Andersson has been instru- organisation’s governing structure which mental in some of the most signifcant re- structurings that have taken place over the had long been considered to be overly organisation’s more than three decade-old complicated. history. One of them was the introduction Before joining the ESF, Professor Anders- of the Strategic Plan for 2006–2010 which son was a professor in Biochemistry and was resulted from the extensive research the Rector of Linköping University, Swe- and consultation with the Member Organi- den (1999-2003). He was the head of the sations (MOs). Department of Biochemistry (1987-1995), Dean of the Faculty of Chemical Sciences and the pro-dean of the Science Faculty, (1996-1999) at the University of Stock- holm. He has been with the ESF since the beginning of 2004.

20 European Science Foundation ■ ESF names Sir Roderick Floud as the Chair of the Social Sciences

The European Science Foundation named Professor Sir Roderick Floud from London Metropolitan University as the Chair of the Standing Committee for the Social Sci- ences (SCSS) in May 2007.

Professor Floud, who is the President Emeritus of London Metropolitan Univer- sity, received a knighthood for services to higher education in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2005.

He is an economic historian and author of books and articles on technological change, the use of IT in the study of history, and on the evolution of technical education and on changes in human height, health and welfare which have drawn on the expertise of human biologists, de- mographers, economists, nutritionists, physiologists and others to create the new discipline of anthropometric history. Professor Floud started his position in May 2007.

European Science Foundation 21 2007 in Review

■ ESF names Professor Jean-Pierre Swings as New Chair of the Space Sciences Committee

The European Science Foundation (ESF) In addition he is the recipient of a number named Professor Jean-Pierre Swings as of awards including an award from the the new Chair of the European Space Sci- International Academy of Astronautics ences Committee (ESSC) in April 2007. and the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques (France) in 2005. He has Professor Swings replaced Professor published over 170 scientifc publications Gerhard Haerendel who ended his term as as author or co-author. Chair on 10 May 2007. Professor Swings completed his doctorate and postdoctoral training at Liège University, Belgium in 1974. He held two postdoctoral fellow- ships in Boulder, Colorado and Pasadena, California. His current research interests include extragalactic astrophysics; very large telescopes and instrumentation; space astrophysics and solar system exploration. He is a member of a number of prestigious international organisations including the International Astronomical Union (IAU), where he was formerly the General Secretary, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory, where he has chaired several working groups and task forces.

22 European Science Foundation ■ International Review Panel commends ESF’s efforts in EUROCORES

A detailed Review Panel Report submitted is more open and flexible in terms of the to and approved by the ESF Governing subject areas, types of project and types Council on 19 - 20 April 2007 outlines how of networking activities supported. Out of to best develop the EUROCORES (Euro- the 33 consulted ESF Member Organisa- pean Collaborative Research) Scheme. tions, 25 were positive towards the EU- ROCORES Scheme but would like to see The Scheme currently has 30 active some improvements. programmes which each encompass between three to 16 Collaborative Research “ESF as an agency of the agencies can Projects. It offers a flexible framework for offer a healthy new system,” said Reinhard researchers to come together to tackle sci- Grunwald, Chair of the Scheme Review entifc questions which are best addressed Panel, at the ESF Governing Council. in larger scale collaborative research proj- However, while the survey found that ects. Since its creation in 2001, the EU- EUROCORES has considerable strengths, ROCORES Scheme has developed into a it has yet to build a high profle and credibil- widely accepted tool for interdisciplinary ity within many communities. The Scheme scientifc cooperation on a European level is not well known within many scientifc and a means for improved interaction be- communities mainly due to its small scale tween national research funding agencies. compared to other EU instruments and “EUROCORES leads to very high-quality also due to the fact that EUROCORES is projects involving worthwhile cooperation still a relatively new scheme. Other areas or researchers from across Europe,” com- for improvement were the lengthy time- scale of procedure and the risk of duplica- mented the Irish ESF Member Organisa- tion of national efforts. tion, Enterprise Ireland. “EUROCORES is now, after a trial and error As part of the Scheme Review Panel Re- period, a reasonably well-working instru- port, which also included an independent ment; it would be a waste of resources to survey, the EUROCORES Scheme was totally discontinue it. It must fnd its own and identifed as the instrument of choice for unique role at EU level cooperation,” said fghting the fragmentation of research in the Finnish ESF Member Organisation, the Europe. This is an important starting point Academy of Finland, when asked to com- for developing the Scheme. Seventy per ment on EUROCORES in a questionnaire cent of the science community feel that sent out by the Panel in November 2006. the Scheme is a useful instrument which complements other EU instruments, but

European Science Foundation 23 2007 in Review

The Report identifes key areas for im- “EUROCORES stimulates free/bottom provement through three operative models up European cooperation as a comple- which aim to improve the speed and reli- ment to the more directed initiatives of the ability of the Scheme procedures, by add- European Commission,” commented the ing features such as a common pot which Swedish Research Council. would improve and speed up the funding The report concluded that developing the process, a binding peer review and clearer procedures. It was also recommended EUROCORES Scheme into a more com- that the theme selection process could petitive instrument to rival the best and be shortened by requiring more detailed most creative on the European scientifc theme proposals and by linking these to stage and meet the challenges ahead is other ESF instruments such as Forward the only way forward. The EUCORORES Looks. Scheme needs to maintain the cutting- edge in a world where international sci- Nevertheless, the Scheme is also de- entifc cooperation has developed and scribed as more scientifcally driven, more become the most fruitful and promising focused on fundamental research, less arena for scientifc endeavours. politically motivated, more suitable for collaboration between small teams, and less bureaucratic than EU instruments. It is considered to support high quality work, and employ good processes.

24 European Science Foundation ■ The European Science Foundation and the European Commission sign contract for COST in FP7

In the last week of July 2007 the European opment of new ideas for interdisciplinary Commission (EC) and the European Sci- science initiatives, a better exploitation of ence Foundation (ESF) signed the contract the European “Near Neighbours” policy for ESF to continue to provide and manage and a stronger focus on outreach and the administrative, technical and scientifc communications. secretariat of COST (European Coopera- “The negotiation of this contract and the tion in Science and Technology) under the transition between FP6 and FP7 were two Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). challenging processes. The ESF team’s The Seventh Framework Programme fore- commitment to COST, with its experience sees 210 M€ in support for COST with the of managing such a complex operation, a possibility of another 40 M€ depending on constructive and effcient cooperation with a positive mid-term evaluation in 2010. the European Commission and with the The decision strengthens the working COST Committee of Senior Offcials (CSO) relationship between COST and ESF, have been essential in allowing the suc- two principal networking organisations cessful completion of this important agree- in Europe which have been interacting ment” commented David Weber, ESF’s at various levels for more than three de- Director of Administration and Finance. cades. It builds on the previous EC-ESF “This agreement leads to a three-win situ- contract for COST under FP6, signed in ation – win for the ESF, win for COST and 2003, and guarantees the continuation most importantly a win for the European of COST activities through FP7. The ini- research community thanks to the syn- tial provision of 210 M€ – compared to ergy that the two organisations created by 80 M€ in the previous contract – gives working together. All of us are very happy COST the opportunity to expand activities and proud of the outcome” stated Dr. John and to enhance the support of the COST Marks, ESF Chief Executive. Domain Committees (the nine scientifc and technical committees) as well as of the “The contract and the increase in funding COST Actions (the networks of research- is indeed a strong vote of confdence to- ers). wards the ESF-COST cooperation,” continues Dr. Martin Grabert, Director of the The contract sets out a series of work pack- COST Offce. “With this contract, we can ages which reflect the increase in funding truly capitalise on previous successes. We through new and expanded activities and will not rest on our laurels, however, and the number of running Actions, the devel- continue to focus on cross-disciplinary

European Science Foundation 25 2007 in Review

initiatives and strengthening the synergy Committee of Senior Offcials, Professor between the various research actors in Francesco Fedi. “COST has always been Europe.” a unique instrument with a strong role to play towards the development of the ERA. “I very much welcome the positive con- Typical COST features such as its flexibility clusion of the negotiations for the signa- and bottom-up approach make it a perfect ture of the EC-ESF contract for COST,” platform for innovative ideas on the fron- commented the President of the COST tiers of science.

26 European Science Foundation ■ A comprehensive ERA needs full involvement of non-governmental stakeholders, ESF & EUROHORCs comment to EC’s Green Paper The European Commission needs to into basic research through programmes engage and focus more on the national such as the European Research Council research funding and performing or- (ERC), a move to reduce EU’s bureaucracy, ganisations, the private sector, and the and to put pressure on its member states non-European research systems for the to remove the still abundant barriers to the development of the European Research mobility of researchers. Area (ERA) if it is serious about establishing a comprehensive ERA, according to “The national players including research the Heads of European Research Councils funders and research performers on the (EUROHORCs) and the European Science one hand and governments, on the other, Foundation (ESF) in a joint response. have to implement a common strategy to increase their efforts to remove the insti- The response came in September 2007 tutional barriers such as the shortage of after a request by the EU Science and human and monetary resources, to adopt Research Commissioner Janez Poto nik common peer review systems, to imple- to seek public comment and recommen- ment jointly funded schemes and ease dation for the Green Paper on the ERA. the sharing of research infrastructure” “The Commission’s analysis of the strengths commented Pär Omling, President of and weaknesses of the European Research EUROHORCs. System (ERS) concentrates too much on Agreeing that unnecessary fragmentation the perspective of the Commission’s role should be avoided, EUROHORCs and and on that of governments and inter- ESF have recognised that the diversity governmental structures,” commented Dr. John Marks, Chief Executive of the which underlies fragmentation could also ESF. “The analysis presented in the Green result in a positive impact when it leads Paper is a good start but ignores important to a differentiated research landscape, partners and misses promising opportuni- provided the landscape is transparent ties considering that more than 90 percent and there is good communication. The of public R&D funding occurs at national diversity could certainly encourage com- level. EUROHORCs and ESF, together petition, enable cooperation and con- with other organisations, should continue sequently raise quality (see also Marine to take an important part in the creation of Board Statements in response to the the ERA.” European Commission’s Green Papers on: (i) Maritime Policy, and (ii) ERA. To promote competition and increase qual- Position Paper 11, November 2007). ity, EUROHORCs and ESF are suggesting that the EU should inject more resources

European Science Foundation 27 2007 in Review

“The main aim behind such an endeavour ■ Create more joint public-private funding must be to fund excellent scientifc pro- partnership sources jects in a transparent and fair manner ■ Developing closer interactions with the – only with this base will it be possible to universities establish a successful and competitive European Research Area,” added Marks. ■ Developing the Money follows re- “It is essential to involve all stakeholders searcher and Money follows cooperation of science and science strategy in Europe, schemes thereby also including the private sector in ■ Enable scientists in EU countries to ap- its function of funding and executing re- ply to the funding agencies in any EU search, contributing more than half to the country total expenses of R&D in Europe.” ■ Establish or extend medium-sized infrastructures

ESF and EUROHORCs have raised 11 points of activities and measures:

■ Develop a concerted vision for steering scientifc research in Europe through coordinated foresight exercises

■ Establish more bottom up researcher- driven programmes based on the EUROCORES

■ Introduce a new funding mechanism for linking the Research Performing Organisations under the EU Research Framework

■ Developing cooperation schemes beyond the borders of the ERA towards a global research area GLOREA

■ Developing programmes for early stage researchers

■ Pursuing closer collaboration on PhD training programmes

28 European Science Foundation ■ Poto nik, 52 countries’ representatives ponder research integrity in Lisbon

EU Commissioner for Research Janez Credibility and competence are only one Poto nik, Angel Gurria, the Secretary- side of the coin. The other side has to do General of the Organisation for Economic with the economic and fnancial losses due Co-operation and Development (OECD), to misbehaviour. and José-Mariano Gago, the Portuguese In an effort to address the urgent need to Minister of Science, Technology and Higher fght fraud, forgery and plagiarism in science Education along with more than 300 par- world-wide, the very frst World Conference ticipants from 52 countries gathered in on Research Integrity took place in Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal in September 2007 for Portugal from 16 to 19 September 2007 the First World Conference on Research to facilitate an unprecedented global ef- Integrity. This unprecedented gathering of fort to foster responsible research. The concerned scientists, scientifc managers event was initiated and organised by the and magazine editors from around the European Science Foundation (ESF) and world was driven by the common belief the US Offce for Research Integrity (ORI). that research integrity is not just an impor- It marks a milestone for the science com- tant issue for the research community as munity as it will link all those concerned policy makers and the general public also parties in a global effort to tackle the issue have a great stake in it. head on. The issue of research integrity has dogged the science community in recent years as many high-profle misconduct cases have brought unwelcome attention and cast doubt on the credibility of the science research feld.

European Science Foundation 29 2007 in Review

■ EURYI 2007: 20 researchers receive Nobel Prize-sized awards in Helsinki

Twenty young researchers gathered in countries in an open competition with no Helsinki on 27 September 2007 to receive ‘juste retour’. Candidates are selected on awards of as much as 1.2 M€ from the the basis of their future potential and their fourth and fnal Call of the European Young academic and research excellence. Investigator Awards (EURYI) scheme. Competition in 2007 was as intensive as EURYI is designed to attract outstanding ever, with 474 applications received. The young scientists from around the world to EURYI Awards scheme was developed by create their own research teams at European the European Heads of Research Councils research centres and launch potential world- leading research careers. Most awards are (EUROHORCs), in collaboration with the between €1,000,000 and €1,250,000, European Science Foundation (ESF), to at- comparable in size to the Nobel Prize. tract outstanding young researchers from anywhere in the world to work in Europe The average age of 2007’s winners is for the further development of European 33.1, making it the youngest group in science, contributing to building up the EURYI’s history. (The average age of next generation of leading European re- last year’s winners was 35.4.). Six of the awardees are women, making it the high- searchers. est number of female winners in any year. The frst Call of the scheme was launched The list of the 2007 Awardees includes re- in September 2003, and the frst three Calls searchers who will be based in eight coun- have resulted in 75 awards. Candidates tries – Czech Republic, France, Germany, are selected by a two-stage process, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland frstly at the national level by the relevant and Turkey. Their original ideas range from Participating Organisation and secondly at new techniques to manipulate antimatter the international level by high-level scientifc to disease gene mapping and functional panels managed by the ESF. ESF’s role in genomics in the domestic dog. the coordination and selection processes “It has been amazing to witness how the of EURYI is supported by funds from EURYI scheme has evolved and become the European Commission’s Framework a force to be reckoned with in recognising Programme 6. young researchers’ works by granting them Nobel Prize-scale funding for the past four The 2007 Awardees received a diploma, years,” commented Dr. John Marks, Chief presented by the Nobel-laureate Dr. Tim Executive of the ESF. Hunt, at a special ceremony in Helsinki, Finland. The EURYI awards were offered in this 4th Call by 17 research councils from 15

30 European Science Foundation List of Awardees ■ Dr. Kerstin Lindblad-Toh (Sweden) - Disease gene mapping and functional ■ Dr. Anastasia Ailamaki (Switzerland) - genomics in the domestic dog Effcient data management for scientifc applications ■ Dr. Matthias Lutolf (Switzerland) - Bioengineering Microarrayed Stem ■ Dr. Jeroen J.L.M. Cornelissen Cell Niches (The Netherlands) - Virus Capsids as Confned Reaction Spaces ■ Dr. Gregor Rainer (Switzerland) - Cholinergic Mechanisms of Learning and ■ Dr. Nynke Hester Dekker Cognition (The Netherlands) - Molecular Motors Handling DNA and RNA: Single-Molecule ■ Dr. Philippe Schlenker (France) - Experiments and Implications for Cellular Presupposition: A Formal Pragmatic Function Approach ■ Dr. Hilmi Volkan Demir (Turkey) - ■ Dr. Kai Phillip Schmidt (Germany) - Exotic Novel molecular optoelectronic phases and excitations of unconventional nanodevices hybridized on micro chips Mott insulators for new functionality ■ Dr. Martin Schnabl (Czech Republic) - ■ Dr. Andre Fischer (Germany) - Exploring String Field Theory - Can It Epigenetic mechanisms in learning Explain Quantum Birth of the Universe or processes, age related cognitive decline Properties of Elementary Particles? and neurodegenerative diseases ■ Dr. Natalie Sebanz (Germany) - Cognitive ■ Dr. Karl Gademann (Switzerland) - and Neural Mechanisms of Joint Action Directing neurite outgrowth through ■ Dr. Sylvia Serfaty (France) - Mathematical synthetic natural products study of some equations related to ■ Dr. Sonia Garel (France) - physics, mechanics and optimal control Wiring the forebrain: roles and ■ Dr. Terence Strick (France) - mechanisms of tangential cell migration Single-molecule studies of biological in the basal ganglia nanomachines ■ Dr. Oscar Gelderblom (The Netherlands) ■ Dr. Rufn Van Rullen (France) - Perceptual - The evolution of fnancial markets in and Attentional Dynamics: Periodic Pre-Industrial Europe: A Comparative Operations of the Brain Analysis ■ Dr. Maciej Wojtkowski (Poland) - ■ Dr. Masaki Hori (Germany) - Precise Structural and functional imaging by laser and microwave spectroscopy of Fourier domain Optical Coherence antimatter atoms – new techniques to Tomography with Optical Frequency manipulate antimatter Comb method

European Science Foundation 31 2007 in Review

■ ESF meeting sets cornerstone for science communication

Scientists are not generally regarded as research, to attract funding to their depart- good communicators when it comes to ments and build career on ‘hard research’ explaining their research to the outside are key barriers to scientists communi- world. Hence the European Science cating their work with the public. Some Foundation (ESF) decided to hold a com- scientists even went as far as describing munications network meeting in October public engagement work, such as de- 2007 in Strasbourg, France to facilitate bates, dialogues, exhibitions and media a forum for communication practitioners appearances, as being bad for their ca- from various European science organisa- reers as some reasoned that these activi- tions and academies to discuss their chal- ties are ‘done by those who were not good lenges and ideas. enough’ for an academic career. That it was ‘light’ or ‘fluffy’ and risked reinforcing “I believe this meeting has created a cor- negative stereotypes for women involved nerstone for the future interaction among in these activities”. the communication experts from the ESF’s 77 Member Organisations,” said Claus A range of communication tools and issues Nowotny, Communications Director of the were discussed during the two-day meet- ESF. “This network could potentially im- ing -- Neville Hobson, one of the leading prove the way how scientists express their European early adopters and influencers ideas to a wider audience.” in social media communication for business, reviewed and explained how com- The meeting, which took place on 18-19 munication experts could take advantage October 2007, was attended by the ESF’s of the current wave of Social Media tools Member Organisations, representatives such as blogs, virtual committees, etc. from 18 countries. Fredrik Wackå from W PR & Information A study entitled ‘Factors Affecting Science AB explained further what is required for Communication’, which is conducted by effective Web Communications. Dr. Volker the UK’s Royal Society, shows that, in the Wendt, Director, Burson-Marsteller in case of British universities, a ‘research Brussels shared his expertise on lobbying driven’ culture, the pressure to publish to the policy makers.

32 European Science Foundation At a round table discussion session partic- ■ To convince the media to write about a ipants expressed some major challenges wider range of science topics that befall on them while working as a bridge between the scientists and their ■ To increase public interest in science and audiences. Some of the issues that have the desire in the young generation to been raised include: study science All participants have echoed an underlying ■ Researchers do not know how to express their ideas to politicians challenge – which is to convince scientists to effectively communicate their work to ■ To convince scientists of the benefts of the public. communicating what they do

■ To raise national government’s priorities in science

European Science Foundation 33 2007 in Review

■ IPCC’s Nobel Peace Prize win underlines International Collaboration spirit, ESF involvement

The awarding of the 2007 Nobel Peace Uplift, Subsidence and Sea level Change) Prize to the Intergovernmental Panel on and EUROMARGINS (Processes at the Climate Change (IPCC) has not only dem- Passive Continental Margins). Jean Jouzel onstrated a remarkable commitment to from the Laboratoire des Sciences du the dedication of the worldwide experts’ Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE), effort into climate change research, it has Dominique Raynaud from the Laboratoire also highlighted the spirit of collaboration de Glaciologie et Géophysique de that has been avidly embraced by the ESF l’Environnement (LGGE), and Thomas since 1974. Stocker from the University of Bern were part of the EPICA (European Programme “This Prize confers honours to the whole for Ice Coring in Antarctica) research climate change community and recog- network. Jouzel was also a Core Group nizes the importance of disseminating our member of the ESF Standing Committee scientifc knowledge. It values scientifc for Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences research and its role in our society,” said from 1995 to 2000. Eystein Jansen from Dr. Didier Hauglustaine, Science Offcer in the University of Bergen is the project the ESF’s Life, Earth and Environmental leader within EuroMARC. Filippo Giorgi Sciences (LESC) Unit and one of the lead from the Abdus Salam International Centre authors of the last two IPCC assessment for Theoretical Physics in Trieste is involved reports. in the MedCLIVAR project and Martin Through its various programmes and ac- Heimann from the Max-Planck Institut tivities, the ESF has contributed to the ef- für Biochemie was involved in SIBAE fort of better understanding of the climate (Stable Isotopes in Biospheric-Atmospheric system, its past and future evolutions, and Exchange). Jouzel and Giorgi are the Vice- its link with humankind. Among several oth- chair of IPCC Working Group I. ers, programmes such as EuroCLIMATE, The IPCC was created almost 20 years BOREAS, EPICA, EuroDIVERSITY have ago to respond to growing concern about directly contributed to the research and the risk of anthropogenic climate change. education on global climate change. The IPCC assessment reports are written Several researchers, who are actively by teams of recognised experts in their involved in LESC, are lead authors in the feld from around the world. They represent last IPCC’s Working Group I assessment relevant disciplines as well as differing sci- report. entifc perspectives. The First Assessment Hauglustaine is the scientifc coordina- Report of 1990 was submitted to the UN tor at ESF for the EUROCORES pro- General Assembly, which responded by grammes EuroMARC (Challenges of formally recognizing that climate change Marine Coring Research), TOPO-EUROPE required global action and launched the (4-D Topography Evolution in Europe: negotiations that led to the adoption of

34 European Science Foundation the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Gerhardt Ertl, professor emeritus at the Climate Change. Fritz-Haber Institute in Berlin, was awarded the honour in science for his studies on The IPCC Plenary will meet in Valencia, the reactions between chemicals and solid Spain, to adopt and approve the fourth surfaces. Ertl was on the ESF’s Standing volume of its “Climate Change” assess- Committee for Physical and Engineering ment report. This meeting represents the Sciences (PESC) from 1995 to 1998. He fnal step in integrating and presenting the enormous amounts of scientifc information was one of two German members to serve contained in this report and in the sum- on PESC when it was established in 1995. mary for policy makers explicitly targeted His work laid the foundations for an entire to policymakers. The Synthesis Report will feld of modern research known as surface be launched on 17 November 2007. chemistry, which describes how individual atoms and molecules behave when they “ESF wishes to contribute with a strong come into contact with pure surfaces. portfolio of activities to a better understanding of global change and its impact, Meanwhile Albert Fert, a French physi- and these activities were fortunate to have cist and one of the discoverers of giant leading European researchers involved,” magnetoresistance which brought about commented ESF Chief Executive Dr. a breakthrough in gigabyte hard disks, John Marks, who was also the chair of was awarded the Nobel prize (along with the frst ESF Forward Look “Earth System Peter Gruenberg) for physics participated Science: Global Problems, Global Science in the NSIT (NanoSciences and the long - Europe‘s future role in global change re- term evolution of Information Technology) search” which was published in 2003. Forward Look in April 2005. Fert is currently professor at Université Paris-Sud Other Nobel Prizes in Orsay and scientifc director of a joint laboratory (‘Unité mixte de recherche’) be- ESF’s association with this year’s Nobel tween the Centre national de la recherche Prize doesn’t just end there. Two other scientifque (National Scientifc Research prominent winners for the prestigious Centre) and the Thales Group. award also have a long history with the organisation.

European Science Foundation 35 2007 in Review

■ UK House of Commons report lauds Marine Board’s works

The European Science Foundation (ESF) The Marine Board has also been highlighted Marine Board’s effort in promoting marine as the main networking forum in Europe science has been commended and for marine research policy while the role of recognised by the UK House of Commons MarinERA (the ERA-NET which the Marine in a published report on marine research in Board jointly coordinates with Ifremer - Britain. France) is being recognised as “signifcant.” In addition to the policy work of the Marine According to the report of the House of Board, the Committee has also lauded Commons Select Committee for Science the Board’s effort on the EurOCEAN 2007 and Technology Investigating the Oceans Conference and the resultant Aberdeen published on 18 October 2007, the Declaration (June 2007). The Marine Marine Board plays “an important role in Board was instrumental in organising the bringing together the marine community… conference and in drafting the associated highlighting the contribution that marine Declaration, which serves as a collective science can make to the policy agenda”. position statement on the role of marine The Committee has also acknowledged the science and technology in Europe. Marine Board’s Position Paper 8 Navigating

the Future III (November 2006) as “an

excellent synthesis of the perspectives on marine science and technology in Europe”.

“These remarks in the House of Commons report emphasise the role of the Marine Board-ESF in promoting collaboration amongst the marine research stakeholder community throughout Europe. Recognition of the role of the Marine Board as a pan- European advisory body, supporting the development of informed policy by decision makers, is a welcome confrmation at the highest political level of the continued work and commitment of the Board and its Member Organisations,” commented Dr. Niamh Connolly, the Executive Scientifc Secretary of the Marine Board.

36 European Science Foundation ■ ESF awards European Latsis Prize to Professor Willi Kalender on Medical Imaging achievement

The European Science Foundation (ESF) awarded the 2007 European Latsis Prize to Professor Willi Kalender from the Institute of Medical Physics at the Friedrich- Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany for his contribution and in-depth research on the medical imaging feld.

The European Latsis Prize, valued at 100,000 Swiss francs (€65,000) is fnanced by the Geneva-based Latsis Foundation and awarded by the ESF to an individual or group who, in the opinion of their peers, Kalender received his Master`s Degree and has made the greatest contribution to a PhD in Medical Physics from the Univer- particular feld of European research. sity of Wisconsin, US in 1979. In 1988 he completed all postdoctoral lecturing quali- His main research interest is in the area of fcations (Habilitation) for Medical Physics diagnostic imaging with a focus on the de- at the University of Tübingen. From 1979 velopment and introduction of volumetric to 1995 he worked in the research labo- spiral computer tomography (CT). His other ratories of Siemens Medical Systems in felds of research are radiation protection Erlangen, Germany, from 1988 to 1995 and the development of quantitative diag- as head of the department of Medical nostic procedures, e.g. for assessment of Physics. Since 1991 he has been Adjunct osteoporosis, lung and cardiac diseases. Associate Professor of Medical Physics at His work is widely documented in more the University of Wisconsin, from 1993 to than 700 scientifc papers and 175 plus 1995 he lectured at the Technical Univer- original publications. sity of Munich. In 1995 he was appointed full professor and director of the newly The award of the European Latsis Prize established Institute of Medical Physics to Kalender is to recognise his achieve- at the Friedrich-Alexander-University ments in developing, testing and estab- Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. lishing spiral CT. Spiral CT enabled the He also holds appointments as Distin- transition from sequential two-dimensional guished Visiting Professor at Stanford (2D) CT imaging to fast volumetric three- University, Department of Radiology, and dimensional (3D) imaging, which led to a as Visiting Professor to the University complete change of paradigm in imaging. of Wisconsin, Madison, Department of Spiral CT also allows diagnostic imaging of Medical Physics. He is a member of the a level and in areas that were not possible International Commission on Radiation with conventional 2D CT imaging. Units and Measurement (ICRU).

European Science Foundation 37 38 European Science Foundation ■ ESF’s 1st Science Policy Conference ponders questions on ERA, Global Research Area

Never mind the politics of a superstate, “More importantly, more diffcult, how do just consider the scientifc challenge that you apply science to the possibilities that faces Europe. Should researchers co- might be there but you don’t really know operate or compete? Should there be a about,” said Ian Halliday, president of the master plan, prepared by the ministers, ESF, and a theoretical particle physicist. funding agencies and chiefs of European “My favourite example is the Americans, science, or should Europe’s commission- taking to, and grabbing, everybody’s tech- ers encourage imagination and invention nology to make the Internet work. Think at the laboratory bench? of the impact on society. That wasn’t a solution to societal need. That was: there’s Or, to put it another way, is the European something interesting over here that’s Research Area just a frst step towards a more than just mature science. How do global research area: in acronym terms a we make it work, how do we turn it into move from ERA to GLOREA? something.”

The European Science Foundation (ESF) Take the problem of what used to be opened its frst ever science policy con- considered healthy competition, but in a ference in Strasbourg on 28 November, close-knit Europe looks increasingly like 2007 and wrestled with questions that, duplication of effort, or fragmentation of for the moment, could only be answered research funds. “What do I mean by du- with other questions. Should researchers plication? I mean the worry in the UK or be directed to tackle the obvious problems Sweden or wherever that you are funding that face society – the menace of climate something that is really identical to some- change, for instance, or the problem of thing funded in Italy or whatever. Again let maintaining health in an increasingly el- me use my background. The UK had the derly populace? Or should researchers be best dark matter experiment in Europe. encouraged to explore possibilities that no So did France and so did Italy. Those can- one had ever imagined? not all be true. There is real suspicion that

European Science Foundation 39 2007 in Review

the money could have been spent better. of scientifc research in Europe. “One And that is repeated many times across shouldn’t lose sight of the broader goal: Europe. So how do we get that kind of vis- that integration and co-operation are not ibility and transparency?” ends in themselves. They are means to the greater beneft of science. Or are they Dark matter makes up more than 20 per always? Is it absolutely essential that to be cent of the universe. All the stars and all successful in science Europe must have the galaxies account for only about 4 per enforced trans-national co-operation? It is cent of creation. More than 70 per cent worth reflecting on that,” he said. of the mass of the universe is concealed in a phenomenon sometimes called dark Sometimes, that question was simply energy, or quintessence, or antigravity: a answered. Some scientifc ventures – the force so mysterious that no physicist has huge atom-smashing collider at CERN in any confdence that it will ever be under- Geneva, for example, the human genome stood. Most of the galaxies, however, are project and the European bioinformat- embedded in an invisible but massive ics institute – were simply too big and substance known as dark matter, and too costly for any single university or most researchers believe that, sooner or country to attempt. There were clinical later, they will begin to identify it. Professor trials that worked best as transnational Halliday’s point is not that any one experi- co-operations, and vaccine partnerships ment is more likely to succeed; it is that that demanded international effort. Space to make the best of its intellectual effort, programmes and fusion research were a European research council should have also obvious examples of successful and been able to consider all three projects, necessary co-operations. and endorse one of them. The challenge “The examples are there but notice that was to get the most money to the best in each case one can trace the need for scientists to produce the fastest and most co-operation to a scientifc objective and effective research. “I suspect much talent goal rather than enforced co-operation for in Europe does not have that kind of fund- its own sake,” Professor Blakemore said. ing,” he said. “We have to be very cautious, in recognis- Colin Blakemore, an Oxford neuroscien- ing that the driver for co-operation is not tist and until October head of the UK’s co-operation itself, but it is the goal of sup- Medical Research Council, had a different porting science better where co-operation set of questions about the new shape is essential.”

40 European Science Foundation ■ Korea Research Foundation eyes entry into EUROCORES, Research Networking Programmes

In another sign of how European Science “In the felds of science and engineering, Foundation (ESF)’s activities are breaking research collaboration between Korea geographic barriers and exerting global in- and Europe has started to increase. But in fluences, the Korea Research Foundation terms of humanities and social sciences, (KRF) has expressed desire to participate in the basis for cooperation is still weak,” ESF’s programmes such as the European commented Dr. Huh. “I believe that it is Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) necessary to lay the foundation for more Scheme and the Research Networking active exchanges and collaboration be- Programmes (RNP). tween Korean and European researchers by means of academic agreements or At a meeting in Seoul, Dr. Sang-Man through other measures between KRF Huh, the President of the KRF met with and ESF. I would also like to encour- the Chief Executive of the ESF Dr. John age Korean researchers to participate in Marks to discuss the possibility for his some of the ESF programmes such as organisation to be involved in ESF’s the EUROCORES Programmes and the programmes. The workshop meeting RNPs.” “2007 KRF Capacity Building Workshop for Research Management”, which was The two heads of organisations also organised by KRF, was held from 12-17 touched on the issue of the European November. Dr. Marks was a featured par- Commission’s plan to create a single ticipant and keynote speaker at the event. European market for scientists, namely the It was attended by representatives from 23 European Research Area (ERA). The KRF research organisations and institutes from is looking into the possibility to initiate a 15 countries in the Asian region. similar effort in Asia. During their meeting, the KRF President was enquiring about

the possible role that the ESF will play in the creation of the ERA.

European Science Foundation 41 2007 in Review

■ EuroBioForum sows the seeds for future Life Sciences initiatives in Europe

A meeting of researchers, administrators and Professor Jos Kleinjans of Maastricht and funding agencies has laid the foun- University in The Netherlands. They have dations for a key part of Europe’s future proposed a programme called ASAT – research strategy in the life sciences. Assuring Safety without Animal Testing. The EuroBioForum conference in Lisbon, The aim is to take a radical approach Portugal on 6 and 7 December 2007, towards assessing the risk to human organised by the European Science health of chemicals using new advances Foundation (ESF) and the European in science and technology. In this way it Commission (EC), with support from the might be possible to drastically reduce Portuguese Foundation for Science and the numbers of animals used in toxicology Technology (FCT), aimed to bring together tests – around 1 million each year in the researchers and funders to begin the pro- EU. Dr. Sangster remarked that “We think cess of establishing ways to create and that in the future with huge effort and con- fnance cross-border partnerships in six certed action we can reduce that number areas of the life sciences considered to be considerably”. future research priorities. Professor José Mariano Gago, the During the conference, the six research Portugese Minister for Science, Technology consortia presented their pioneering re- and Higher Education was a keynote search programmes on topics ranging speaker at the meeting. He told participants from using systems biology to combat metabolic syndrome, to developing new at the conference that it is crucial that any methods to study brain disorders including new initiative for collaborative ventures will addiction, depression and schizophrenia. not replicate existing alliances.

One consortium led by Dr. Alain Tedgui Dr. Patrik Kolar, head of the Genomics of INSERM is proposing to establish and Systems Biology unit of the European a European Vascular Biology Institute Commission’s Research Directorate, told (EVBI) - a ‘virtual’ organisation harnessing the meeting that EuroBioForum was an expertise across Europe in all aspects of important way to choose the strategic vascular biology in an effort to come up direction of research in Europe to en- with innovative ways to tackle vascular sure minimal duplication of effort and disease. reduced fragmentation of research. The Another consortium is led by Dr. Bart EU’s Framework research programme Sangster, a retired public health expert encouraged co-operation, Dr. Kolar said, and former Senior Vice-President of Safety “and EuroBioForum is an important part and Environmental Assurance at Unilever, of this.”

42 European Science Foundation

Highlights from 2007

■ European Launch of International Polar Year

The European launch of International Polar answers to some of the most important Year (IPY) 2007-2008 in February 2007 scientifc questions facing our planet and marks the commencement of the largest set the agenda for future polar science. and most ambitious globally-coordinated At a time when climate change is being scientifc effort for half a century. Policy debated at the highest political levels, and makers and leading scientists from various its social and economic effects are being felds gathered at the European Parliament felt in many European countries, polar re- in Strasbourg to discuss how the inter- search has never been more important – or national scientifc community could work more relevant – to Europe and its citizens. together during IPY, to address the serious global threat of climate change, and As well as heralding a new era of polar explain why polar science is crucial to research, IPY will – through dozens of understanding how our world works. education and outreach projects – inspire a new generation of young scientists and “The polar regions are vital arenas for sci- engage the public in genuine dialogue ence, foreign policy, trade, energy and se- about polar science, climate change and curity,” said Professor Carlo-Alberto Ricci, the future of the planet. Chairman of the European Polar Board, at the launch event, which is funded by Other speakers at the European launch the European Science Foundation (ESF). event included: Dr. David Carlson, Director “International Polar Year is a once-in-a- of the IPY International Programme Offce: lifetime opportunity for Europe to deepen Dr. Artur Chilingarov, Deputy Chairman, and broaden international partnerships State Duma of the Russian Federation; and create trust and mutual understanding Dr. Einar-Arne Herland, Head of Science through political and scientifc dialogue.” Strategy, Coordination and Planning Offce, European Space Agency and a represen- Europe is playing a leading role in IPY, tative of the Climate Unit of the European which involves around 50,000 people Commission. from more than 60 nations. The continent has invested more than 200 M€ in most IPY is a programme of the World of IPY’s 228 projects, and is contributing Meteorological Organization (WMO) and in research felds ranging from marine, the International Council for Science (ICSU) space, and environmental sciences to and is sponsored by several international medicine, humanities and social sciences. organisations, including the European During IPY, European researchers will seek Polar Board.

44 European Science Foundation ■ Systems Biology to boost the understanding of cell function and disease

Systems Biology is transforming the way dustry, illustrates “Europe’s potential to be scientists think about biology and disease. at the forefront of pinpointing the system This novel approach to research could causes of diseases, aiming at the rational prompt a shake up in medical science and design of targeted therapies and drugs” it might ultimately allow clinicians to pre- according to Dr. John Marks, the Chief dict and treat complex diseases such as Executive of the ESF. diabetes, heart failure, cancer, and meta- The report tells us “it is necessary to de- bolic syndrome for which better therapies velop a well coordinated effort, bringing are still needed. together the many different research activi- In 2007 the European Science Foundation ties in Europe, and complement this with (ESF) published a Forward Look (FL) re- joint development of basic technologies, port System Biology: a grand challenge reference laboratories and training a new for Europe; an attempt to identify how generation of researchers,” adds Marks. research in Systems Biology could The report was the outcome of the be accelerated and devel- ESF Forward Look on Systems oped further in Europe. The Biology that has been conducted report concludes with a set in 2004 and 2005. The recom- of specifc recommendations mendations were frst published in that aims at consolidating the ESF Science Policy No. 25 in Systems Biology efforts in October 2005. Europe. The idea of this ESF initiated Foreward Look frst To further value the importance came to light with a proposal and potential of Systems Biology, by the Netherlands Organization ESF has invited renowned scien- for Health Research and tifc leaders to share their expertise Development (ZonMw) and the NWO on how to best implement the Forward Council for Earth and Life Sciences in Look report’s recommendations. The the Netherlands. The proposal was later Corresponding task force, comprising of materialised into concrete effort based on nine experts in the feld, published a series extensive discussions during a number of precise recommendations on necessary of focused workshops and meetings be- steps to accelerate research on System tween scientists and policy makers from Biology in Europe based on the Forward academia and industry. Look report.

The report, which includes 12 essays from More information: the scientifc experts in academia and in- www.esf.org/publications.html

European Science Foundation 45 Highlights from 2007

■ Watching what we eat: ESF - COST conference on Food Systems

Food has never been more of a global products is opening up on the Indian commodity than it is today. But there is subcontinent. And with Europe’s share an urgent need to understand the prob- of global exports predicted to drop from lems that face future European food sup- 24 percent to 20 percent over the next plies within this global market. And so 10 years, Europe needs to become more scientists and policy makers gathered in effcient to compete in a global market. Budapest in November 2007 to push for Scientists hope that by encouraging differ- a more holistic approach to the study of ent industries within the food chain to think what Europeans eat. about the food system as a whole, they can increase overall effciency. The conference, supported by the European Science Foundation (ESF) and Changes to Europe’s own food market is the European Cooperation in Science and another reason to better understand the Technology (COST), looked at where food European food system. An aging European comes from, the ways in which it is pro- population brings different health demands cessed, packaged and distributed, and that could be met—in part—by altering the how it is sold and eventually eaten. food they eat. Migration of people into the Scientists at the conference showed EU has changed European food tastes, that Europeans sitting down at their din- customs and traditions, and increased ner tables are eating a broader range of wealth gives Europeans the means to buy meats and vegetables than ten years ago. more meat. Furthermore, longer workdays Europeans demand that their food tastes and the entry of women into the workplace better, makes them healthier and can be has left many Europeans with little time to prepared in less time, and yet they want prepare food, resulting in a reliance on this food available year round at a low ‘ready-meals’. One consequence of this price. To meet these needs, food trav- is an average meal contains more ingredi- els many more miles; along much more ents that have travelled further and require complicated distribution routes than ever more packaging. before on its journey from the farm to our Finally, changing energy consumption forks. and the threat of climate change will force One reason to better understand the Europeans to think about how effciently European food system is the growth in they produce and consume food. By global markets—the Chinese are eating studying food systems, scientists hope to more meat, and a large market for dairy understand the socioeconomic, political,

46 European Science Foundation and cultural influences on what Europeans This Forward Look is a multidisciplinary eat. And policy makers can use this joint ESF-COST initiative, which involves knowledge to steer how Europe manages the ESF Standing Committee for Life, Earth the food chain—starting in the feld and and Environmental Sciences (LESC), the ending in the stomach—to ensure that all ESF European Medical Research Councils people, at all times, have access to suf- (EMRC), the ESF Standing Committee for fcient, safe and nutritious food to meet the Humanities (SCH), the ESF Standing their dietary needs. Committee for the Social Sciences (SCSS) The conference, on November 5-6, was and the COST Domain Committee for attended by 75 scientists and policy mak- Food and Agriculture (FA). ers from 22 countries and was one of the series of research conferences organised by the ESF-COST Forward Look initiative.

European Science Foundation 47 Highlights from 2007

■ Space scientists, humanities scholars explore outer space from new perspective

Space agencies and scientists are tire- Issues that conference delegates explored lessly working to make manned missions include the philosophical and theological back to the Moon and then onwards to consequences of contacting alien intel- Mars a reality. The technologies involved ligences, the marketing of space explo- are awe-inspiring, but what challenges do ration, and the legal frameworks that will historians, philosophers or sociologists ex- be needed if space-faring nations are to pect us to face in an era of interplanetary co-operate peacefully. exploration and, perhaps, colonisation? The event was being organised in part by To fnd out, the European Science an ESF Steering Committee chaired by Foundation (ESF), European Space Professor Luca Codignola, a historian at Agency (ESA) and the European Space the University of Genoa, told the confer- Policy Institute (ESPI) co-hosted a conference: “We have two different visions of ence in Vienna, on 11-12 October 2007, the same story - the more hard vision of at which humanities scholars and space the scientist and the more soft vision of scientists came together, for the frst the humanist - but we are dealing with time in Europe, to discuss humankind’s the same idea, with human thought and presence in space from non-traditional with human beings either here on Earth or perspectives. The conference Humans in wherever we’re going to be.” Outer Space – Interdisciplinary Odysseys The conclusions from these sessions have gave guiding insight into how once we fnd been documented in a position paper a way to survive in outer space we will also entitled Vienna Vision on Humans in Outer face issues that can be best addressed in Space. the light of modern understanding of historical events.

48 European Science Foundation ■ Astronomers get their hands dirty as they lift the veil on galactic dust

There is more to a grain of dust than meets directly at any wavelength. The key here the eye, at least for astronomers as they is that the dust is acting as a relay for ra- attempt to probe deeper into distant gal- diation emitted by the stars behind it. The axies. Until now dust has been a nuisance dust absorbs high energy radiation from because it has obscured galaxies, and the the stars and then heats up as a result. It stars within them, by absorbing the radia- then re-emits in the infra red waveband, tion they emit. But more recently dust has which can now be detected with sensitive started to present opportunities because new instruments. it emits radiation itself as a consequence Plans were made at the workshop to use of being heated up by nearby stars. Aided the European Space Agency’s new infrared by new observing instruments and sophis- space telescope called Herschel, which ticated computer software, this radiation will be launched in 2008 and be capable of enables astronomers to reconstruct what detecting infrared radiation emitted by dis- lies behind the dust. Furthermore the dust tant galactic dust. “The new instruments itself plays a vital role in star formation will allow us to detect dust associated with within galaxies. less dense regions of the interstellar me- The stage was set for dramatic advances dium,” said Bianchi. in the study of galactic dust in a recent Astronomers also hope to learn more workshop funded by the European Science about the role played by dust in star forma- Foundation (ESF)’s Exploratory Workshop. tion. As Bianchi pointed out, there is a well The big breakthrough is the ability to de- established connection between the dust tect the dust at much higher resolution and the gas from which stars are formed. from its infrared radiation, according to But the detailed relationship is unknown, Simone Bianchi from the INAF-IRA in Italy and will require knowledge about the dust and a co-convenor of the ESF workshop. itself, in particular its molecular structure “It has been possible to do this since the and lifecycle. eighties, but the new instruments have a higher sensitivity,” said Bianchi. The ESF workshop focused mainly on spiral galaxies, because these are heavily At the same time new computer models obscured by dust. Galaxies are split into are making it possible to work out the three categories by their structure, spiral, structure of the galaxy lying behind the elliptical, and irregular. There is less dust dust, even though it cannot be observed in elliptical galaxies, while irregular galaxies

European Science Foundation 49 Highlights from 2007

are more diffcult to model because they Europe exploit the full potential of the data lack any orderly structure. “Spiral galaxies that will be obtained from the new instru- can be modelled in a more direct way be- ments. It has already brought together cause of their relatively simple geometry,” the relevant European groups specialis- said Bianchi. “However, recent comparison ing in spiral galaxies and modelling dust, with observations of dust emission has providing the platform for major advances shown that models may need a higher de- in the feld. The workshop, held in Ghent, gree of complexity. This can be achieved Belgium in May 2007, brought together 29 now with the advances in computational researchers from 10 different countries. facilities.” Further information about the workshop please go to www.arcetri.astro.it/radtran

The ESF workshop was well timed to help

50 European Science Foundation ■ Investigating Life in Extreme Environments report gives hints on life

From the deepest seafloor to the highest Committee for Humanities (SCH) and the mountain, from the hottest region to the European Medical Research Councils cold Antarctic plateau, environments la- (EMRC). This interdisciplinary initiative belled as extreme are numerous on Earth considered all types of life forms (from and they present a wide variety of features microbes to humans) evolving in a wide and characteristics. range of extreme environments (from deep sea to acidic rivers, polar regions or plan- Investigating life processes in extreme etary bodies). environments not only can provide hints on how life frst appeared and survived A series of recommendations were on Earth (as early earth was an extreme made from a large-scale interdisciplinary environment) but it can also give indication workshop (128 participants) organised in for the search for life on other planets. November 2005 with an additional workshop organised in March 2006. They have To examine these issues and other mat- identifed interdisciplinary (listed below) ters the European Science Foundation and disciplinary research priorities. (ESF) has published a 58-page report Investigating Life in Extreme Environments – A European Perspective. Among other Recommendations: issues, the report has stated how global changes in the recent decades have turned Cross-cutting Scientific some environments setting into becoming Recommendations “extreme” conditions for the normal eco- ■ Identify and agree on i) model organisms systems (e.g. acidifcation of the oceans). in different phyla (a group that has genet- Therefore the understanding of tolerance/ ic relationship) and for different extreme adaptation/non-adaptation to extreme environments; and ii) model extreme conditions and ecosystem functioning are environments able to help predicting the impact of global change on biodiversity. ■ Favour an ecosystem-based multidisciplinary approach when considering This report is resulted from an ESF scientifc activities in extreme environ- inter-committee initiative involving the ments. Marine Board (MB-ESF), the European Polar Board (EPB), the European Space ■ Foster the use of Molecular Structural Sciences Committee (ESSC), the Life Biology and Genomics when considering Earth and Environmental Sciences life processes in extreme environments Standing Committee (LESC), the Standing

European Science Foundation 51 Highlights from 2007

Cross-cutting Technology Structuring and Networking the Recommendations Science community

■ Laboratory simulation techniques and ■ Favour interdisciplinary and multidisci- facilities (e.g. microcosms) should be plinary approaches between scientifc wider developed and made available to domains and between the technological the scientifc community. and scientifc spheres.

■ Develop of in-situ sampling, measure- ■ Create as soon as possible an over- ment and monitoring technologies. The arching interdisciplinary group of ex- assessment and use of existing tech- perts to defne the necessary actions niques is also recommended. to build a critical European mass in the feld of “Investigating Life in Extreme ■ Adopt a common approach (specifc to Environments” research activities in extreme environ-

ments) on technology requirements, ■ Improve the information exchange, availability and development. coordination and networking of the European community involved in scientifc activities in extreme environments (see also CAREX FP7 project page 116).

52 European Science Foundation

ESF’s principal activities

The following pages highlight new Forward Forward Looks Looks which got under way in 2007. For detailed information please visit the rel- ESF Forward Looks are a foresight instru- evant noted location on the ESF Website. ments enabling policy makers from ESF More information: www.esf.org/flooks Member Organisations, in interaction with Europe’s scientifc community and other organisations, to develop medium to long- term views and analyses of future research Standing Committee for the developments in Europe in a global con- European Medical Research text. The purpose of a Forward Look is to Councils (EMRC) assist organisations with developing com- Investigator-Driven Clinical Trials • mon science agendas and priority setting (2007-2008) for research and research infrastructure The need for coordination of clinical re- funding at the national and the European search in Europe is a mandatory step levels. to speed up the movement of scientifc discoveries from bench to bedside and The new process of selecting Forward expand outreach efforts to minority and Look topics introduced in 2007 offers the medically underserved communities. leading role to ESF Member Organisations and at the same time allows Standing An integrated, EU-wide patient oriented Committees, and via them the European research approach is necessary to reduce fragmentation and allow high-quality, multina- scientifc community, to play an active role tional clinical studies. In order to recommend in their initiation. adequate far-reaching initiatives, a state of the This new concept for the Forward Look art analysis was undertaken under the format of the Forward Look “Investigator-Driven instrument was discussed in a report by Clinical Trials” and will develop in 2008. Barend van der Meulen “Looking Beyond Endless Frontier. ESF Forward Looks Towards this goal, fve strategic workshops Scheme: Analysis and Recommendations” are being organized in 2008 to address the following issues: which positions the ESF Forward. Look instrument in the wider foresight landscape 1. Categories and Design of Clinical Trials and sets up a framework for its future de- 2. Regulatory and Legal Issues, IPR and velopment. Data Sharing

54 European Science Foundation 3. Management of Investigator-Driven Gene silencing by RNA interference represents Clinical Trials just one area of potential for RNA in medicine. Even though technical problems have to be 4. Education, Training, Career and overcome the ﬁrst clinical applications are Authorship being developed. The Forward Look RNA 5. Funding and Models of Partnerships World which was launched on 25 May 2007 This Forward Look will lead to a consensus uniquely integrates projects and networks of conference which will be held on 29-30 ongoing EC and ESF projects with the aim of September 2008 followed by the publishing taking a comprehensive look at the future of of a report highlighting the key recommenda- this fascinating research area. tions on how to better coordinate the various The frst workshop entitled “Methodologies national and European initiatives in this do- for RNA discovery” addresses questions as main and overall strengthen investigator-driv- to how to identify new RNAs and how to en clinical trials in Europe in an international localize RNAs and their expression and what perspective. the primary sequence of a RNA would tell us. Another workshop addressing the issue More information: www.esf.org/idct of molecular interactions of RNAs with their partners is planned for April 2008 while RNA therapeutics will be discussed in a workshop RNA World: a new frontier in biomedical scheduled for November 2008. The fnal research • (2007-2009) Consensus Conference is planned to take place in Granada, Spain in February 2009. Joint Activity with LESC More information: www.esf.org/rnaworld The main objective of this study is to explore the full potential of RNA-technology for medical application by foreseeing developments that are likely to take place during the next decade, by stimulating cooperation between the medical community and molecular biologists. Research on RNA molecules has produced amazing results in recent years. Much progress has been made in basic science and its translation into clinical application. Not without reason was RNA voted “Molecule of the Year” or runner-up several times by Science magazine over the past few years. The 2006 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded for the discovery of RNA interference - gene silencing by double-stranded RNA.

European Science Foundation 55 ESF’s principal activities

Standing Committee Religion and Belief Systems for the Humanities (SCH) • (2007-2009)

Security – Advancing a Framework Joint Activity with SCSS for Inquiry (SAFE) • (2007-2008) Against the background of existing national and international research programmes Joint Activity with SCSS on religion – borne mainly out of societal Security research has proceeded far too requests to tackle the rise of religion as a long without adequate input from human social force in contemporary Europe – this and social sciences, focusing on crisis Forward Look aims at exploring the speci- management and threat countering. This fcities of religions as opposed to other Forward Look will develop new perspec- belief systems. tives for integrated research, to inform Very basic questions such as what people long-term understandings of models of believe in and how beliefs are structured, security, of contingent cognitive, cultural, be they religious (e.g., God’s will, sin, re- ideological and legal frameworks, and of demption) or secular (e.g., democracy, relevant management issues. equality, racial superiority) are still far from The objective is to address scientiﬁcally being answered. Given the strong moti- complex issues such as critical thresholds vational forces that religions can liberate, and systemic scientifcally imbalances. policy makers and academics are still ill- equipped to understand religion as subject Through comparative studies, the Forward and object of social and cultural change. Look will reflect the different approaches Little is known about how beliefs change to the topic in the ESF constituencies. and how religions are instilled, chosen, abandoned and transformed. This Forward A global science advisory board and part- Look will look not only at contemporary nerships in Europe and beyond will ensure Europe (which would preclude the possi- a high level of knowledge transfer and a bility to examine Europe’s specifcity), it will sustained science-and-policy dialogue also make efforts at seeking comparative (e.g. through EU, UN, NATO, CIS, etc.). dimensions and historical depth. More information: www.esf.org/safe Appropriate research strategies for the inclusion of important areas of intersections of religions and other sectors of society – law, education – will be explored.

More information: www.esf.org/belief

56 European Science Foundation Science Policy SPB28: Medical Imaging for Improved Patient Care Briefings Medical imaging plays a role of ever increasing importance at all levels of the ESF Science Policy Briefings (SPB) origi- healthcare system. This is why EMRC nated as a means for the ESF to issue engaged in a Science Policy Briefing to position statements on various science strengthen Europe’s position in this truly policy issues, such as the ethical use of interdisciplinary scientific field. The rec- animals in research or the issue of human ommendations emphasize the need for stem cells. Since its launch in 1997 more increased collaboration between different than two dozen policy briefings have been universities, between imaging specialists published which deal with various issues and clinicians, between academia and within the European Research Area. ESF industry and between different imaging Science Policy Briefings emerge generally modalities. The establishment of interdis- from initiatives of one or more ESF Standing ciplinary research groups of sufficient size Committees and/or Expert Committees or provided with access to long-term funding from Forward Looks exercises. is a pre-requisite to fostering further development of this research area in Europe.

European Science Foundation 57 ESF’s principal activities

The Science Policy Brieﬁng edited by the SPB30: Research Integrity: EMRC Core Group member, Professor global responsibility to foster Arturo Brunetti from Naples (Italy) to- common standards gether with Professor Olaf Haraldseth ORI-ESF Science Policy Briefng from Trondheim (Norway) was published and publicised in October 2007 and was Research Integrity is the cornerstone of all presented among others during the annual good research. The issues with research congress of the European Association of misconduct such as fabrication, falsifca- Nuclear Medicine that took place on 13-17 tion, and plagiarism have been with us for October 2007 in Copenhagen. centuries but with greater public investment in research, these attract far more atten- More details: www.esf.org/spb28 tion than hitherto. ESF has taken the lead in developing guidance on good research SPB29: EUROHORCs and ESF’s practice for some years and published an comments on the EC’s Green impactful Science Policy Briefng in 2000. Paper: “The European Research ESF initiated and organised, with the US Area: New Perspectives” Offce of Research Integrity, the First World Conference on Research Integrity in Lisbon EUROHORCs-ESF Science Policy Briefng in September 2007 under the Portuguese The ESF worked with the EuroHORCs EU Presidency and with the substantial in preparing a joint response, which was support of the European Commission. This submitted in September 2007, to the SPB No 30 briefng has stated the conclu- European Commission’s “Green Paper” on sion of this conference. It also details the the future of the European Research Area. need for future action plans including the The ESF and the EuroHORCs high- organisation of an ESF MO Forum and lighted the crucial role that national level the creation of a global clearing house for non-governmental stakeholders, such as research integrity policy and procedures. research funders, research performers It also explains the need to hold a second and academies, can play in structuring World Conference which will probably be in and advancing the ERA. The ESF and the Asia towards the end of 2009. In addition, EuroHORCs identifed 11 points for ac- the briefng identifed the need to promote tions and measures which they could take what is termed the responsible conduct of forward as their contribution to the ERA. research. A joint ESF-EuroHORCs Task Force will work in 2008 to prioritise and develop More details: www.esf.org/spb30 these points.

More information: www.esf.org/spb29

58 European Science Foundation discussed by the Governing Council in Member April 2008. Issues being monitored by Organisation Fora ESF for potential development include medium-sized research infrastructures; Open Access; Long-term Preservation of Research Data; Research Integrity.

As a follow up to the 1st World Conference on Research Integrity, held in Lisbon in September 2007, ESF, together with other international and national organisations, is currently planning the launching of a Forum to develop joint activities to promote Good Scientifc Practice.

More information: www.esf.org/activities/mo-fora.html Member Organisation Fora is an ESF activity that has been developed in response ■ Current MO Fora topics to a clear demand from the Member Organisations expressed during the Peer Review Strategic Plan consultations. MO Fora are 10 Organisations output-oriented, issue-related venues for For ESF Member Organisations peer re- the Member Organisations, involving oth- view and grant awarding procedures are ers as appropriate, to develop joint actions. key to the quality of their performance Such actions should beneﬁt membership and to their reputation in the scientifc organisations’ strategy development and/ community. However, with changes to the or lead to the development of best prac- ways research is organised and funded, tices, common procedures or cooperative new challenges and requirements for peer activities. The Fora will be timelimited ac- review arise. The objectives of this MO tivities and will generally encompass one Forum are to exchange experiences and or more meetings of representatives of the to develop best practices across Europe. Member Organisations as well as others. The ESF Member Organisation Forum on The ESF encourages the development Peer Review started with the international of Member Organisation Fora by inviting conference “Peer review – its present and Member Organisations to propose prom- future state” in October 2006. ising topics. In March 2008 the Forum held a workshop Selected topics “Research Careers” and open to all ESF Member Organisations “Evaluation of Funding Schemes and with an aim to share innovative ideas and Research Programmes” held their launch to agree on common actions. The Action meetings in late 2007. Further propos- Plan will be announced in summer 2008. als from Member Organisations were

European Science Foundation 59 ESF’s principal activities

Evaluation of Funding Schemes Research Careers and Research Programmes 38 Organisations 41 Organisations This Forum aims to become an interface The focus of this Forum lies on the “post- for the Member Organisations and su- grant” evaluation process, i.e. whether pranational organisations including the the funding schemes or the research European Research Council, the European programmes achieve their stated aims. Commission and the European University The Forum provides a platform in which Association. It analyses existing studies, experiences with current practices in the documents, strategies and funding instru- different national organisations are ex- ments in order to identify and develop changed and documented. The Forum good practices and to draw recommen- aims to facilitate the networking of science dations on future strategies. In addition offcers engaged in evaluation in research it discusses how to develop appropriate funding agencies, research performing or- marketing campaigns to raise the interna- ganisations and learned societies and will tional visibility of the European Research help them to share practical information in Area as an attractive labour market for an informal way. Another objective of the researchers. Forum is to explore the needs and possibilities for collaboration in future evaluation exercises.

60 European Science Foundation In writing its Strategic Plan 2006-2010, Research ESF reflected on how best ESF could Infrastructures (RI) contribute to debates and strategies in RI and how best to organise itself internally to ESF regards the provision of high-quality ft the new Strategic Plan direction. To in- research infrastructures as a key factor in crease the engagement in RI issues of the the development of the European Research scientifc committees and boards, which Area (ERA), helping to sustain a robust, up- represent or have contact with the major- to-date research environment that will attract ity of RI-user as well as some RI-provider the best brains from Europe and the rest of communities, ESF has strengthened their the world and achieve high quality results. responsibilities for coordinating scientifc debates, reviews and strategies in their ESF’s defnition of Research Infrastructures specifc research domains. Overarching RI includes: issues are dealt with at the corporate level

■ Large research facilities with a unique by the Chief Executive’s Unit. capability Particular activities during the last year

■ Medium or small-scale research infra- have included a strong scientifc quality structures which have a European-wide assurance role in the EC-EUROHORCs or regional impact (single-site or distrib- survey of RI at the European level. This uted) for their disciplines survey will form the basis for an online database for European RI to be launched ■ Data bases or collections (single-site or early in 2008, which will be continuously distributed) of substantial research value upgraded and available to researchers and European impact and policy makers, hosted by the EC and ■ Underpinning infrastructure, such as with ESF acting as scientifc quality gate- broadband connectivity or GRIDS, for keeper. In the wider RI context felds, the European research ESF has taken initiatives in support of its More details: MOs and the scientifc community in the www.esf.org/research-infrastructure Open Access debate and in the long-term preservation of research data.

■ ESF Strategy in RI In addition to its traditional role in undertak- ing Reviews of planned or existing RI, ESF The landscape within Europe for debat- is now able to deploy instruments such as ing and planning current, upgraded and Member Organisation Fora and Forward future new RI, has changed signifcantly in Looks to address the range of RI strategic recent years with the emergence of ESFRI issues. (Roadmaps for future RI) of RI development priorities in FP7, and of RI-centric ERA-NETS, as examples. ESF’s Expert Committees and Boards have traditionally had a strong focus on RI and attention to RI issues is now also strengthening in the Standing Committees.

European Science Foundation 61 ESF’s principal activities

European Reference Index for ning to help overcome national and disci- the Humanities (ERIH) plinary boundaries also in the Humanities. ERIH has attracted interest of subject The SCH project ERIH aims at improving associations and research funders across access to and assessment of research Europe, and as far afeld as the Americas output of European Humanities scholars. – both North and South – China, and Developed under the Chairmanship of for- Australia. ESF Member Organisations are mer SCH-member Alain Peyraube (now: invited to secure sustainability of and input ERC Scientifc Council), ERIH publishes to the project through the establishment in 2007/08 the frst 15 sets of “initial lists” of ERIH National Contact Points (ENCoP). of categorised research journals in the Current subprojects consider the inclusion Humanities. ERIH is built on an original of nonjournal publications (books, confer- amalgamation of peer review, qualitative ences, online) and the links to the Open and quantitative analysis. ERIH will deliver Access world. an effective new tool with which to assess the multilingual products of Humanities re- More information: www.esf.org/erih search in Europe. It is a very timely project, as the “European Research Area” is begin-

62 European Science Foundation Exploratory Workshops

These small, interactive group sessions usually last 1-3 days and are aimed at opening up new directions in research and exploring emerging frontier research felds with potential impact on new developments in science. The workshops have a wide participation from across Europe and involve high-level scientists as well as young, independent researchers and scholars with leadership potential.

Successful proposals, selected following an open call for proposals and an international peer review process, demonstrate the potential for initiating follow-up research activities and/or developing future collaborative actions. Interdisciplinary topics are greatly encouraged.

More information: www.esf.org/workshops

European Science Foundation 63 64 European Science Foundation ESF’s principal activities

February SCSS Transdisciplinary Review Of A Proposed Agenda For Social Science EW06-237 Research Related To Long-Term Energy Options. Dates and location: 1-2 February 2007, Zurich, Switzerland. Convened by: Thomas Flüeler (CH). ESF Representative(s): Frank Kuhn (FR) EMRC Targeting Obesity-driven Inflammation (TOBI). Dates and location: 22- EW06-007 23 February 2007, Vienna, Austria. Convened by: Thomas Stulnig (AT), Werner Waldhäusl (AT). ESF Representative(s): Katarína Poláková (SK)

March LESC Phenomics - Advancing High-Resolution Genome-Wide Phenotyping PESC in Yeast. Dates and location: 2-4 March 2007, Göteborg, Sweden. EW06-071 Convened by: Anders Blomberg (SE). ESF Representative(s): Constantin Doukas (GR). Scientifc Report: Genome-Wide Phenotyping in Yeast, 2 - 4 March 2007, Göteborg, Sweden SCSS Historical Trajectories And Nested Identities: Content And Process In The EW06-232 Representation Of History And Its dynamic Relationships With National, Supranational, And Ethnic Identities. Dates and location: 15-18 March 2007, Goldegg (near Salzburg), Austria. Convened by: Janos Laszlo (HU). ESF Representative(s): Berry J. Bonenkamp (FR) SCSS Changing housing And Leisure-Time Cultures: A Threat To Sustainable EW06-172 Development? Challenges For European Practices And Policies. Dates and location: 21-23 March 2007, Minorca, Spain.? Convened by: Montserrat. Pareja-Eastaway (ES), Erling Holden (NO), Sergi Marí (ES), Eli Stoa (NO)

April SCH Burial In ‘other’ Places In The European Past. Dates and location: 10-12 EW06-162 April 2007, Winchester, United Kingdom. Convened by: Nick Thorpe (UK), Andrew Chamberlain (UK). ESF Representative(s): Bohuslav Mánek (CZ)

LESC Model Organism Proteomics. Dates and location: 11-13 April 2007, EW06-057 Zurich, Switzerland. Convened by: Rudolf Aebersold (CH), Erich Brunner (CH), Sabine Schrimpf (CH). ESF Representative(s): Constantin Doukas (GR)

European Science Foundation 65 ESF’s principal activities

April LESC Earthtime: The European Contribution - Integration of High-Precision EW06-046 Geochronology and Astronomical Tuning for Calibration of the Cenozoic and Mesozoic Timescales. Dates and location: 22-24 April 2007, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Convened by: Klaudia Kuiper (NL), Dan Condon (UK), Frits Hilgen (NL), Lucas Lourens (NL), Urs Schaltegger (CH), Jan Wijbrans (NL). ESF Representative(s): Andreas Strasser (CH)

PESC Genesis And Applications Of Active Metal-Organic Frameworks. Dates EW06-046 and location: 25-28 April 2007, Dourdan, France.Convened by: Gérard Ferey (FR)

May PESC Random Matrix Theory: From Fundamental Physics To Application. Dates EW06-078 and location: 3-5 May 2007, Krakow, Poland. Convened by: Zdzislaw Burda (PL), Romuald Janik (PL), Jerzy Jurkiewicz (PL), Maciej A. Nowak (PL). ESF Representative(s): Thibaut Lery (FR)

SCSS Elite Formation, Modernization And Nation Building. Dates and location: EW06-179 3-6 May 2007, Budapest, Hungary. Convened by: Victor Karady (HU) SCSS Education and the Capability Approach – Towards an European EW06-241 Perspective for Welfare Service Research. Dates and location: 3-5 May 2007, Münster, Germany. Convened by: Hans-Uwe Otto (DE), Holger Ziegler (DE)

LESC Exploring New Methods for Prosopography in the Humanities and EW06-216 the Social Sciences. Dates and location: 10-11 May 2007, Uppsala, Sweden. Convened by: Donald Broady (SE), Harold Short (UK)

EMRC Gene-Environment Developmental Models Of Emotional Disorders: LESC Bridging Human And Animal Research. Dates and location: 11-13 SCSS May 2007, Rome, Italy. Convened by: Marco Battaglia (IT), Francesca EW06-011 D’Amato (IT). ESF Representative(s): Stella Canna-Michaelidou (CY), Eero Vasar (EE) PESC Biomineralization: From Biology To Materials. Dates and location: 11-14 LESC May 2007, Århus, Denmark. Convened by: Henrik Birkedal (DK). EW06-104 ESF Representative(s): Venko N. Beschkov (BG)

66 European Science Foundation PESC Tracing Dust In Spiral Galaxies: Radiative Transfer Studies In The Dawn Of EW06-083 A New Generation Of Observing Facilities. Dates and location: 13-17 May 2007, Ghent, Belgium. Convened by: Simone Bianchi (IT), Maarten Baes (BE), Emmanuel Xilouris (GR) EMRC European Heart Modelling and Supporting Technology. Dates and EW06-016 location: 16-17 May 2007, Oxford, United Kingdom. Convened by: David Gavaghan (UK), Richard Clayton (UK), Alan Garny (UK), Peter Kohl (UK), Blanca Rodriguez (UK) SCH Technology In Counselling And Psychotherapy: Mental Health Education SCSS And Service Delivery At University. Dates and location: 22-25 May 2007, EW06-150 Dublin, Ireland. Convened by: Derek Richards (IE), Brendan Tangney (IE). ESF Representative(s): Luisa Lima (PT)

LESC Glycoscience Comes Of Age. Dates and location: 23-26 May 2007, EMRC Kolocep, Croatia. Convened by: Tony Merry (UK), Gordan Lauc (HR). ESF EW06-146 Representative(s): Josef Glössl (AT)

SCH Gift-Giving And Reciprocity In Modern Societies. New Directions In SCSS Theoretical Reflection And Empirical Analysis. Dates and location: EW06-113 24-26 May 2007, Bremen-Delmenhorst, Germany. Convened by: Christian Papilloud (DE), Frank Adloff (DE). ESF Representative(s): Dalina Dumitrescu (RO), Ulrike Landfester (CH) SCSS Rethinking Added Value In The Creative Industries: Combining EW06-197 Theory And Empirical Data. Dates and location: 29-31 May 2007, Zurich, Switzerland. Convened by: Christoph Weckerle (CH). ESF Representative(s): Rainer Kattel (EE)

European Science Foundation 67 ESF’s principal activities

June LESC Emerging Energies, Emerging Landscapes: Revisioning the Past, EW06-218 Constructing the Future. Dates and location: 5-8 June 2007, Paris, France. Convened by: Alain Nadaï (FR), Ana Isabel Afonso (PT), Dorle Dracklé (DE), Dan Van Der Horst (UK), Maarten Wolsink (NL), Rolf Wüstenhagen (CH). ESF Representative(s): T. Hefn Jones (UK)

SCH The Position Of Religious Minorities In The Ottoman Empire And EW06-117 Early Modern Iran. Dates and location: 14-16 June 2007, Istanbul, Turkey. Convened by: Sabine Schmidtke (DE), Camilla Adang (IL). ESF Representative(s): Bohuslav Mánek (CZ) LESC Product Quality and Sustainability of Organic Sheep and Goat Production EW06-117 in Mediterranean Countries. Dates and location: 16-17 June 2007, Thessaloniki, Greece. Convened by: Georgios Arsenos (GR), Andrea Martini (IT). ESF Representative(s): Constantin Doukas (GR) July

SCH Shifting the Discourse: Climate Change as an Issue of Human Security. EW06-200 Dates and location: 21-23 June 2007, Oslo, Norway. Convened by: Karen O’Brien (NO), Asuncion St. Clair (NO). ESF Representative(s): Jacques Dubucs (FR) SCSS Improving The Quality Of Qualitative Research. Dates and location: 25- EW06-193 28 June 2007, Kristiansand, Norway. Convened by: David Silverman (UK), Anne Ryen (NO), Shalva Weil (IL). ESF Representative(s): Asbjørn Rødseth (NO) SCSS Foggy Social Structures in European Welfare States: Irregular Migration EW06-231 and the Informal Economy. Dates and location: 13-15 July 2007, Osnabrück, Germany. Convened by: Michael Bommes (DE)

SCH Artists and Intellectuals and the Requests of Power. Dates and location: EW06-121 27-28 July 2007, Merano, Italy. Convened by: Hans-Christian Guenther (DE)

August SCH Sextus Empiricus And Ancient Physics. Dates and location: 6-12 August EW06-161 2007, Delphi, Greece. Convened by: Keimpe A. Algra (NL), Katherina Ierodiakonou (GR)

68 European Science Foundation September SCH Medieval Memories: Case Studies, Defnitions, Contexts. Dates and location: EW06-139 2-7 September 2007, Prague, Czech Republic. Convened by: Lucie Dolezalova (CZ)

LESC New Perspectives on Volcano Behaviour, Volcanic Hazards and Volcanism- EW06-030 Related Mineral Resources. Dates and location: 4-7 September 2007, Sovata, Romania. Convened by: Alexandru Szakacs (RO), Derek Rust (MA), Ioan Seghedi (RO). ESF Representative(s): Olgeir Sigmarsson (FR)

PESC LESC Biosupramolecular Chemistry. Dates and location: 4-8 September 2007, Bristol, EW06-030 United Kingdom. Convened by: Anthony Peter Davis (UK), Derek Neil Woolfson (UK)

Econometric Time-Series Analysis Applied To Climate Research. Dates and LESC location: 5-7 September 2007, Frascati, Italy. Convened by: Torben Schmith EW06-047 (DK), Søren Johansen (DK), Hans von Storch (DE). ESF Representative(s): Tiina Nöges (EE)

Exploring Symbolic Value Creation In Organizations. Dates and location: 6-9 SCSS September 2007, Milano, Italy. Convened by: Davide Ravasi (IT), Pablo Martin EW06-224 De Holan (ES), Phillips Nelson (UK), Violina Rindova (US). ESF Representative(s): Frank Kuhn (FR)

The Muslim World Through The Lens Of European Textbooks. Dates and SCSS location: 11-14 September 2007, Braunschweig, Germany. Convened EW06-188 by: Gerdien Jonker (DE) SCH Feminisms and Activism: Transversal Politics in Contemporary Europe SCSS and across the Globe. Dates and location: 12-16 September 2007, EW06-202 Nicosia, Cyprus. Convened by: Susana Pavlou (CY), Nira Yuval-Davis (UK). ESF Representative(s): Anne Kovalainen (FI), Naomi Segal (UK)

LESC Understanding The Functional Consequences Of Natural Variation In EW06-040 Ecological Adaptation. Dates and location: 14-17 September 2007, Vienna, Austria. Convened by: Christian Schlötterer (AT), Jean-Michel Gibert (AT). ESF Representative(s): Marek Konarzewski (PL)

LESC Valuing Bioflm Services: The Beauty and the Beast. Dates and location: EW06-037 19-22 September 2007, Lunz Am See, Austria. Convened by: Tom Battin (AT)

European Science Foundation 69 ESF’s principal activities

September SCH Global Theory, Local Practices, and the Research into Visual Matters. EW06-135 Dates and location: 19-23 September 2007, Vilnius, Lithuania. Convened by: Giedre Mickunaite (LT), Agne Narusyte (LT). ESF Representative(s): Jacques Dubucs (FR) SCSS Sustainable Development and Transboundary Co-Operation in Mountain EW06-205 Regions. Dates and location: 20-22 September 2007, Budapest, Hungary. Convened by: Gianfranco Tamburelli (IT), Vanda Lamm (HU), Balázs Majtényi (HU), Ewa Poplawska (PL), Lenka Vostra (CZ)

SCH European Perspectives On The Black Atlantic. Dates and location: 26-29 EW06-159 September 2007, Huelva, Spain. Convened by: Pilar Cuder-Dominguez (ES), Benedicte Ledent (BE)

SCSS How To Measure Access: Defnition, Measurement And Consequences EW06-170 Of A Changed Set Of Objectives In Transportation Designed To Meet The Needs Of People. Dates and location: 26-28 September 2007, Dresden, Germany. Convened by: Udo J. Becker (DE), Juliane Friedrich (DE), Regine Gerike (DE) PESC Microfluidic: Experiments and Numerics. Dates and location: 27-30 EW06-095 September 2007, Castel Gandolfo (near Rome), Italy. Convened by: Sauro Succi (IT), Luca Biferale (IT), Federico Toschi (IT). ESF Representative(s): Venko N. Beschkov (BG), Elisabeth Guazzelli (FR)

EMRC Genetic Models of Disease Resistance in Livestock. Dates and location: EW06-032 1-2 October 2007, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Convened by: Bruce Whitelaw (UK), Helen Sang (UK). ESF Representative(s): Martin Röllinghoff (DE)

70 European Science Foundation October EMRC Genetic Models of Disease Resistance in Livestock. Dates and location: EW06-032 1-2 October 2007, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Convened by: Bruce Whitelaw (UK), Helen Sang (UK). ESF Representative(s): Martin Röllinghoff (DE)

PESC Coherence, Decoherence & Entanglement Of Non-Degenerate Massive EW06-076 Quantum Systems. Dates and location: 4-7 October 2007, Vienna, Austria. Convened by: Markus Arndt (AT). ESF Representative(s): Farzam Ranjbaran (FR)

PESC Slow And Fast Light: Fundamental Issues And Applications. Dates EW06-081 and location: 7-10 October 2007, Venice, Italy. Convened by: Marco Santagiustina (IT), Carlo Someda (IT). ESF Representative(s): Antonella Di Trapani (FR) SCSS Multilingualism from an Interdisciplinary Perspective. Dates and location: EW06-187 7-10 October 2007, London, United Kingdom. Convened by: Gabriella Vigliocco (UK), Martin Pickering (UK) PESC Glassy Liquids Under Pressure: Fundamentals And Applications EW06-087 Dates and location: 10-14 October 2007, Ustron, Poland. Convened by: Aleksandra Drozd-Rzoska (PL), Josep Tamarit (ES) SCH Death in the Roman Empire among Religious Law, Social Performances EW06-142 and Ritual Practices. Dates and location: 11-13 October 2007, Paris, France. Convened by: Stéphane Verger (FR), Henri Duday (FR), John Scheid (FR) PESC Multivariate Interpolation - Its Relation To Algebraic Statistics, Classical EW06-094 Algebraic Geometry And Computational Complexity Theory. Dates and location: 16-19 October 2007, Sestri Levante, Italy. Convened by: Kristian Ranestad (NO), Anthony Geramita (IT). ESF Representative(s): Manuel de León (ES) PESC Computational Approaches to the Role of Epigenetic Marks in LESC Transcription Regulation. Dates and location: 17-20 October 2007, EW06-069 Basel, Switzerland. Convened by: Erik van Nimwegen (CH), Nikolaus Rajewsky (DE) EMRC Clostridium Perfringens Induced Disease In Domestic Animals: Learning EW06-004 From Human Medical Science And Biotechnology For Understanding Animal Disease. Dates and location: 22-24 October 2007, Ghent, Belgium. Convened by: Filip Van Immerseel (BE), Magne Kaldhusdal (NO), Richard Titball (UK). ESF Representative(s): Martin Röllinghoff (DE)

European Science Foundation 71 ESF’s principal activities

October PESC Proton Conducting Materials For Next-Generation Solid Oxide Fuel Cells EW06-082 Dates and location: 22-24 October 2007, Genova, Italy. Convened by: Massimo Viviani (IT), Antonio Barbucci (IT), Paolo Piccardo (IT). ESF Representative(s): Antonella Di Trapani (FR) EMRC Disentangling The Molecular Pathophysiology Of Schizophrenia: EW06-014 Developing A Research Road Map For A Multidisciplinary European Team Dates and location: 26-26 October 2007, London, United Kingdom. Convened by: Peter Falkai (DE), Sophia Frangou (UK)

November PESC Laser Scanning For Alpine Natural Hazard Management - Development LESC Of New Concepts. Dates and location: 15-17 November 2007, EW06-028 Obergurgl, Austria. Convened by: Johann Stötter (AT), Thomas Geist (AT), Norbert Pfeifer (AT) SCH Hellenism: Alien Or Germane Wisdom? Dates and location: 22-26 EW06-156 November 2007, Budapest, Hungary. Convened by: Istvan Perczel (HU), Linos Benakis (GR), István Bodnar (HU) SCH Models of Language Evolution, Acquisition and Processing. Dates and SCSS location: 25-28 November 2007, Nijmegen, Netherlands. Convened EW06-093 by: Lou Boves (NL), Roger Moore (UK), Louis Ten Bosch (NL). ESF Representative(s): Monique van Donzel (FR) SCH Concepts Of Kingship In Antiquity. Dates and location: 28 November-1 EW06-126 December 2007, Padova, Italy. Convened by: Giovanni Lanfranchi (IT) ESF Representative(s): Peter Funke (DE)

72 European Science Foundation December EMRC From Standards To Concerted Programs Of Collective Action. The EW06-128 Standardization Process Of Medical Practices. Dates and location: 5-8 December 2007, Paris, France. Convened by: Virginie Tournay (FR) ESF Representative(s): Bob Pinedo (NL) SCH Sign Language Vs. Gesture: Where Is The Boundary, And How Can We EW06-163 Know More? Dates and location: 5-7 December 2007, Rome, Italy Convened by: Gary Morgan (UK), Kearsy Cormier (UK)

SCSS Cross-National And Multi-Level Analysis Of Attitudes To Immigrants And EW06-225 Immigration In Contemporary Europe. Dates and location: 5-8 December 2007, Dublin, Ireland. Convened by: Richard Sinnott (IE), Michael O’Connell (IE), Kevin H. O’Rourke (IE) SCH Reading and Censorship in Early Modern Europe. Dates and location: EW06-192 10-13 December 2007, Barcelona, Spain. Convened by: María José Vega (ES), Emilio Blanco (ES). ESF Representative(s): Ulrike Landfester (CH) LESC Mitigation Of Methane Emissions Through Microbial Oxidation On EW06-039 Landflls - Evaluation And Quantifcation Approaches. Dates and location: 12-14 December 2007, Vienna, Austria. Convened by: Marion Huber- Humer (AT), Peter Lechner (AT). ESF Representative(s): Sonja Lojen (SI)

SCSS The Future Of Representative Democracy. Dates and location: 13-15 EW06-177 December 2007, Berlin, Germany. Convened by: Wolfgang Merkel (DE), John Keane (UK)

European Science Foundation 73 ESF’s principal activities

Research Standing Committee for the European Medical Research Networking Councils (EMRC) Programmes European Research Network for Inves- tigating Human Sensorimotor Function in Health and Disease (ERNI-HSF) • These long-term Research Networking (2007-2011) Programmes are the platform for nationally funded research groups to address 11 contributing organisations major scientific and research infrastructure The primary aim of this Research issues with the goal to advance the fron- Networking Programme (RNP) is to estab- tiers of science. lish an interdisciplinary research forum that A successful programme proposal, se- will drive forward our understanding of hu- lected following an open call for proposals man sensorimotor function in health and and an international peer review process, disease (applied to the case of stroke). must deal with high-quality science and Stroke is by far the most common cause demonstrate the added value of being of human disability in the EU, and damage carried out at the European level. to cortical brain regions is a very common ESF programmes are funded à la carte outcome of stroke. by ESF Member Organisations interested The launch of the ESF RNP “European in funding such proposals recommended Research Network for Investigating by ESF. Human Sensorimotor Function in Health More information: and Disease” took place at its first Steering www.esf.org/programmes Committee Meeting in Strasbourg on 28 May 2007. The first Technical Workshop will focus on lesion reconstruction tech- The following pages highlight new niques and is scheduled to take place Research Networking Programmes which (in Budapest, Hungary) in April 2008. A got underway in 2007. For detailed infor- second Technical Workshop focus on the mation please visit the relevant noted loca- investigation is planned for late 2008 will tion on the ESF Website. For information investigate diffusion tension imaging. on all current running programmes, please refer to the ABOUT ESF 2008 booklet or go to www.esf.org/programmes

74 European Science Foundation A ﬁrst Scientiﬁc Meeting is planned for the of ecosystems. SIZEMIC will attempt a second year of the Programme in 2008, synthesis of size and species-based ap- and Budapest is considered a suitable lo- proaches for describing structure and cation for the event. The budget for 5 years energy flux in ecosystems and seek to un- is 457 000€. derstand how the properties of individuals lead to observed patterns of size structure More information: www.esf.org/erni-hsf and diversity. This synthesis, building on recent theoretical developments in aquatic Standing Committee for the Life, and terrestrial ecology, is used to develop Earth and Environmental Sciences and test size-based models that might be used to assess and monitor the impacts of Body-size and Ecosystem Dynamics: human activities on ecosystems. The pro- Integrating Pure and Applied gramme provides a focus for collaboration Approaches from Aquatic and Terrestrial between theoretical and applied ecolo- Ecology to Support an Ecosystem gists working on terrestrial and aquatic Approach (SIZEMIC) • (2007-2011) ecosystems and provide opportunities for 11 contributing organisations young European scientists to work across existing research boundaries. Body size and species identity both contribute to the complex webs of interaction More information: www.esf.org/sizemic that determine the structure and function

European Science Foundation 75 ESF’s principal activities

European Networking Summer School Standing Committee for the Physical (Plant Genomics and Bioinformatics) and Engineering Sciences (ENSS) Harmonic and Complex Analysis and 10 contributing organisations its Applications (HCAA) • (2007-2012)

Plant genome research developed into 11 contributing organisations one of the most dynamic discipline of molecular life sciences. Plants are recognized The main idea of this project is to estab- as the basis of a bio-based economy and lish a fruitful cooperation between two play a fundamental rule to sustain our scientific communities: analysts with environment. European countries bundle a broad background in Complex and their efforts in the field in national and Harmonic Analysis, and Mathematical regional research programmes. Some of Physics, and specialists in Physics and those have already developed sustainable Applied Sciences. Harmonic and Complex co-operations with joint research projects. Analysis is a well-established area in math- But many of these activities are currently ematics. Over the past few years, this area limited to Western Europe. The fundamen- has not only developed in many different tal idea of this project is to support research directions, but has also evolved in an ex- networks all over Europe including third citing way at several levels: the exploration countries based by training young inves- of new models in mechanics and math- tigators and the exchange of knowledge ematical physics and applications has at and technological insides. Existing deficits the same time stimulated a variety of deep in the access to technologies, resources, mathematical theories. skills and know-how will be supported It is a multidisciplinary programme at the and overcome. The envisaged “European crossroads of mathematics and math- Networking Summer School” will organize ematical physics, mechanics and applica- a yearly summer course pursuing the tions, that proposes a set of co-ordinated training aspect, the exchange of ideas and actions for advancing in Harmonic and the creation of an active and living network Complex Analysis and for increasing its ap- between European scientists, research plication to challenging scientific problems. organisations and research programmes. Particular topics which will be considered The support of the European Science by this programme include Conformal Foundation for this activity would not only and Quasiconformal Mappings, Potential be necessary for its success but would Theory, Banach Spaces of Analytic also strengthen the political mark that the Functions and their applications to the networking and training activity will set on problems of Fluid Mechanics, Conformal a European integration and cooperation. Field Theory, Hamiltonian and Lagrangian More information: www.esf.org/enss Mechanics, and Signal Processing.

More information: www.esf.org/hcaa

76 European Science Foundation Mapping the Detailed Composition Multidisciplinary Frontiers of Magnetic of Surface-adsorbed Protein Layers Resonance (EMAR) • (2007-2012) on Biomaterials and Nanoparticles 18 contributing organisations (EpitopeMap) • (2007-2012) Magnetic resonance techniques are among 10 contributing organisations the most powerful and versatile spectro- Interactions between cells and biomaterials scopic tools with applications in many determine the level of success of medical different fields. Their wide range of applica- implants. A new paradigm for thinking about tions stimulates a great deal of cross-disci- cell-biomaterial interactions is emerging, plinarity and the history of their continuous where it is the effect that the biomaterial has advances parallels that of their diverse fields on the proteins that adsorb to the material of application. The agreement between upon contact with physiological solution that different European Magnetic Resonance is important, rather than the actual nature of organizations to jointly run EUROMAR the surface itself. The important parameter provides an opportunity to foster NMR and is thus the conformation and structure of EPR in Europe to a leading international the adsorbed protein layer, and in particular, role and to transfer this strength along the the very outer protein layer, as this is what complete scientific network that develop the cells actually see. In this program it is and uses these techniques. The proposal intended to bring together scientists work- contains instruments to enhance interdisci- ing in the traditionally separate areas of plinarity and the discovery of new fields at biomaterials and nanoparticles, in order to the frontiers between different disciplines as develop and apply the most cutting-edge well as training activities aiming at ensuring characterization techniques to understand- an optimal transfer of the knowledge down ing the nature of the surface-adsorbed pro- to the student level and across the national tein layer on biomaterials and nanoparticles, boundaries, through the participation of and the effect of this on biocompatibility and National Societies. nanoparticle toxicity. Envisaged highlights of More information: www.esf.org/emar the program include the exchange of ideas between the traditionally distinct research areas and the bringing together of a range of physical (characterisation and visualisa- tion) techniques with biological and medical approaches to addressing the common goals, which will result in a great increase in the pace of understanding, a rational basis for risk assessment, and a reduction in the barriers to developing commercial applications of biomaterials and nanoparticles.

More information: www.esf.org/epitopemap

European Science Foundation 77 ESF’s principal activities

Nanoscience and Engineering in computing, nanoelectronics, hydrodynam- Superconductivity (NES) • (2007-2012) ics, liquid crystals, plasmas).

17 contributing organisations More information: www.esf.org/nes

Confined condensate and flux in superconductors will be investigated at Standing Committee for the nanoscale by using various confinement Social Sciences (SCSS) patterns introduced artificially in the form of individual nanoplaquettes, their clusters European Neuroscience and Society and huge arrays. The dependence of the Network (ENSN) • (2007 - 2012) quantization effects on the confinement 10 contributing organisations length scale and the geometry will be Despite evidence that advances in the neu- studied. The boundary conditions, defining rosciences are having a significant impact the confinement potential, will be tuned by on the lives of individuals across Europe, using the hybrid superconductor/normal there has been little formal engagement and superconductor/magnet interfaces in within the European social sciences with superconducting nanosystems. The evo- the ethical, social and legal implications of lution of superconductivity at nanoscale recent developments in the new brain sci- will be revealed by determining the size ences. The European Neuroscience and dependence of the superconducting criti- Society Network (ENSN) aims to establish cal temperature and the gap in mass se- a multidisciplinary forum for timely and lected clusters and nanograins and also by necessary engagement with these issues, studying superfluidity in different restricted through the development of research strat- geometries. Flux confinement by magnetic egies, conferences and workshops that dipoles and other periodic pinning arrays will bring together leading European neu- in superconductors will be investigated. roscientists and social scientists for sus- By tailoring the confinement, physical tained discussions and cross-disciplinary properties of the confined condensates exchanges about the present and future and flux can be designed starting from impact of advances in the neurosciences the fundamental Ginzburg-Landau equa- on our lives. tions (including their generalization to More information: www.esf.org/ensn two component order parameter) and applying them to the real samples with the boundary conditions imposed at the physical sample’s boundary. This research will reveal the fundamental relations between quantized confined states and the physical properties of the superconducting quantum coherent systems, which will be also of importance for other scientific fields (superconducting elements for quantum

78 European Science Foundation Chemistry. Several initiatives in other ESF Research scientific areas are also under discussion. Conferences ESF Research Conferences are open to scientists worldwide, whether from academia or industry. Conferences may be The ESF Research Conferences Scheme single events or series, usually with a bien- provides the opportunity for leading sci- nial meeting focusing on specific aspects entists and young researchers to meet for of the same general topic. They normally discussions on the most recent develop- last for four or five days and up to 150 par- ments in their fields of research, and acts ticipants and invited speakers may attend. as a catalyst for creating new synergistic Chairs select participants from applica- contacts throughout Europe and the tions received as a result of publicising the rest of the world. It develops principally Conferences. through the establishment of longterm partnerships between ESF and national The activities of the Conferences Unit also and international organisations, including include World Conferences (eg ESF-JSPS universities. Frontier Science Conferences for Young Researchers) as well as a series of Summer ESF Research Conferences currently cov- and Winter Schools that provide advanced er the following scientific areas: Physics, scientific training in Physics. Biophysics and Environmental Sciences; “Biology+:” Molecular Biology at the The ESF Conferences Unit, which is lo- Interface with other Science Disciplines cated in Brussels with a liaison base in (Chemistry, Physics, Computing Science, Strasbourg, also acts as service provider Mathematics and Modelling, Space for conferences arising from other ESF Science, Clinical Medicine, Engineering, instruments. Environmental Science, Humanities and Social Sciences); Social Sciences and More information: www.esf.org/conferences Humanities; Biomedicine; Global Health Economy; Global Change Research;

European Science Foundation 79 ESF’s principal activities

ESF Research Conferences in 2007

February Trends in Optical Micromanipulation ESF-FWF Conference in Partnership with LFUI, 4 - 9 February Universitätszentrum Obergurgl, Obergurgl, (Ötz Valley, near Innsbruck), Austria Chairs: M.A. Ritsch-Marte (Innsbruck) & Stephan Bernet (Innsbruck)

March The Origin of Galaxies: Exploring Galaxy Evolution with the New Generation of Infrared-Millimetre Facilities ESF-FWF Conference in Partnership with LFUI, 24 - 29 March, Universitätszentrum Obergurgl, Obergurgl, (Ötz Valley, near Innsbruck), Austria Chairs: E. Van Kampen (Innsbruck) & J.S. Dunlop (Edinburgh)

April The Impact of the Environment on Innate Immunity: At the Defence Frontier - The Biology of Innate Immunity ESF-FWF Conference in Partnership with LFUI, 22 - 27 April Universitätszentrum Obergurgl, Obergurgl, (Ötz Valley, near Innsbruck), Austria Chairs: P. Schmid-Hempel (Zurich), S. Armitage (Copenhagen) & J. Kurtz (Münich)

Participants at the ESF-EMBO Symposium on ‘Biological Surfaces and Interfaces’, Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain 2007

80 European Science Foundation May Humanising Model Organisms to Understand the Pathogenesis of Human Disease ESF-Wellcome Trust Conference, 1 - 4 May, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton (near Cambridge), UK Chairs: R. Wolf (Dundee), S. Brown (Harvell), R. Fodde (Rotterdam), R. Balling (Braunschweig), N. Hastie (Edinburgh) & N. Rosenthal (Monterotondo Scalo)

The International Regulation of New Medical Technology: Health Technology Adoption in the European Union, North America, East Asia and in the Developing World ESF-IFW Conference on The Global Health Economy, 7 - 10 May, Salzau Castle, Salzau (near Kiel), Germany Chairs: F.B. Kristensen (Copenhagen) & L. Rochaix (Saint Denis la Plaine)

Literature for Europe: European Identities and European Literature in a Globalizing World ESF-LiU Conference, 12 - 16 May, Vadstena Klosterhotel, Vadstena, Sweden Chair: T. D’haen (Leuven) Ocean Controls in Abrupt Climate Change ESF-FWF Conference in Partnership with LFUI, 19 - 24 May, Universitätszentrum Obergurgl, Obergurgl (Ötz Valley, near Innsbruck), Austria Chairs: R. Zahn (Bellaterra) & I.R. Hall (Cardiff)

June Animal Biotechnology and its Applications to Animal and Human Health ESF-Wellcome Trust Conference, 14 - 16 June Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton (near Cambridge), UK Chairs: H. Sang (Roslin), J. Kaufman (Compton) & M. Georges (Liège)

Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics ESF-UB Conference in Biomedicine, 15 - 20 June Hotel Eden Roc, Sant Feliu de Guixols (Costa Brava), Spain Chairs: P. Beaune (Paris), M. Eichelbaum (Stuttgart) & M. Pastor Anglada (Barcelona)

July Biological Surfaces and Interfaces ESF-EMBO Symposium, 1 - 6 July, Hotel Eden Roc, Sant Feliu de Guixols (Costa Brava), Spain Chairs: M. Textor (Zurich), G. Marletta (Catania), J. Gold (Göteborg) & J.P. Spatz (Heidelberg)

European Science Foundation 81 ESF’s principal activities

September Higher Education and Social Change at the Beginning of the Twenty-First Century ESF-LiU Conference, 15 - 19 September, Vadstena Klosterhotel, Vadstena, Sweden Chairs: J. Brennan (London) & M. Prenzel (Kiel) Biomagnetism and Magnetic Biosystems Based on Molecular Recognition Processes ESF-EMBO Symposium, 22 - 27 September, Hotel Eden Roc, Sant Feliu de Guixols (Costa Brava), Spain Chairs: J. Bland (Cambridge), K.R.A. Ziebeck (Loughborough) & T. Mitrelias (Cambridge)

October The Global Organisation of Biomedical Innovation: Funding, Intellectual Property Rights, Incentives, and the Diffusion of New Technology ESF-IfW Conference on The Global Health Economy, 3 - 8 October, Salzau Castle, Salzau (near Kiel) Germany Chair: to be announced Three Dimensional Sensory and Motor Space: Perceptual Consequences of Motor Action ESF-EMBO Symposium, 6 - 11 October Hotel Eden Roc, Sant Feliu de Guixols (Costa Brava), Spain Chairs: J. Smeets (Amsterdam) & F. Bremmer (Marburg)

Rare Diseases: Transporters and Channelopathies ESF-UB Conference in Biomedicine, 13 - 18 October Hotel Eden Roc, Sant Feliu de Guixols (Costa Brava), Spain Chairs: M. Palacin (Barcelona) & S. Ayme (Paris)

Comparative Genomics of Eukaryotic Microorganisms:Eukaryotic Genome Evolution ESF-EMBO Symposium, 20 - 25 October, Hotel Eden Roc, Sant Feliu de Guixols (Costa Brava), Spain Chairs: E.J. Louis (Nottingham) & T. Boekhout (Utrecht)

Pathways of Human Dignity: From Cultural Traditions to a New Paradigm ESF-LiU Conference, 31 October - 4 November, Vadstena Klosterhotel, Vadstena, Sweden Chairs: G. Stroumsa (Jerusalem) & M. Düwell (Utrecht) Global Environmental Change: The Role of the Arctic Region ESF-VR-FORMAS Conferences on Global Change Research, October / November (exact dates to be announced), Utsikten Meetings, Nynäshamn, Sweden Chairs: J. Thiede (Bremerhavn), D. Dahl-Jensen (Copenhagen) & S. Sörlin (Stockholm)

82 European Science Foundation November Probing Interactions between Nanoparticles, Biomaterials and Biological Systems - Alternative Approaches to Bio- and Nano-Toxicity ESF-EMBO Symposium, 3 - 8 November, Hotel Eden Roc, Sant Feliu de Guixols (Costa Brava), Spain Chairs: K.A. Dawson (Dublin) & Y. Lynch (Dublin) Systems Biology ESF-UB Conference in Biomedicine, 17 - 22 November, Hotel Eden Roc, Sant Feliu de Guixols (Costa Brava), Spain Chairs: L. Serrano (Heidelberg), R. van Driel (Amsterdam) & R. Aebersold (Zürich)

Electronic Democracy ESF-LiU Conference, 21 - 25 November, Vadstena Klosterhotel, Vadstena, Sweden Chair: H. Kubicek (Bremen) Functional Genomics: Synthetic Biology ESF-UB Conference in Biomedicine, 24 - 29 November Hotel Eden Roc, Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain Chairs: V. de Lorenzo (Madrid), S. Panke (Zürich), N. Packard (Venezia) & A. Valencia (Madrid)

December Water Interfaces in Physics, Chemistry and Biology: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach ESF-FWF Conference in Partnership with LFUI, 8 - 13 December Universitätszentrum Obergurgl, Obergurgl (Ötz Valley, near Innsbruck), Austria Chairs: M. Bellisent-Funel (Gif/Yvette) & J. Dore (Canterbury)

Participants at the ESF-JSPS Workshop for Young Researchers on Functional Genomics, Japan

European Science Foundation 83 ESF’s principal activities

Summer & Winter Schools The 24th Jerusalem Winter School in Theoretical Physics: The Lives of Low-Mass Stars and their Planetary Systems ESF-IAS Winter School in Physics, 27 December - 5 January Jerusalem, Israel Course Director: D. Gross (Jerusalem) Extra-Solar Planets: The Detection, Formation, Evolution and Dynamics of Planetary Systems ESF-PPARC-EPSRC Summer School in Physics & Astronomy (SUSSP), 28 May - 8 June, Sabhal Mor Ostaig, U.K. Course Director: B.A. Steves (Glasgow) Nanomedicine ESF-UB Summer School, 10-15 June, Cardiff, U.K. Course Director: R. Duncan (Cardiff) String Theory and the Real World: From Particle Physics to Astrophysics ESF School of Theoretical Physics, 2 - 27 July, Les Houches, France Course Director: L. Beaulieu (Paris)

Participants at the ESF-MSHE-PAN Conference on Controls, Constrains and Quanta, Poland 2007

84 European Science Foundation The Conference took place on 16-19 ESF World September in Lisbon as a European Conferences Commission event in the programme of the forthcoming Portuguese Presidency of Research Integrity: Fostering the European Union through the Ministry Responsible Research for Science, Technology and Higher Education (MCTES) through Funadacio 16-19 September Cientifica y Tecnologica (FCT) and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, Gabinete de Relações Internacionais da Portugal Ciência e do Ensino Superior (GRICES) and the Gulbenkian Foundation (Portugal). Chairs: A. Mayer (ESF) & N. Steneck (ORI) The event was also in partnership with the In 2000 ESF published a review of good International Council for Science (ICSU) scientific practice in research and scholar- and NATO who agreed to make provision ship (ESF Science Policy Briefing N° 10. for travel grants to assist participants from This followed an extensive study of policies developing countries and NATO partners dealing with research integrity in the ESF and Mediterranean Dialogue countries. ESF member organisations and worldwide). and ORI also received help and support from EMBO, the Committee on Publication Following an approach from the U.S. Ethics and the UK Research Integrity Office of Research Integrity (ORI - part of Office. In addition, representatives from the US Department of Health and Human the US National Science Foundation, US Services), ESF, together with the ORI, NIH, the Japan Society for the Promotion promoted a World Conference to develop of Science, ALLEA, UK MRC, MPG, DFG, research integrity by focusing on fostering CNRS and the European Forum for Good responsibility in research at all levels. This Clinical Practice were involved in the con- responded to the recent well-publicised ference planning. cases of misconduct, fraud and question- able research practices and seeks to retain ESF intends to follow up the Conference public confidence and establish clear best with a MO Forum on Research Integrity, practice frameworks at an international allowing MOs to develop ideas and ap- level. The primary goal was to assemble proaches to bring the conclusions of the an international group of researchers, Conference forward. research administrators from funding agencies, research organisations performing research, academies, publishers, and policy makers to improve, harmonise, publicise, and make operationally effective international policies for the responsible conduct of research.

European Science Foundation 85

ESF’s principal activities

EUROCORES without the need to transfer money into a common pot. It also offers the possibility Programmes for them to develop collaborative research in areas of common strategic priority. The The aim of the European Collaborative high-quality international peer review oper- Research (EUROCORES) Scheme is to ated by ESF, which is the basis for the na- enable researchers in different European tional funding decisions, creates a quality countries to develop collaboration and benchmark for national research projects. scientifc synergy in areas where European scale and scope are required to reach the More information: critical mass necessary for top class sci- www.esf.org/eurocores ence in a global context.

The scheme provides a flexible framework which allows national basic research funding and performing organisations to join forces to support excellent European research in and across all scientifc areas.

Until the end of 2008, scientifc coordination and networking is funded through the EC FP6 Programme, under contract no. ERAS-CT-2003-980409. As of 2009, the National Funding Organisations will provide the funding for the scientifc coordination and networking in addition to the research funding.

In 2007, the EUROCORES Scheme had 30 fully operating programmes involving more than 60 different funding agencies from 33 countries with 23 programmes in the research phase, bringing together more than 110 million Euros of national research funding. The programmes have so far generated more than 700 peer reviewed publications.

For national research funding or performing agencies the attraction of EUROCORES is the possibility of supporting trans-national research projects involving several partners by simply synchronising funding decisions,

European Science Foundation 87 ESF’s principal activities

From the Open Call for Theme Proposals tial of existing large-scale, pan-European in 2007, the ESF Standing Committees prospective cohorts. Studies in which key and the ESF Science Advisory Board have lifestyle factors have already been recorded recommended to publish the Calls for pro- in a comprehensive and standardized fash- posals for the following six EUROCORES ion among initially healthy participants, and Programmes proposals: which have already accrued suffsant numbers of incident major coronary outcomes The themes selected in 2007 are for reliable assessment of gene-lifestyle Standing Committee for interactions, will be required for detailed the European Medical Research genetic and biochemical measurements in Councils (EMRC) stored samples.

Gene-Lifestyle Interactions in Coronary The reliable demonstration of gene- Heart Disease (EuroHEART) lifestyle interactions will provide a fuller Cardiovavascular disease accounts for understanding of the aetiology of CHD almost one in every two adult deaths and will enable development and refne- worldwide and accounts for about €200 ment of CHD prevention strategies, such billion in economic costs per year in the as optimum targeting of existing interven- EU alone. Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), tions and identifcation of targets for novel its major manifestation, is the single lead- therapeutics. ing cause of death in Europe and a major A discussion on how to better take advan- source of disability. Although there is evi- tage of existing initiatives in this research dence that the incidence of CHD is jointly domain in Europe is on-going. determined by genetic and lifestyle factors, the quantitivative interplay of these factors More information: remains poorly understood. Such knowl- www.esf.org/euroheart edge is important for a full understanding of the causes of CHD. It is also necessary for the development of disease prevention Standing Committee for strategies, such as optimum targeting of the Humanities (SCH) interventions and identifcation of targets Better Analyses Based on Endangered for novel therapeutics. An important im- Languages (EuroBABEL) plication of the reliable demonstration of gene-lifestyle interactions is that they may The main purpose of the EuroBABEL: pro- suggest approaches for modifying the ef- gramme is to promote empirical research fects of deleterious genes by avoiding del- on under-described endangered languag- eterious lifestyle exposures. EuroHEART es, both spoken and signed, that aims at proposes a competitive European frame- changing and refning our ideas about lin- work to study the separate and combined guistic structure in general and about lan- effects of genetic and key lifestyle factors guage in relation to cognition, social and on the incidence of major clinical coronary cultural organisation and related issues in outcomes. It will help to realize the poten- a trans-/multidisciplinary perspective.

88 European Science Foundation The diversity of the world’s languages is countries where endangered languages on the verge of becoming dramatically are spoken, the process of linguistic de- reduced in the decades to come. Partly scription, documentation and analysis of due to the attention that has been drawn under-described languages will be accel- to this problem, the feld of linguistics has erated. been moving towards taking the diversity The EuroBABEL programme is crucially of languages more fully into account. The different from - and complements - exist- dramatic change in the amount and the ing documentation initiatives in that the nature of primary data that is being col- emphasis lies on bringing the newly gath- lected and analyzed has proven to have, ered data to bear on the development of and will continue to have, a profound linguistic theory and all areas concerned influence on our insights into the human with the study of language. language faculty. EuroBABEL will solidify this development and strengthen the im- More information: pact of European research on linguistics www.esf.org/eurobabel as a whole. By conducting the research in close cooperation with researchers in the

European Science Foundation 89 ESF’s principal activities

Standing Committee for the Standing Committee for the Life, Earth and Environmental Physical and Engineering Sciences (LESC) Sciences (PESC)

Membrane Architecture and Dynamics Chemical Control at the Nanoscale (EuroMEMBRANE) (EuroNANOCHEM) It never ceases to amaze how a layer of oil The ability to understand, manipulate and 5 nm thin makes the difference between control chemical reactions is one of the life and death. The physical laws that gov- great challenges of chemistry since it has ern the behaviour of cellular membranes a myriad of applications and is very likely and their component lipids and proteins to form the basis for future technologies. are often counterintuitive, especially when Recent research has shown that it is pos- coupled with the often bewildering variety sible to control the excitation and disso- of lipids and proteins found in any par- ciation of molecules using both light and ticular membrane. Recent technical de- electrons which, when coupled with the velopments in lipidomics, proteomics and spatial resolution gained from the scan- membrane protein structure determination ning tunnelling microscopes, may provide have, however, sparked a new wave of a route for developing such chemical interest in this feld. control. Such “single molecule engineering” requires both selective bond cleavage The aim of the EUROCORES programme in target molecules to allow subsequent EuroMEMBRANE is to answer long-stand- management of the local site chemistry ing questions in membrane biology using and the ability to develop techniques that cutting-edge technologies. These will ad- allow the chemistry to be controlled on a dress functional problems in a quantitative spatial scale (nanoscale) and molecular manner bringing together experimental architectures to be developed. tools with theoretical approaches. There The aim of EuroNANOCHEM is therefore to will be a special emphasis on lipid-lipid and develop a pan-European programme that (glyco)lipid-protein interactions in the plane utilises state-of-art research in femtosec- of the membrane in health and disease. ond chemistry, electron-molecule physics Using various model organisms would al- and Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy (STM) low cross-species comparison and bring an to gain chemical control at the nanoscale evolutionary perspective to biomembrane by bringing together groups and expertise studies. This type of research requires a in atomic, molecular and optical physics, strong interdisciplinary collaboration that chemical physics, optics, nanotechnology covers biological, chemical, physical and and surface science. computational aspects of membranology over a broad dynamic range of time and More information: length. www.esf.org/euronanochem

More information: www.esf.org/euromembrane

90 European Science Foundation Standing Committee for the Social Sciences (SCSS)

Higher Education and Social Change (EuroHESC) The EUROCORES programme on Higher Education and Social Change is designed to develop and implement interdisciplinary comparative research into the relationship between higher education and society. This will include the development of theories and hypotheses about this relationship and the factors which influence it, as well as addressing methodological issues of comparative research in this feld (e.g. data comparability, combination of quantitative and qualitative research, and different levels of analysis).

Moreover EuroHESC is going to explore ways of utilising other social science data- sets – for example, the European Social Survey (ESS) and Eurostudent – in order to set higher education research more frmly within the different social and cultural settings in which it occurs. Finally EuroHESC is expected to make a signifcant contribution to the development of research capacity in the feld of higher education research and to an improved integration between the feld and related scientifc felds.

More information: www.esf.org/eurohesc

European Science Foundation 91 ESF’s principal activities

92 European Science Foundation Highlights from SONS 1, the first reflect on the output and the impact of the EUROCORES Programme to finish SONS Programme as a whole. The Review Panel members Professor Richard Bushby, The SONS I Programme (frst call) ran Professor Joseph Gyulai, Professor Pavel from 2004 to 2007, bringing together over Kratochvil and Professor Gareth Redmond, 70 research groups from 20 countries. agreed on the fact that the SONS programme During the programme, the scientists in- covered a very broad spectrum of activities volved in this exceptional EUROCORES from theoretical physics to molecular biol- Programme published more than 550 ogy and that a critical mass of researchers articles, 80 % of which in peer reviewed was brought together within focussed col- journals. More than 15 contributions to laborations. According to them, the syner- books have been made, either by providing gies that emerged from these collaborations dedicated chapters or acting as editors, and contributed to the fostering and sustainable even monographs have been published. In development of a leading role for European addition, almost 200 presentations dedi- nanoscience in some key-areas, e.g. self- cated to research topics in SONS I were organisations of molecules on surfaces, given at international conferences, several optical tweezing, single molecule measure- as invited talks or key-note lectures. More ments, etc. Some of the results will have po- than 60 posters were produced, too. Next tential value as Intellectual Property Rights. to these purely scientifc fndings, other re- Looking back at the past three years, the sults were also obtained in this important Review Panel felt that the programme programme: SONS-supported research achieved all goals outlined in the original was for example featured in at least three TV call for proposals. However, the members appearances, underlining the importance of pointed out that nanoscience is an area the outreach to the general public, and more in which Europe is strong and that the ef- than 20 websites containing research ac- forts must continue. An important area for tivities of the SONS I Programme were avail- nanoscience would be the development of able. Two SONS researchers, Dr. Massimo new materials and manufacturing processes Cavallini from the CRP Fun-SMARTs and Dr. minimising the environmental impact of new Jeroen Cornelissen, from the CRP BIONICS products and services. Further important were the recipients of the EURYI award in areas would be the convergence of nano- 2006 and in 2007 respectively. Moreover, science and information technology, i.e. the the development of several patents resulted convergence of atoms and bits to achieve from the work supported by the SONS embedded intelligence, and subsequently Programme. the convergence between nanoscience, in- At the EMRS Spring Meeting 2007, the formation technology and life science. The SONS Programme was offcially concluded Review Panel stated that in order to move with a joint workshop which brought to- forward in these areas, it would be neces- gether scientists from SONS 1 and SONS sary to identify the appropriate human and 2. At this occasion, members of the Review infrastructural resources at the European Panel present at the meeting had time to level.

European Science Foundation 93 ESF’s principal activities

Other current EUROCORES programmes PESC ESF Standing Committee

EMRC ESF Standing Committee for the Physical and Engineering for the European Medical Sciences Research Councils SCSS ESF Standing Committee for SCH ESF Standing Committee the Social Sciences for the Humanities

LESC ESF Standing Committee for the Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences

94 European Science Foundation Standing Committee for the harmonisation of research tools, defni- European Medical Research tions and protocols in stem cell biology Councils (EMRC) and increase quality assurance. The most recent workshop, “Challenges in Stem Cell Development of a Stem Cell Tool Box Differentiation and Transplantation” was (EuroSTELLS) held in Milan on 30 September – 3 October Stem cell-based approaches are currently 2007. Attended by over 80 participants being developed to repair or regenerate with world-renowned researchers in the damaged tissues and to treat severe dis- feld of stem cell research, this workshop eases such as diabetes, chronic heart fail- also focused on the practical hurdles that ure, stroke, spinal cord injuries and other need to be overcome for the therapeutic degenerative disorders. However, much application of stem cells. Dissemination remains to be learned and many technical of EuroSTELLS activities, including a dis- obstacles must be overcome before the cussion of developments in the stem cell therapeutic potential of stem cells can be feld and their impact on quality of life and fully realised. Recognising the importance public health, has generated wide media of promoting and investing in stem cell impact, including coverage on numerous research in Europe, the ESF launched the international websites. EUROCORES programme “Development More information: of a Stem Cell Tool Box” (EuroSTELLS) in www.esf.org/eurostells 2005. With 21 research groups from 11 European countries, this programme aims at generating fundamental knowledge on Pan-European Clinical Trials (ECT) stem cell biology, setting up the bases Pan European Clinical Trials is a unique pro- for comparative analyses of stem cells of gramme that coordinates funding for pan- different origins, and exploring their future European non-commercial, investigator- clinical application. The ability to isolate, driven clinical trials addressing questions culture and manipulate stem cells ex vivo that have a strong impact on the quality of is a critical step towards elucidating their life, morbidity and mortality of the European biological properties and developing their population. The ECT programme provides biotechnological and therapeutic poten- a framework for the implementation of pan- tial. EuroSTELLS promotes and supports European clinical trials in compliance with networking activities, contributing to cre- current national legislation and European ate a critical mass of expertise in the stem regulations. Two pan-European clinical tri- cell feld in Europe. The conference on als aimed at treating rare diseases in pae- “General Biology of Stem Cell Systems” diatric populations are funded under this held in Venice on 19-21 March 2006 programme. fostered innovative and multidisciplinary collaborations as well as synergy with The frst is EURAMOS (European and other European and international stem American Osteosarcoma Study Group), cell initiatives. Training activities, including a randomised trial of the European and workshops and summer schools, allow American Osteosarcoma Group to opti-

European Science Foundation 95 ESF’s principal activities

mise treatment strategies for respectable Dissemination activities have brought to- osteosarcoma based on histological re- gether clinicians, ethicists, legal experts, sponse to pre-operative chemotherapy that policy makers, charities and funding involves 150 clinical centres in 13 European bodies, representatives from regulatory countries, U.S. and Canada. EURAMOS agencies, professional associations and is recruiting 1,400 patients over the next patient organisations to discuss current few years and has already recruited 1,000 regulatory and ethical issues to ensure patients that is more than any previous os- patient safety in the conduct of academic tersarcoma trial performed. clinical trials. The impact of these activities is evidenced by the wide coverage in The second trial is PROFIDYS, a random- the media and specialised publications as ized trial aimed at reducing bone morbidity well as by the high social expectation. using an oral biphosphonate in fbrous dys- plasia that involves clinical centres in fve More information: www.esf.org/ect European countries. As this disease is so rare, approximately 160 patients are being Science of Protein Production for recruited for this trial. Functional and Structural Analysis By promoting and supporting networking, (EuroSCOPE) the ECT programme fosters synergy with Joint Activity with LESC other European and international initiatives. Training activities have contributed A better understanding of the function of to the development of the necessary ex- a protein requires a detailed analysis of its pertise for the implementation and man- structure. Such studies (e.g. carried out agement of multi-centre, pan-European on crystallised protein) require substantial academic clinical trials, in compliance with amounts of high quality protein. The dif- regulations for patient safety. Activities in fculties of producing suffcient amounts of 2008 will include a Clinical Trials Train- protein for a structure-function analysis as ing Course in London on 24-25 January. well as for X-ray analysis (crystallisation)

96 European Science Foundation constituted thus far a major bottleneck for Stress and Mental Health (EuroSTRESS) proteomics. Although this was and is well The EUROCORES programme Euro- recognised by the scientifc community, STRESS will focus on two important funding for a programme addressing this questions through an interdisciplinary topic systematically has not been available approach: in the post-genomic phase that started proteomics. ■ How can early life experience and genetic background in concert evoke lasting The EuroSCOPE programme bridges this changes in signalling pathways within gap by bringing together resources within the brain, resulting in altered behaviour Europe to accelerate research on protein and increased vulnerability to negative production through scientifc innovation effects of stress in adulthood? and collaboration. The programme ad- ■ dresses the major stumbling blocks in the How can periods of repetitive stress or traumatic events in adulthood (against a production of proteins for functional and background of life history and genetic vul- structural analysis. With the focus on the nerability) disrupt brain function such that basic understanding of the mechanisms the chances of precipitation of specifc underlying protein production, targeting, psychiatric disorders are increased? folding and stability, which eventually may result in the improvement of existing and In 2007 EuroSTRESS review panel went the design of new expression systems. through the selection process of both The detailed subfelds of research include outline and full proposals. Four proposals bottlenecks in gene expression; targeting were prioritised and will intiate their col- the synthesised protein to a specifc cel- laboration in 2008. lular location; and folding and stability of More information: www.esf.org/ expressed proteins. eurostress EuroSCOPE organised a workshop on “Protein Production for Functional and Standing Committee Structural Analysis” at the 13th European for the Humanities (SCH) Congress on Biotechnology (ECB13) wich took place on 18 September in Barcelona, BOREAS: Histories from the North - and will join forces with the Microbial Phys- Environments, Movements, Narratives iology section of the European Federation The circumpolar North is now widely ac- of Biotechnology to organise the ffth cepted as a unique early warning system meeting in the series Recombinant Protein for changing relations between society Production (RPP) on 24-28 September and the environment. 2008 in Sardinia, Italy. This region, which includes the Arctic and More information: the sub-Arctic, has moved to the centre of www.esf.org/euroscope global debates on environmental change, human adaptation, new post-cold-war

European Science Foundation 97 ESF’s principal activities

partnerships and issues of post-colonial Consciousness in a Natural and governance and strategy. However, much Cultural Context (CNCC) Arctic research has been dominated by Until recently, many scientists considered natural science agendas, looking at the consciousness to be an unsuitable topic region as a natural “laboratory”. for scientifc research. Prompted by tech- Inhabitants of the Arctic are often seen as nological developments (including brain natural variables, while their understand- imaging techniques) as well as concep- ing of the natural, cultural and spiritual tual changes, this attitude has shifted, and processes that have shaped Arctic civilisa- scientifc interest in consciousness has tions have not been adequately taken into greatly increased during the past decade. account. Currently, the explanation of consciousness is considered by many to be one of For political and other reasons, the circum- the major unsolved problems of modern polar region has only recently re-emerged science. as “one” area, revealing past connec- tions and current common problems and The CNCC programme aims to meet this pointing to future challenges, such as the need by fostering top-quality conscious- relationships between communities and ness research in Europe. Given the wide the modern state (whether Soviet, post- variety of phenomena which fall under the Soviet or Welfare), NGOs and the global heading of consciousness – perception, economy. emotion, attention, self-awareness, sensa- tion, intentionality, dreaming, wakefulness The involvement of local populations as and others – progress will depend on the research partners is very advanced in the integration of available scientifc resources North, and BOREAS offers a unique op- from a variety of theoretical and empirical portunity for scholars to explore the inter- disciplines and methods. Empirical data sections of Southern (or “Western”) ways can serve to challenge and validate theo- of knowing the environment and their retical analyses, while conceptual analysis local counterparts. BOREAS can redefne can provide directions and tools for the the geography of knowledge in Northern empirical scientists. Europe and relate it to circumpolar regions worldwide, by moving beyond South- The CNCC programme aims to support the North dichotomies and centre-periphery emergence of an integrated and truly inter- models, as well as by crossing disciplinary disciplinary science of consciousness, within and national boundaries. BOREAS also the humanities and between the humanities invites the research community to reflect and the social, natural, and biomedical upon their own approaches to studying sciences. The programme encourages re- the North. search that explicitly addresses the natural and cultural dimension of consciousness. More information: www.esf.org/boreas More information: www.esf.org/cncc

98 European Science Foundation Inventing Europe: Technology and the vasive but also elusive phenomenon. The Making of Europe, 1850 to the Present EUROCORES programme “LogICCC - This EUROCORES programme aims at Modelling Intelligent Interaction” aims at a establishing robust transnational research deeper understanding of intelligent inter- teams that develop novel perspectives on action by letting logic in its modern guise the mutual shaping of transnational tech- act as a catalyst and a “match maker” nology developments and the process of between these different disciplines. This European integration. Inventing Europe thus will lead to a general framework for ana- looks at the processes and perceptions lyzing intelligent interaction - and the key of technological change as an important notions which it naturally brings with it, arena for constructing Europe on the mate- namely, communication, cognition and rial, institutional, and discursive levels. The computation. programme places the history of European To achieve this goal, researchers from a integration within a broader transnational wide variety of disciplines have been invited history of Europe, and seeks to transcend to team up. Some of these researchers are the range of national histories of Europe. logicians, others are not. But what all par- From this perspective, European integra- ticipants in LogICCC projects have in com- tion began in the latter part of the 19th cen- mon is their interest in understanding inter- tury and unfolded unevenly across the 20th action, pursued with the common language century through a range of multilayered and and models provided by logic in its modern, contested transnational processes in which pluriform, and outward-looking guise. In technology was deeply implicated, along- this way, new ideas will flow symmetrically side as much as within the political arena. between many disciplines, enriching logic More information: itself in the process. www.esf.org/inventingeurope In addition, the EUROCORES programme LogICCC is looking for a balance between Modelling Intelligent Interaction - fundamental theoretical advances and in- Logic in the Humanities, Social and novative applications of logical models in Computational sciences (LogICCC) the thematic areas of interaction, commu- Joint Activity with SCSS nication, computation, and cognition.

One of the most crucial and striking fea- More information: www.esf.org/logic tures of humans and their societies is the phenomenon of intelligent interaction. Many disciplines from the humanities to the physical sciences hold separate pieces of the puzzle posed by this per-

European Science Foundation 99 ESF’s principal activities

The Evolution of Cooperation and The Origin of Man, Language and Trading (TECT) Languages (OMLL) Joint Activity with LESC and SCSS Language may be considered as one of the defning characteristics of the human A number of disciplines have adopted a species. The development of linguistic common theoretical framework for ex- and cognitive skills in the prehistoric past plaining biological and cultural evolution can be studied nowadays with reasonable that emphasises the properties of interact- expectations of success thanks to new ing, goal-directed agents, e.g. behavioural perspectives which have been developed economics, evolutionary game theory in through the collaboration of several disci- political science and economics, evolu- plines, including genetics, linguistics, evo- tionary approaches in cognitive, social lutionary and palaeo-anthropology, archae- psychology and neuroscience, replicator ology, neurophysiology, cognitive sciences chemistry, population dynamic accounts and artifcial intelligence studies. of cultural evolution within anthropology, and the continued importance of evolution Comparative maps of genetic and lin- in our understanding of cooperative rela- guistic human families suggest interesting tionships between all kinds of organisms. correlations between the distribution of genetic diversities and of linguistic groups. Methodological advances provide crucial How the development of linguistic skills new information about the properties of can be linked to the evolution of the brain agents and their interactions. Examples and of its cognitive strategies – both in include new tools from molecular genetics phylogenetic and ontogenetic perspec- for inferring evolutionary relationships, new tives – can now be explored by empirical experimental work in economics, the devel- studies and modelling tools alike. The opment of neuroimaging methods, the con- OMLL programme supports collaborative tinuing development of methods in cognitive research in this area. science, and the renaissance of quantitative cross-cultural and comparative research. More information: www.esf.org/omll

The overall goal of TECT is to build a multidisciplinary research framework that encourages collaborative research into the evolution of cooperation and trading both within and between human, social, life and natural sciences.

More information: www.esf.org/tect

100 European Science Foundation

ESF’s principal activities

Standing Committee for the ics, hydrology, geodesy, remote sensing and Life, Earth and Environmental various branches of geotechnology. Sciences (LESC) This ESF EUROCORES initiative is a unique 4-D Topography Evolution in Europe: opportunity to establish a world-class pro- Uplift, Subsidence and Sea Level gramme based on Europe’s strengths in Change (TOPO-EUROPE) integrated Solid-Earth sciences. The topography of Europe is at the inter- More information: face of processes taking place at depth www.esf.org/topoeurope in the Earth, at the surface and in the atmosphere. During the last 20 million years, plate tectonic and other geodynamic pro- Challenges of Biodiversity Science cesses in the Earth’s interior have caused (EuroDIVERSITY) many changes in the surface topography of The aim of the EuroDIVERSITY programme Europe. is to support the emergence of an inte- The TOPO-EUROPE programme is con- grated biodiversity science based on an cerned with the geoscience of coupled understanding of fundamental ecological deep Earth and surface processes and their and social processes that drive biodiversity effects on the evolution of the topography changes and their impacts on ecosystem of continents and their margins. In addition functioning and society. Ecological sys- to addressing world-class issues of Earth- tems across the globe are being threat- System sciences, TOPO-EUROPE has ened or transformed at unprecedented considerable societal relevance. Indeed, rates from local to global scales due to topography affects society not only via the ever-increasing human domination of landscape changes but also through its natural ecosystems. In particular, massive impact on geo-hazards and the environ- biodiversity changes are currently taking ment. When sea-, lake- or ground water place, and this trend is expected to con- levels rise, or land subsides, flooding risks tinue over the coming decades, driven by increase, directly affecting the sustainabil- the increasing extension and globalisation ity of local ecosystems and human habi- of human affairs. The EuroDIVERSITY tats. On the other hand, declining water programme meets the research need trig- levels and uplifting land may lead to higher gered by the increasing human footprint risks of erosion and desertifcation. TOPO- worldwide with a focus on generalisations EUROPE intends to investigate the4-D across particular systems and on the gen- topography evolution of the European eration and validation of theory relevant to continent, its margins, and adjacent parts experimental and empirical data. of North Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The programme was launched in April This requires an interdisciplinary approach 2006 and includes ten international, that integrates research in the subdisciplines multidisciplinary collaborative research of geomorphology, geochronology, geology, projects, which contribute to this goal by tectonics, geochemistry, petrology, geophys- initiating or strengthening major collabor-

102 European Science Foundation ative research efforts. Some projects are tectonics and the accretion of the oceanic dealing primarily with microbial diversity lithosphere. Recent scientifc advances in (COMIX, METHECO, MiCROSYSTEMS), the feld include the study of deep micro- others try to investigate the biogeochem- bial communities, the discovery of frozen istry in ecosystems (BEGIN, BioCycle), methane (gas hydrates) below the sea the landscape and community ecology of floor, the high-resolution evidence of past biodiversity changes (ASSEMBLE, AGRI- extreme and rapid climate variations, the POPES, EcoTRADE), and others focus establishment of new models for passive on the diversity in freshwater (BIOPOOL, margin evolution, the understanding and MOLARCH). quantifcation of oceanic biogeochemical cycling, and the discovery of large igne- In 2008, the EuroDIVERSITY programme ous provinces associated with continental integrates the different European re- break-up at volcanic margins. search teams involved with various thematic workshops, a summer school, EuroMARC aims at supporting all coring EuroDIVERSITY sessions in international activities in marine areas and at enhanc- conferences, as well as joint peer-review ing the beneft from already established publications. funding groups and research communities like, for example, the International Marine More information: Global Change Study (IMAGES) and the www.esf.org/eurodiversity European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD), which is a contributing member of the Integrated Ocean Drilling European Collaboration Programme (IODP). EuroMARC is an es- for Implementation of Marine Research sential enabling tool to boost European on Cores (EuroMARC) leadership in the planning of international Scientifc marine drilling and coring from marine coring expeditions and the prepa- the sub-seafloor is crucial to progress in ration of European proposals, hence en- the Earth and environmental sciences suring the effective exploitation of research because oceans regulate climate, cover opportunities. Support of a properly the sites of fundamental geodynamic, resourced pre- and post-cruise science geochemical and biological processes enabling programme will ensure that the and preserve high-resolution records of nine participating countries will obtain the the Earth history. Over the past 30 years, maximum beneft from marine coring in- European researchers have played a lead- vestment, meet their mission requirements ing role in international marine coring that to maintain world-class environmental sci- has been central to most of the important ence communities, conduct excellent, in- advances in global dynamics science with novative and societal-relevant science and far-reaching implications for the Earth and maintain international science leadership. environmental sciences. They have contributed markedly to important scientifc More information: discoveries such as the operation of plate www.esf.org/euromarc

European Science Foundation 103 ESF’s principal activities

Climate Variability and the Carbon Dynamic Nuclear Architecture and Cycle - Past, Present and Future Chromatin Function (EuroDYNA) (EuroCLIMATE) One of the major challenges in biology is to The climate for the next century, and there- understand how the genome orchestrates after, is expected to be largely different gene expression of the many thousand

from the present and the recent past. CO2 genes it encodes. To tackle this issue, concentration is expected to reach levels the ESF together with national funding unequalled over the past millions of years. agencies from eight European countries Temperature is also rising rapidly. The last have set the stage for 40 research groups 150 years of meteorological observations to coordinate their efforts across Europe and the reconstruction over the last mil- within the framework of the European lennium display a quite uniform climate. Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) Only the reconstruction of paleoclimates programme EuroDYNA. extending much further back in time can EuroDYNA aims at advancing our knowl- help build a database with a broader cli- edge of the control of gene expression matic diversity. Such a database will, in in nuclear organisation. To do this the addition, offer the possibility to test the reli- programme gathers and combines ex- ability and robustness of the models used pertise in different felds such as dynamic for future climate scenarios and thus to chromatin structure and nuclear archi- better understand how the climate system tecture, regulation of gene expression, works. EuroCLIMATE focuses both on re- RNA processing and transport as well as constructing past climates using different genome surveillance. Latest technologies well-dated and calibrated proxy records in molecular biology and biochemistry and on modelling climate and climate are employed together with advanced variations for a better understanding of the microscopy, structural analysis and com- underlying physical, chemical and biologi- putational approaches in order to gain a cal processes involved. deeper insight into how the nucleus oper- More information: ates. Detailed knowledge on the principles www.esf.org/euroclimate and mechanisms underlying the control of gene expression is vital for understanding the cause of many diseases and for developing rational procedures for genomic engineering, including gene therapy and stem cell engineering, and for many biotechnology applications.

There are nine Collaborative Research Projects (CRPs) under the umbrella of EuroDYNA which started their research in 2005.

104 European Science Foundation In addition to its multidisciplinary character, Ecosystem Functioning and Biodiversity the programme offers a wide range of net- in the Deep Sea (EuroDEEP) working opportunities to the entire EuroDYNA The deep sea is the largest environment on community; providing training possibilities the planet, the least well known and one of and establishing a platform to stimulate the least studied. It contains extremely large, new research initiatives between scientists continuous habitats such as the millions of with related yet slightly different scientifc km2 of abyssal plains and the 65,000 km interests, and to promote collaboration with other national and European initiatives. long mid-oceanic ridge system. At the same time, it encloses relatively small (hundreds More information: of km2 to only a few m2), localised geologi- www.esf.org/eurodyna cal features such as canyons, seamounts, deep-water coral reefs, hydrothermal vents and fluid seepages on mud volcanoes,

European Science Foundation 105 ESF’s principal activities

pockmarks or faults, which support unique European Mineral Sciences Initiative microbial and faunal communities. What (EuroMinScI) little we know about deep-sea ecosystems Joint Activity with PESC supports the hypothesis that more species occur in the deep sea than anywhere else The chemistry of the Earth’s crust/mantle/ on Earth. As much as 90 per cent of spe- core depends on elements partitioning cies collected in a typical abyssal sediment between minerals, and phenomena, such sample are new to science. as super-plasticity or super-elasticity in minerals, could have a direct impact on The Programme was launched in June large-scale geophysical and geochemical 2007 and includes four international, multi- processes. Major advances in the use of disciplinary collaborative research projects. physics-based experimental techniques It aims at the exploration and identifcation and atomistic computer simulations now of the different deep-sea habitats, assess- make it possible to better understand the ing both the abiotic and biotic processes relations between the structure of minerals that sustain and maintain deep-sea com- and their physical properties. At the same munities in order to interpret variations of time, in situ measurements of many min- biodiversity within and between deep-sea erals properties at extreme conditions of habitats and the interactions of the biota temperature and pressure corresponding with the ecosystems in which they live. The to those existing in the Earth’s interior are resulting scientifc data are a prerequisite for now feasible. the sustainable use and the development of management and conservation options The EuroMinScI programme draws togeth- aiming at the sustainable use of marine re- er different experimental techniques and sources that will beneft society as a whole. computational activities into integrated collaborative research projects. Sometimes it EuroDEEP is a programme for deep-sea calls for separate “computer experiments” biology and ecology that strongly depends while at other times computer simulation is and requires collaboration between taxon- needed even to interpret the experimental omists, microbiologists, ecologists, physi- data uniquely. It also addresses the need cal and chemical oceanographers and for young researchers with an academic geologists. In 2008, the Programme level background in Earth sciences to be trained activities includes Thematic Workshops, more in the physics-based techniques, participation in international conferences, where the methods are very different from short-term visit grants for scientists, cross- traditional geosciences. EUROCORES activities, and further linkage to other major marine and biodiversity pro- More information: grammes at a European and international www.esf.org/eurominsci level.

More information: www.esf.org/eurodeep

106 European Science Foundation Processes in the Passive Continental Quality Control of Gene Expression – Margins (EUROMARGINS) RNA Surveillance (RNAQuality) The nations of Europe share one of the Cells have developed multiple systems of world’s longest passive margin systems and quality control to ensure that they operate one of the most distinctive morphological accurately. This also applies to the biogen- features of the world’s ocean basins. A re- esis and metabolism of various classes maining frontier for natural resources, pas- of RNAs, which only recently have been sive margins mark the complex transition shown to be subjected to stringent surveil- between continental and oceanic crust, lance mechanisms. Such systems target with large sedimentary accumulations. In erroneous RNA molecules for degradation addition, passive continental margins, as- before irreversible cellular damage can sociated with unstable slopes, represent a occur. In particular, the presence of abnor- major source of natural hazards, especially mally matured mRNA molecules might be to the coastal communities of Europe. detrimental to cells given their central role in protein synthesis. Surveillance mecha- The EUROMARGINS programme provides nisms not only monitor RNA biogenesis in the international framework for promoting order to safeguard cells but are also impli- innovative, interdisciplinary work for the cated in the post-transcriptional regulation imaging, monitoring, reconstruction and of wild-type transcripts and the elimination modelling of the physical, chemical, and of accidentally damaged molecules. Post- biological processes in the European pas- transcriptional processes such as mRNA sive continental margins. It encourages processing, export, localisation, silencing the development of new technologies and turnover are interlinked by the use of and conceptual models aiming at the ad- common factors, which provide opportu- vancement of integrated research into the nities for quality control checkpoints. RNA mechanisms responsible for continental quality control systems also modulate the break-up and the world ocean margin for- clinical manifestations of many genetic mation. The pooling of human resources, disorders and hence represent promising training of a new generation of interdisci- targets for future therapeutic intervention. plinary geoscientists, and optimal sharing Unravelling the molecular mechanisms of observational platforms or analytical underlying the growing number of discov- and modelling facilities are considered ered RNA quality control pathways and important value-added ingredients of the understanding how these systems are EUROMARGINS programme. interconnected will be a major challenge. More information: To address this, the ESF has launched the www.esf.org/euromargins EUROCORES programme RNAQuality. The programme will focus on basic mech-

European Science Foundation 107 ESF’s principal activities

anisms of RNA quality control that oper- Science of Protein Production for ate at different levels of RNA biogenesis. Functional and Structural Analysis Multidisciplinary approaches, ranging from (EuroSCOPE) molecular and cellular biology to structural Joint Activity with EMRC analysis and high-throughput and computational approaches will be employed in see p.96 diverse model systems. The Evolution of Cooperation and In addition to its research component, Trading (TECT) the programme offers a wide range of Joint Activity with SCH and SCSS networking possibilities, providing training opportunities and establishing a platform see p.100 for European researchers.

More information: www.esf.org/rnaquality

108 European Science Foundation Standing Committee for the and Full Proposal selection and ranking Physical and Engineering followed by the funding decisions of the Sciences (PESC) participating organisations 6 projects received funding. The frst scientifc com- Cold Quantum Matter (EuroQUAM) mittee meeting for the programme was Quantum Matter is a matter in which all held on 9 July 2007. This event brought the constituent atoms and molecules are together not only the members of the in a single quantum state and behave Scientifc Committee but also many of coherently as a single quantum object. It the principal investigators from various typically exists at temperatures less than consortia. The network has established a one millionth of a degree above absolute dynamic and strong arena in Europe for zero. In the long term, quantum matter is researchers in the area of ultra cold quan- expected to have applications in diverse tum matter. Links have been made with a areas ranging from high-precision mea- similar network in Canada and other op- surement to quantum information. The portunities for international collaborations feld of quantum matter is a complex one are emerging. that draws on atomic and optical physics, A major programme-wide conference was chemical physics and physical chemistry, held in Barcelona in April 2008. It brought plasma physics, statistical physics, solid- together the EuroQUAM community and state physics and quantum chemistry. internationally leading scientists from the Although the feld is driven by fast advanc- US, Canada and Australia. EuroQUAM es in experimental capabilities, theoretical also had a very successful invited session work is essential to guide experiments at ESOF 2008 in Barcelona. A summer and explain their results. The EuroQUAM school at Oxford University and several programme will provide vital opportunities other smaller networking and dissemina- for scientists from different disciplines and tion activities are planned for 2008. countries to collaborate, and in particular More information: www.esf.org/euroquam will stimulate collaborations between experiment and theory. Such collaboration is essential if Europe is to further strengthen its present status as a major contributor to the feld. Major advances are expected as a result of the research being conducted within EuroQUAM. The focus of the programme spans four themes of research: atomic quantum gases with controllable interactions; formation of molecules in ultracold atomic gases; cooling molecules; and ultracold plasmas and Rydberg gases. The call for proposals was launched at the end of March 2006 attracting 24 Outline Proposals. After the two stages of Outline

European Science Foundation 109 ESF’s principal activities European Mineral Sciences Initiative frictional properties, nanomanipulations at (EuroMinScI) interfaces, studies of biomimetic tribological systems and tribochemistry. Joint Activity with LESC The Call for Proposals was launched in see page 106 March 2007 and the launch of this pro- Friction and Adhesion in gramme is expected in 2008. Nanomechanical Systems (FANAS) More information: www.esf.org/fanas Everyday operations on a broad range of scales, from nanometer and up, depend Fundamentals of Nanoelectronics upon the smooth and satisfactory func- (FoNE) tioning of countless tribological systems. Friction is intimately related to both ad- The scientifc goal of the Fundamentals of hesion and wear, and all three require an NanoElectronics (FoNE) Programme is the understanding of highly non-equilibrium development of new concepts necessary processes occurring at the molecular level to master the operation of nano-scale de- to determine what happens at the macro- vices. To realise the potential of nano-scale scopic level. electronics it is necessary to understand quantum phenomena in semiconductors The fast development, over last decades, wires and dots, and control size, interface of micro- and nano-mechanics brought and proximity effects in a wide variety of up the need for a more basic understand- hybrid nanostructures. FoNE is a four ing of the origins and behavior of friction. year programme which recognises that Standard lubrication techniques used understanding the above phenomena is for large objects are expected to be less crucial to the development of nanoscale effective or even not applicable in the electronics and, thus, advances European nano-world. Novel methods for control research by concentrating and networking of friction and manipulation of nanoscale the activities of world-leading research objects are therefore needed. A better groups. understanding of triboprocesses has also a major impact for the protection of the The research in FoNE addresses many environment (reduction of lubricant and areas of nanoelectronics and will create the necessary knowledge for a society energy consumption). in which microelectronics is gradually re- The aim of EUROCORES programme placed by nanoelectronics. FANAS is to get a better insight on the FoNE focuses on: nano-spintronics and origins of friction and adhesion and to hybrid devices with integrated supercon- learn how to control them. In particular: duction, semiconducting and magnetic understanding the relationship between functionalities; electron-dependent trans- adhesion and friction at the nano- and port in single-molecules and carbon nano- microscales and the mechanisms of en- tubes (CNTs); quantum transport, noise ergy dissipation in tribological systems, and related phenomena in quantum dots, bridging the gap between the nano, micro wires and other novel structures. and macro scales in friction, lubrication and adhesion, control and modifcation of More information: www.esf.org/fone

110 European Science Foundation Quantum Standards and Metrology Self-Organised NanoStructures (SONS) II (EuroQUASAR) (2005 Call) Precision measurements are at the heart of Self-organisation, or self-assembly, is a testing our physical models, they provide a process in which a supramolecular organi- strong motivation in physics and applied sation is established in a complex system sciences for developing new methods and of interlocking components. The mecha- have an important place in our modern nism that produces the organisation is technology based society, where tech- determined by the competing interactions niques such as GPS guide many of our between the components. The hierarchy day-to-day activities. The foundation for of interactions determines the hierarchy of a new area of precision was laid by the levels in the fnal nanostructured material. latest Nobel-prize awarded achievements Thus self-organising compounds allow a such as laser cooling, Bose-Einstein defned and well-controlled construction Condensation and precision metrology of ordered architectures on a nanometer- (optical comb generators). European sci- scale. entists have had a signifcant share of contributions in realising these achievements. The SONS programme concerns the utili- sation of supramolecular interactions for EuroQUASAR will build on European ex- the synthesis and positioning of functional pertise to develop a new generation of assemblies, macromolecules, dendrimers, quantum standards with unprecedented liquid crystals, tailor-made polymers and performance. The programme will form a inorganic nanoparticles. cohesive platform for utilising the latest developments such as quantum metrology Molecular self-assembled architectures and novel techniques of quantum engi- may fnd applications in advanced tech- neering. EuroQUASAR will help paving the nologies such as new chip technologies way for the achievement of future optical (DNA probes, lab-on-the-chip), sensors clocks and inertial sensors of record pre- transistors, data storage, light-emitting cision as well as novel fundamental tests diodes, communication technologies, based on atomic and molecular quantum magnetic information storage, photo- systems with well defned, unique and per- voltaic cells, and molecular motors and petual features. machines. The second call for Proposals of SONS was launched in May 2005, and The call for outline proposals was launched seven Collaborative Research Projects in March 2007. The ranking meeting was (CRPs) were selected for funding bring- held in December 2007 in which 4 pro- ing together 51 research groups from 15 posal were recommended for funding. countries. The programme’s frst scientifc committee meeting was held on 25 July 2008 where More information: www.esf.org/sons2 the members of the three funded collaborative research projects came together to discuss their projects and plan their future networking activities.

More information: www.esf.org/euroquasar

European Science Foundation 111 ESF’s principal activities Smart Structural Systems Seven projects were launched within the Technologies (S3T) S3T programme with the programme’s Major incidents due to failures in engineer- frst scientifc committee meeting held in ing infrastructure, modern transporta- September 2006; these collaborative proj- tion or other spheres of human activity ects bring together 45 teams from nine are becoming less acceptable; zero-risk countries. The topics deal with diverse protection of citizens is now a long-term areas of smart structures such as: mate- aspiration of governments. Whether it is rial algorithms, fnite element methods civil infrastructure, an industrial plant, or and experiments; smart sensing in struc- a fleet of trains or aircraft, operators and tural health monitoring; aircraft morphing; engineers are under pressure to make ev- shape memory alloys in civil engineering; ery possible effort to assure public safety, measurement and monitoring of ageing including the procurement of new technol- underground infrastructures using micro ogy, while at the same achieving substan- electro mechanical systems; vibration con- tial increases of operational effciency and trol in civil engineering; and, shape control cost reduction. Consequently, there is less of membrane reflectors. focus on the design of new structures and Several networking, dissemination and more on the long-term goal of extending training activities have been organised by the S3T community. From the start, S3T has maintained a close collaborative link with the NSF through which joint activities have been organised. These collaborations have continuously grown and paved the way for the achievement of scientifc synergies as well as the emergence of new opportunities. The latter has facilitated in-depth analysis and discussions among the NSF, the ESF and its Member Organisations for the creation of indefnitely, through minimum intervention, a new collaborative research programme the safe and economical operational life on Biologically Inspired Engineering with time of individual structural components focus on Sensors and Actuators. S3T is and entire systems. A “smart structure” is also extending its reach to make acces- a system that has the ability to learn about sible to its community the relevant engi- its environment, process the information in neering challenges being dealt with within real time, reduce uncertainty, and gener- the area of renewable/sustainable sources ate and execute control actions in a safe of energy. To this end, a joint workshop is and reliable manner to accomplish the being organised by the ESF and the NSF desired objective. The EUROCORES S3T to be held in November 2008. Both the big programme seeks to lay down theoretical picture and the state-of-the-art in research and experimental bases for the integration and engineering will be discussed by a of state-of-the-art sensors into systems sample of the active players from both to monitor and control major structures. Europe and the US. An advanced course on Morphing Aircraft is being organised for

112 European Science Foundation November 2008 at the Instituto Superior pected to be launched in 2008. Técnico Centro de Congressos, in Lisbon, More information: www.esf.org/humvib Portugal. This training opportunity has valuable contributions from prominent researchers and research institutes in European Collaborative Research Europe and the US. Projects - ECRP I – III: More information: www.esf.org/s3t The ECRP Programme is designed to advance high-quality responsive mode, Standing Committee for the researcher-led, collaborative international Social Sciences (SCSS) research within and across all felds of the social sciences, offering opportunities to Cross-national and Multi-level Analysis test innovative ideas, pool multidisciplinary of Human Values, Institutions and expertise and strengthen European re- Behaviour (HumVIB) search capacity. The EUROCORES programme HumVIB In 2008, funding organisations of 18 seeks to systematically analyse data avail- countries are participating in the scheme. able from the European Social Survey (ESS) and other cross-national survey Proposals are being evaluated at the data in an innovative and comparative way European level within a common peer on a European scale. It is the overarching review process, with common criteria and objective to realise the concept of Europe procedures, after which funding decisions as a natural laboratory for the social sci- will be taken at the national level by the ences in which the diversity of institutions, organisations concerned. The process practices, histories, and resources enable is coordinated by ESF. The ESF web researchers to analyse how human values, pages include a set of Frequently Asked attitudes and behaviour are affected by the Questions and related documentation on characteristics of the multi-level systems this EUROCORES Programme. In addi- or contexts in which they occur. tion, lists of the Collaborative Research The HumVIB EUROCORES programme is Projects awarded in the 2005, 2006 and designed to combine the unprecedented 2007 (ECRP I, II, III) competitions are avail- individual-level data resources now available on the web. able in Europe and typifed by ESS, the More information: www.esf.org/ecrp comprehensive system-level and contextual data, appropriate new methods of multi-level analysis as well as the testing Modelling Intelligent Interaction - of carefully elaborated theories of the Logic in the Humanities, Social and effects of institutions and structures or, Computational Sciences (LogICCC) more generally, contextual factors on individual attitudes and behaviour. Joint Activity with SCH (p.99) The Evolution of Cooperation and The project selection phase of the HumVIB Trading (TECT) Programme came to an end in late 2007. Collaborative Research Projects are ex- Joint activity with SCH and LESC (p.100)

European Science Foundation 113

EU Framework BiodivERsA BiodivERsA is an ERA-NET (European Re- Programme search Area) involving 19 major research funding agencies from 15 countries in Projects Europe with research funding in the field of terrestrial, freshwater and marine bio- In this section, ESF’s involvment in ERA- diversity. NET and other coordination actions will be Most ERA-NET members are represented highlighted. ERA-NET is a scheme of the in other fora which discuss and recom- European Commission to promote the co- mend requirements for European biodi- ordination and cooperation of national and versity research: including the Convention regional programmes in order to overcome for Biological Diversity (CBD-SBSTTA), the traditional fragmentation of research ef- Diversitas, the European Platform for forts in the European Union (EU). Biodiversity Research Strategy (EPBRS) It was introduced in the Sixth Framework and the European Science Foundation programme for Research and Technological (ESF). Recommendations from these fora Development (FP6). The scheme is also are often made without a formal mecha- open to consortia for coordinating national nism to ensure connection with the strat- programmes in researcher-led science. egies, priorities and budgets of national The ERA-NET Scheme operates via an research funding agencies. Open Call, welcoming proposals for coor- The aim of BiodivERsA is to contribute dination actions in any field of science and to setting up such a mechanism, and its technology IN a bottom-up approach. objective for the period 2004-2009 is to The Commission pays the additional achieve an efficient trans-national research costs for funding agencies related to the co-operation in the field of biodiversity coordination. Many of the ESF’s Member research funding. With the aim of con- Organisations are active in ERA-NETs cov- tributing to the implementation of the EU ering different topics and specific domains. Biodiversity Strategy, BiodivERsA will allow In FP7, the ERA-NET instrument is pro- the funding agencies to collate existing posed to be expanded to include funding activities, compare future strategies and contributions to cooperative research. recommendations of consultative bodies,

European Science Foundation 115 ESF’s principal activities

and systematically explore opportunities the domain of life-cycle analysis and sus- for future collaboration. BiodivERsA seeks tainability assessment. best practice as a basis for cooperation in More information: www.calcasproject.net order to strengthen European biodiversity research and will also contribute to better coherence and increased synergies Coordination Action for between the national programmes of co- Research Activities on life in operation with developing countries in the Extreme Environments (CAREX) ﬁeld of biodiversity research funding. The CAREX project (Coordination Action More information: for Research Activities on life in Extreme www.eurobiodiversa.org Environments) is a Coordination Action funded by the European Commission under the seventh Framework Programme. Coordination Action for CAREX builds up on the European Science innovation in Life-Cycle Analysis Foundation Investigating Life in Extreme for Sustainability (CALCAS) Environments initiative (2004-2006) see CALCAS (2006-2009) aims to advance page 51 and adopts an interdisciplinary the development of Life-Cycle Analysis approach to the subject, covering microbial (LCA) approaches in order to increase the life, life strategies of plants and life strategies effciency of sustainability decision making. of animal on various extreme environments LCA is the standardized method for com- ranging from deep sea to polar regions and pilation and evaluation of inputs, outputs even outer space bodies. and the potential environmental impact of The two main objectives of the proposed a product system through its life cycle. CAREX project are i) to strengthen the The ultimate aim is to develop standard structure of the community involved in methodologies for the sustainability as- life in extreme environments research in sessment of a large variety of products Europe by catalysing networking, inter- and activities. The current CALCAS goals actions and exchange of best practices are to defne the main strategies to deepen among it and, ii) to further the knowledge and broaden the LCA domain, and to de- of life in extreme environment by develop- fne the main gaps of knowledge and to ing a strategic research agenda for Europe identify the critical points. in this feld. This project lasts three years (2008-2010) and encompasses, among ESF contributes to the development of the other things, three large scale interdisci- CALCAS-related strategy, especially by li- plinary workshops and the implementation aising with the national research organisa- of a webbased communication platform. tions, and possible with other national or international agencies, in order to develop More information: www.carex-eu.org a common framework of cooperation in

116 European Science Foundation European Fleet for Airborne campaigns (in multi-disciplinary/multi- Research (EUFAR) national settings): a turboprop aircraft (Lockheed C130, Airbus A400M). Based EUFAR is an Integrated Infrastructure on the poll results, an ESF Forum will be Initiative of the 6th Framework Programme organised with the Member Organisations of the European Commission. EUFAR in order to agree on a system for trans- brings together 24 leading European insti- national access to the existing aircraft fleet tutions and companies involved in airborne in Europe. research, operating 24 instrumented air- crafts. EUFAR aims at:

ESF is involved in EUFAR through the ESF– ■ Coordinating the network for exchang- Scientifc Advisory Committee (N1ESF- ing knowledge, sharing developments, SAC), which is constituted of independent and building the unifed structure that eminent scientists. N1ESF-SAC super- is required for improving access to the vises the activities of EUFAR I3. A scientifc infrastructures survey has been carried out concerning ■ Providing users with Transnational Access the European researchers’ visions of future (TA) to the infrastructures airborne research and future facility needs, by inviting high-profle scientists in the ■ Extending TA to national funding sources research community of Environmental and ■ Promoting airborne research in the aca- Geo-sciences to express their opinion in an demic community online poll. Over 200 scientists voted and ■ Developing research activities in airborne the results indicate that most of them are instrumentation in favour of a European medium-altitude/ heavy-payload/long-endurance research More information: www.eufar.net/ aircraft, for atmosphere/low-troposphere

European Science Foundation 117 ESF’s principal activities

European Polar Consortium of astronomy and astrophysics, polar ge- (EUROPOLAR ERA-NET) nomics and life in extreme environments.

EUROPOLAR ERA-NET (The European ESF-EPB Unit is responsible for the strate- Polar Consortium) is composed of 25 gic direction/management of the project. ministries, funding agencies and national More information: www.europolar.org Polar RTD authorities from 19 European countries (including the Russian Federation and Greenland Home Rule Government) European Polar Research with the overall aim of strengthening and Icebreaker Consortium deepening European nations’ strategic (ERICONAB) cooperation in the Polar Regions and ensuring a strong driver for developing joint The ERICON-AB project, involving 10 Europe programmes and contributions to countries, will generate the strategic, legal, environmental policy development in the fnancial and organisational frameworks European Union. required from National Governments and the European Commission to commit f- EUROPOLAR ERA-NET has been directly nancial resources to the construction and encouraging and supporting the closer running of the European Polar Research relationship of national polar RTD pro- Icebreaker AURORA BOREALIS. Scientifc gramme managers between Europe and management frameworks will be assessed the Russian Federation, fostering coop- including mechanisms to handle dedicated eration and leading to joint programme large-scale multi-year or special mis- activities. sion specifc research programmes. The It is the first time that Russian and European strategic integration of the facility into the Union countries have cooperated so closely fabric of the European Research Area shall on the strategic aspects of Polar Research be achieved by connecting the national programmes leading to the development research priorities and the demand of ship of a European Polar Consortium liaison time of the stakeholder countries with a office in St Petersburg within the Arctic European level facility. The relevance of the and Antarctic Institute of the Roshydromet facility in promoting science and technol- Agency. The strategic vision and long-term ogy cooperation with EU strategic partner goal of the European Polar Consortium countries such as the Russian Federation is the development of a “European Polar will be specifcally analyzed. Entity” which will be established through a Deliverables will focus on moving the proj- dialogue at a political level. ect from the preparatory phase to the con- During the next 12-18 months the European struction phase by addressing key barriers Polar Consortium will seek agreement to especially in relation to engineering initial put forward strategic recommendations fnancial models that allow the participation from the funding agencies and ministries of both EU member states and non-EU of EUROPOLAR on the development of partner countries. Consortium benefciaries cooperative research programmes areas of and legal experts will develop the environ- Frontier Polar Science including the fields ment for frameworks for joint ownership

118 European Science Foundation and operation of a multi-country research ture highlights for the frst time from all facility. A dedicated legal implementation fve major public supra-national research structure for managing and operating the funders in the Humanities: FP7, ERC, ESF, AURORA BOREALIS will be proposed and COST and HERA. its connection with other existing research More information: assets such as Polar Stations, air support www.esf.org/hera or www.heranet.info and supporting satellite assets will be analyzed. The fnal deliverables of this project will be concerned with reaching a decision European Concerted Action point and agreement with nations ready to to Foster Prevention and Best move forward with the construction phase. Response to Accidental Marine It is anticipated that a series of natural de- Pollution (AMPERA) cision points for agencies/governments to AMPERA, an ERA-NET project which is pass on their individual degree of integra- coordinated by the Spanish Ministry of tion into the project will be programmed in Education and Science, aims to provide to the ERICON - AB Stakeholder councils a platform on accidental marine pollution meetings. research. Within the AMPERA consortium which consists of 10 organisations from 8 European countries, the Marine Board is Humanities in the European responsible for establishing coordination Research Area (HERA) with other European Research Area ac- HERA is an ERA-NET project involv- tivities; in that frame, the Marine Board has ing 16 national funding agencies for the launched a series of fora adressing marine rd Humanities and the ESF. The overall and environmental ERA-NETs (3 forum in objectives of HERA are to stimulate 2007 -see also p 146). Marine pollution, in trans-national research cooperation in the general, and accidental marine pollution, in Humanities and to overcome fragmentation particular, are issues of major concern for of research in the Humanities in Europe. health of the marine environment and their Through advancing new and innovative socio-economic uses. Driven by econom- collaborative research agendas HERA will ic, ecological and security considerations, enable the Humanities to play an appropri- there is an increasing pressure upon the ate and dynamic role in the ERA and within need for new or improved prevention EU Framework programmes. mechanisms and emergency response systems to better protect the world’s It also aims at improving cooperation be- marine ecosystems. Therefore decisions tween a large number of research funding based on sound scientiﬁc principles are agencies in Europe as well as establishing indispensable for the effective prevention best practices in science management in of accidents and efﬁcient formulation of the Humanities and set up joint research contingency plans. programmes. More information: ESF will organise on 8-10 October 2008 www.ampera-net.info the 4th HERA conference which will fea-

European Science Foundation 119 ESF’s principal activities

MarinERA Towards a European Strategy for Synthetic Biology (TESSY) MarinERA is an ERA-NET project jointly coordinated by Ifremer (Institut Français Towards a European Strategy for Synthetic de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Biology (TESSY) is a Specifc Support Mer) and the Marine Board (the Marine Action (SSA) supported by the EC (con- Board Executive Secretary being Deputy tract number: 043449). Synthetic biology Co-ordinator). It aims to facilitate the co- is an emerging feld that aims to (re)design ordination of national and regional marine and manufacture biologically based de- RTD programmes in Europe. vices and systems employing engineering principles. Synthetic Biology has a high po- MarinERA is a partnership of the leading tential for research and development, and marine RTD funding organisations from 13 future applications benefcial for economy European States. A range of Observers, and society. including international research organisa- TESSY aims at setting up an expert based, tions and FP6 consortia are associated investigative and participative process with MarinERA. The MarinERA process for the further development of Synthetic provides an operational and strategic plat- Biology in Europe. form, enabling marine sciences to move towards practical research management More information: approaches (including reciprocal open- www.tessy-europe.eu ing of national marine RTD programmes, joint calls and trans-national marine programmes).

Through this cohesive and active network, MarinERA partners work to progress towards developing and securing the marine component within the European Research Area (ERA). A common call for research proposals to address “Regional Drivers of Ecosystem Change: Description, Modeling and Prediction”, involving funding from six European marine research organisations, is to be launched in February 2008 with a provisional funding envelop of approximately € 5M.

More information: www.marinera.net

120 European Science Foundation

122 European Science Foundation ESF’s Science Structure

The motor of ESF’s science activities are These bodies, composed of high-ranking its fve Scientiﬁc Standing Committees: scientists nominated by the ESF’s Member European Medical Research Councils Organisations, deal with strategic science (EMRC); Humanities (SCH); Life, Earth and questions for their domains and are re- Environmental Sciences (LESC); Physical sponsible for the selections of proposals. and Engineering Sciences (PESC); Social Sciences (SCSS) and fve Expert Boards and Growing interdisciplinarity is reflected in Committees (Marine Board–ESF), European mutual observership and in an increasing Polar Board (EPB), European Space number of activities, involving cooperation Sciences Committee (ESSC), Committee between committees. Scientifc partners on Radio Astronomy Frequencies (CRAF), from Europe and beyond take part as Nuclear Physics European Collaboration observers. Overall quality assurance of Committee (NuPECC) and the overarching ESF’s operation, advice on new strategic Science Advisory Board. scientifc direction and interdisciplinarity is provided by the Science Advisory Board.

European Science Foundation 123 ESF’s Science Structure

will result in better healthcare and improved Standing human welfare. The White Paper was Committees developed during two round-table meetings in Paris on 28 May and 20 July 2007 ■ Standing Committee for hosted by the EMRC and from a fruitful the European Medical discussion with Dr. Elias Zerhouni and his Research Councils (EMRC) staff at the US National Institutes of Health in September 2007. The White Paper was Globalisation has brought rapid changes endorsed by all members of the EMRC to our society – changes such as emerging at the EMRC Plenary Meeting in October and rapidly spreading infectious diseases, 2007 and launched on 6 December 2007 changed disease patterns with treatment- by Professor Liselotte Højgaard, Chair of resistant tuberculosis, rapid and dramatic EMRC and Janez Poto nik, Commissioner climate changes and, in Europe, a changed for Science and Research. demography with an ageing population. Medical research is essential to cope The EMRC recommendations for strength- with these challenges. Furthermore, new ening medical research in Europe are the knowledge in the feld of medical science following: is important to facilitate greater success ■ Implementation of “best practice” for for the European healthcare industry. funding and performing medical re- The European Medical Research Councils’ search. 2007 White Paper ‘Present Status and ■ Collaboration via EMRC and its Member- Future Strategy for Medical Research in ship Organisations and EC, ERC, COST, Europe’ aims to strengthen and improve the scientifc societies, the medical jour- European medical research, which in turn nals and the university and academic

124 European Science Foundation medical centres should be enhanced as well as sharing of research and results.

■ Revision of EC Directives related to medical research to facilitate research.

■ Endorsement of the EMRC statement on equal opportunities for performing research: “The EMRC advocates equal opportunities in all aspects of medical research – regardless of age, gender, geography origin, profession, race, religion, or sexual orientation.”

■ A doubling of public funding of medical research in Europe within the next 10 years – to a minimum level of 0.25 % of GDP and the necessity for sustaining a steady growth above inflation in the years to come after the doubling .

The European Medical Research Councils (EMRC) is the membership organisation for all the Medical Research Councils in Europe under the ESF. The mission of the EMRC is to promote innovative medical research and its clinical application towards improved human health. The EMRC offers authoritative strategic advice for policy making, research management, ethics, and better health services. In its activities, the EMRC serves as a voice of its Member Organisations and the European scientiﬁc community through its science policy. The EMRC has an important role in the future development of medical research in Europe and it invites the European Commission, the European Research Council, learned societies, universities and academic medical centres for debate and action to bring its recommendations to fruition.

More information: www.esf.org/emrc

European Science Foundation 125 ESF’s Science Structure (EMRC)

Chair: ■ Professor Albert Gjedde ■ Professor Liselotte Højgaard Aarhus Universitetshospital, Rigshospitalet, Aarhus, Denmark University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark ■ Professor Agnès Gruart* Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Members: Sevilla, Spain ■ Professor Vladimir Bencko Institute of Hygiene & Epidemiology, ■ Professor Zita Ausrele Ku inskiené Prague, Czech Republic University of Vilnius, Lab. of Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania ■ Professor Håkan Billig* Swedish Research Council, ■ Professor Hans Lassmann Stockholm, Sweden Brain Research Institute, Vienna, Austria ■ Dr. Anne Bisagni* Institut National de la Santé ■ Dr. Mark Palmer* et de la Recherche Médicale, Medical Research Council, Paris, France London, United Kingdom

■ Professor Jacques Boniver ■ Professor Kresimir Pavelic Université de Liège, “Rudjer Boskovic” Institute, Liège, Belgium Zagreb, Croatia

■ Professor Roger Bouillon* ■ Professor Bogdan Petrunov Lab. of Exp. Medicine Endocrinology, National Center of Infectious Leuven, Belgium and Parasitic Diseases, Bulgaria ■ Professor Arturo Brunetti* Universita deglie Studi di Napoli, Napoli Italy ■ Professor Bob Pinedo VUMC Cancer Center,

■ Professor Andis Nicolaides Amsterdam, Netherlands University of Cyprus ■ Dr. Katarina Poláková

■ Professor Anna Członkowska Cancer Research Institute, Institute of Psychiatry and Bratislava, Slovakia Neurology, Warsaw, Poland ■ Professor Laurentiu Mircea Popescu ■ Professor Wolfgang Fleischhacker “Carol Davila” University of Medicine Clinical University, Innsbruck, Austria and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania

■ Dr. Jona Freysdottir University Research Hospital, ■ Professor Charles Pull Reykjavik, Iceland Centre Hospitalier du Luxembourg, Luxembourg

126 European Science Foundation ■ Pending, Hungary The representative from Ireland is in the process of being nominated.

■ Professor Joaquim Alexandre Ribeiro Institute of Pharmacology * The delegate is also a Core Group member and Neurosciences, Lisbon, Portugal Observers: ■ Professor Martin Röllinghoff* ■ ESF Standing Committee for Life, Earth Nuremberg University, and Environmental Sciences (LESC) Nuremberg, Germany pending

■ Professor Daniel Scheidegger ■ Nederlandse organisatie voor Basel University, wetenschappelijk onderzoek (NWO Basel, Switzerland Dr. Edvard Beem

■ Professor Janez Sketelj ■ Fogarty International Center, University Institute of Clinical National Institutes of Health, Maryland, Neurophysiology, United States Ljubljana, Slovenia Dr. Roger Glass

■ Professor Gunnar Bovin ■ The Israel Academy of Sciences Norwegian University of Science and Humanities, Israel and Technology, Professor Arnon Nagler Trondheim, Norway ■ Health Research Council ■ Dr. Sardan Nadire Yesim Cetinkaya of New Zealand, New Zealand TÜBITAK, Istanbul, Turkey Dr. Robin Olds

■ Professor Kalervo Väänänen ■ World Health Organisation Institute of Biomedicine, Turku, Finland pending

■ Professor Isabel Varela-Nieto Instituto Investigaciones Biomedicas “Alberto Sols”, Madrid, Spain

■ Professor Eero Vasar* Tartu University, Tartu, Estonia

■ Professor Michel Van der Rest CNRS, Paris, France

■ Professor Chysanthos Zamboulis Hippokration General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Athens, Greece

European Science Foundation 127 ESF’s Science Structure (SCH)

Besides utilising ESF’s instruments cat- ■ Standing Committee egorised under the ESF’s Strategic Plan for the Humanities (SCH) to achieve its goals SCH is also involved in the European Commission-backed As explained in the “SCH position paper”, ERA-NET project “Humanities in the Humanities explore the origins and prod- European Research Area” (HERA) (ERAC- ucts of the human capacity for creativity CT-2005-016179). The SCH is responsible and communication. SCH encompasses a for Work Package 9, the development broad spectrum of disciplines all pertaining and launching of two Joint Research pro- to human consciousness, perception and grammes (on “cultural dynamics” and on interpretation of the world such as anthro- “creativity”). pology, archaeology, area studies, gender studies, history, linguistics, literature, In an effort to provide a tool for research- media studies, philosophy, psychology, ers and institutions alike to easily access musicology, religion and theology. With its and assess Humanities research output, ﬁrst young scholars’ forum, “Humanities irrespective of disciplinary and linguis- Spring”, SCH made a determined effort tic boundaries, ESF has launched the to provide a space to young voices in European Reference Index for the Hu- Humanities research to articulate their vi- manities (ERIH). sion for the future of the ﬁeld in the resulting “Humanities Manifesto”. More information: www.esf.org/erih

128 European Science Foundation Some other highlights: for exploration or the better robots. It

■ In 2007 an initiative aiming at increased investigates the human quest for odysseys ESF–COST synergy was launched in the beyond the atmosphere and reflects on feld of landscape studies, archaeology, the possibilities to fnd extraterrestrial life. environmental history and related felds, The conference resulted in the Vienna bringing together scholars from ESF Vision on Humans in Outer Space, which activities and COST Actions. The purpose is currently being fnalised. This vision of this initiative is the establishment provides a unique European perspective of a multidisciplinary platform; the in identifying the relevant needs and creation of such a platform responds interests. It concerns three ‘odysseys’: to opportunities and needs, both at the i) humans in the orbit around the Earth, policy level and at the scientifc level. ii) humans returning to Moon and on to The initiative is structured through four Mars, iii) humans migrating from the Earth. thematic workshops (Landscapes: The Vienna Vision will be presented to perceptions and perspectives, Exploring various European and international fora, new territories in landscape studies, in order to become a useful element for Patterns of landscape management, the position fnding and decision making Imagining future perspectives for process. landscapes), which will each bring

together ESF and COST networks, as well ■ The frst ESF Humanities Spring 2007 as other European and extra-European took place in Lisbon, from 24-26 networks of researchers. The synergy May 2007. By launching this event, initiative will culminate in a concluding SCH wished to mobilise the creative synthesis workshop, which will discuss potential of the next generation of the transversal themes, and result in a leading Humanities scholars. A group of joint ESF-COST science policy briefng, 21 young scholars had been selected identifying coordination and collaboration through an open call for proposals, and potentials and needs in terms of existing were invited to debate possible and/or national and international research desired futures for Humanities research activities, as well as areas for addressing in Europe. Challenges and opportunities new science needs for evidence-based Humanities scholarship is facing in decision-making in the implementation the globalised context of research of the European Landscape Convention. were also addressed. The discussions were led by six senior scholars from ■ SCH has also, in collaboration with different felds of the Humanities. the ESF European Space Sciences The conference resulted in a manifesto Committee (ESSC), organised the for the Humanities in Europe, identifying, frst European comprehensive trans- among others some major topics that disciplinary dialogue on humans in outer illustrate the potential of humanities space on 11-12 October 2007 in Vienna, research. This list includes issues in cooperation with the European Space such as Europe’s Islamic past and Agency and the European Space Policy its future, the North/South divide, the Institute. This dialogue goes further consequences and development of than regarding humans only as tools new media and technologies, as well

European Science Foundation 129 ESF’s Science Structure (SCH)

as constant change and complexity XIII) and associate editor William Monter of cultures, politics, education and (Northwestern University, Illinois). Cultural social structures. It further identifes the Exchange in Early Modern Europe, conditions for success, requiring, among Cambridge University Press, 4 volumes. others, an interdisciplinary dialogue between disciplines and cooperation SCH is also strengthening its working with the natural, technological and social relationship with the Academies, with sciences as critical and equal partners. the European Institutes for Advanced A follow-up is planned to take place in Study, and with the associations of higher 2009, bringing the event to a next level, education and research institutions in by extending it to participants from Europe, such as EUA and LERU. outside Europe. SCH consists of representatives from research councils, research performing Scientific publications organisations and academies, with subject specialists to complement ordinary The SCH Research Networking Programme membership. Observers attend from the Cultural Exchange in Europe 1400 – 1700 COST Domain Committee Individuals, ran from 1999 to 2004. This summer, Societies, Cultures and Health (ISCH), the Cambridge University Press published the European Commission, the U.S. National results of the programme in a four volume Endowment for the Humanities, the series, examining the domains of religion, Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities the city, communication and information, Research Council and the Israel Academy seeking to uncover the deep but hidden of Sciences and Humanities. unities shaping a common European past. The series is edited by Professor More information: www.esf.org/human Robert Muchembled (Université de Paris

130 European Science Foundation Chair: ■ Professor Kirsten Drotner ■ Professor Gretty Mirdal University of Southern Denmark, Centre University of Copenhagen, Institute of Media Studies, Odense, Denmark of Clinical Psychology, Copenhagen, Denmark ■ Professor Jacques Dubucs* Université Paris I, Institut d’Histoire et Members: de Philosophie des Sciences et des ■ Professor Luís Adão de Fonseca Techniques, Paris, France University Luisiada do Porto, Porto, Portugal ■ Professor Peter Funke* Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, ■ Professor Maria Ågren Institute für Epigraphik, Münster, Uppsala University, Dept. of History, Germany Uppsala, Sweden ■ Professor Kostas Gouliamos ■ Professor Arnout Balis European University, Cyprus School Vrije Universiteit, Dept. of Art History, of Business, Nicosia, Cyprus Brussels, Belgium ■ Professor Eila Helander ■ Professor Rajko Bratoz University of Helsinki, Dept. University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Practical Theology, Helsinki, Finland of Philosophy, Ljubljana, Slovenia ■ Professor Gürol Irzik ■ Professor Maurice Bric Bogaziçi Universitesi, Faculty of University College Dublin, School Philosophy, Istanbul, Turkey of History, Dublin, Ireland ■ Professor Kristin Kuutma ■ Professor Raymond Brulet University of Tartu, Faculty of Université Catholique de Louvain, Philosophy, Tartu, Estonia Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium ■ Professor Ulrike Landfester Universität St. Gallen, ■ Professor Luca Codignola* Kulturwissenschaftliche Abteilung, Università di Genova, Faculty of Letters St. Gallen, Switzerland and Philosophy, Genova, Italia ■ Professor Louisa-Irene Loukopoulou ■ Professor Péter Dávidházi* National Hellenic Research Foundation, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Greek and Roman Antiquity, Institute of Literary Studies, Athens, Greece Budapest, Hungary ■ Professor Bohuslav Mánek

■ Professor Leonidas Donskis University of Hradec Králové, Vytautas Magnus University, Political Pedagogical Faculty, Hradec Králové, Science and Diplomacy School, Czech Republic Kaunas, Lithuania

European Science Foundation 131 132 European Science Foundation ESF’s Science Structure (SCH)

■ Professor Kari Melby* ■ Professor Milena Zic-Fuchs* Dept. of Interdisciplinary Studies University of Zagreb, of Culture, Norwegian University of Faculty of Philosophy Science and Technology, Oslo, Norway Zagreb, Croatia

* The delegate is also a Core Group member ■ Professor Slavomir Michálek Slovak Academy of Sciences, Subject Representative: Institute of History, Bratislava, Slovakia ■ Professor Gisli Palsson

Anthropology, Dept. of Anthropology ■ Professor Claudine Moulin and Folkloristic, University of Iceland, Universität Trier, Germanistik Reykjavik, Iceland Trier, Germany, (representative for Luxembourg) Advisory Expert ERIH:

■ Professor Alain Peyraube ■ Professor Svetlina Nikolova Todorova Advisory Expert for the European Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Cyrillo- Reference Index (ERIH), CNRS, Paris, Methodian Research Centre, Sofa, France Bulgaria

Observers: ■ Professor Jón Ólafsson ■ COST – Domain Committee Individuals, Bifrost University, Borgarnes, Iceland Societies, Cultures and Health (ISCH)

Dr. David Gronbaek (to June 2008) ■ Professor Ilie Parvu Dr. Julia Stamm (from June 2008) University of Bucharest, Faculty of Philosophy, Bucharest, Romania ■ Social Sciences and Humanities

Research Council of Canada, ■ Professor Carmen Picallo Soler Ottawa, Canada Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Dr. Carmen Charette Faculty of Letters, Barcelona, Spain

■ National Endowment for the Humanities, ■ Professor Walter Pohl Washington, USA Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute Professor Bruce Cole for Medieval Research, Vienna, Austria

■ Directorate L “Science, Economy and ■ Professor Naomi Segal* Society” University of London, Institute of Unit L4 “Scientiﬁc Culture and Gender Germanic & Romance Studies, London, Issues” European Commission United Kingdom Dr. Pascal Dissard

■ Professor Martin Stokhof ■ Israel Academy of Sciences Universiteit van Amsterdam, Faculty of and Humanities, Humanities, Amsterdam, Professor Benjamin Isaac The Netherlands

■ Professor Przemyslaw Urbanczyk Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Warsaw, Poland European Science Foundation 133 ESF’s Science Structure (LESC)

■ Standing Committee for of life thus depends strongly on flux from the Life, Earth and Envi- the environment. ronmental Sciences (LESC) The Standing Committee aims at a better All the important issues relating to our understanding of biological, environmental surroundings are covered by the Life, Earth and Earth systems across time and space. and Environmental Sciences. Biosciences LESC covers activities from molecular and will make a growing impact in the 21st systems biology over regional ecosystems century as they contribute greatly to the very to global change of the environment. much needed sustainable development of our world. In the meantime, geosciences Besides utilising ESF’s activities will continue to play a crucial role in the categorised under the ESF Strategic Plan understanding of critical environmental to achieve its goals, LESC is also involved issues that are facing mankind. There is in the European Commission-backed ERA- a continuity of informational transfer from NET project BiodivERsA (ERAC-CT-2005- genome up through cell, community and 517836) which includes 19 major research environment and defning characteristics funding agencies from 15 countries in

134 European Science Foundation Europe with signifcant research funding Also in 2007, LESC took the lead in a in the feld of terrestrial, freshwater and corporate effort to further raise ESF’s marine biodiversity (p. XX). In addition LESC profle in the geosciences community. On is a partner in the Co-ordination Action the frst day of the European Geosciences for Innovation in Life-Cycle Analysis for Union (EGU) 2007 General Assembly, Sustainability (CALCAS- 037075) involving the Symposium “Prospective views for 12 organisations. It is also involved in the European Cooperation in Geosciences & Specifc Support Actions (SSAs) such Environmental Sciences: Contributions in as the Towards a European Strategy for a global context”, with twelve prominent Synthetic Biology (TESSY - 043449) and keynote speakers, was a great opportunity Systems Biology for Medical Applications to provide an integrated showcase of ESF (SysBioMed - 037673). activities and an open forum for discussion on future collaborative research. It also The motto of LESC is “Action together – served as an introduction to several ESF- make it happen!”. LESC-COST synergy supported, topical sessions on the most exemplifes this motto. Joint activities with recent achievements in the EUROCORES COST previously focused mainly on Earth Programmes EUROMARGINS, and environmental sciences but life and EuroCLIMATE, EuroMinScI and social sciences have recently also become EuroDIVERSITY, and the Research an integral part of the synergy actions, in Networking Programmes EPICA, particular on aquaculture. MedCLIVAR and ArchEnviron. In addition, the ESF corporate presence was reinforced A prime example of this synergy with throughout the week through the ESF COST is evident in the multidisciplinary booth. This visible participation of LESC in initiative Forward Look on “European Food the EGU Assembly fruitfully facilitated the Systems in a Changing World”. Its objective “networking of the networks” - the ESF is to develop medium to long-term views EUROCORES and Research Networking of future research developments around Programmes - in the feld of geosciences. the thematic focus of food security. Food security is a primary societal goal in which LESC also works closely with other food systems play a pivotal role. Standing and Expert Committees, such as the Marine Board, the European Polar A workshop in Preddvor, Slovenia in Board and the European Space Science May 2007, brought together 26 experts Committee. to discuss future food systems and to conduct scenario exercises. Scenario LESC is composed of leading scientists exercises are a means of developing a mandated to represent the ESF Member research agenda by looking at factors Organisations. Observers from other ESF that influence food systems, such as Committees/Expert Groups or external degree of climate change, energy security, organisations are also invited to attend health, technology innovation etc.The fnal Committee meetings, as are guests from conference took place in Budapest on the COST Domain Committees. inNovember 2007 and the outcome of this conference will be resulted in a fnal report and a Science Policy Briefng in 2008. More information: www.esf.org/lesc

European Science Foundation 135 ESF’s Science Structure (LESC)

Chair: ■ Dr. Jean-Henry Hecq ■ Professor Alexandre Tiedtke Département des Sciences et Gestion Quintanilha de l’Environnement, Institute of Molecular Biology, Université de Liège, Belgium Porto, Portugal ■ Dr. Philippe Jean-Baptiste Members: Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat ■ Professor Isabel Ambar et de l’Environnement, CEA Saclay, Instituto de Oceanograﬁa, Gif-sur-Yvette, France Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal ■ Dr. Kerstin Johannesson ■ Dr. Hans Brix Tjärnö Marine Biological Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Marine Ecology, University of Aarhus, Göteborg University, Sweden Denmark ■ Professor Alan G. Jones ■ Professor Reinhart Ceulemans* Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Department of Biology, School of Cosmic Physics, Dublin, University of Antwerpen, Belgium Ireland

■ Professor Constantin Doukas ■ Dr. Heﬁn Jones* Department of Historical Geology and Cardiff School of Biosciences, Palaeontology, University of Athens, University of Cardiff, United Kingdom Greece ■ Dr. Aslihan Kerç ■ Dr. Angelos Efstathiou Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Marmara University, Turkey University of Cyprus, Cyprus ■ Professor Marek Konarzewski* ■ Professor Olivier Francis* Institute of Biology, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg University of Bialystock, Poland

■ Dr. Françoise Gaill* ■ Dr. Ján Kraic Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Research Institute of Plant Production, Paris, France Piest’any, Slovak Republic

■ Professor Josef Glössl* ■ Professor Zeljko Kucan Institute of Applied Genetics Faculty of Science, and Cell Biology, University of Zagreb, Croatia University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria

136 European Science Foundation ■ Professor Juozas Kulys ■ Professor Mette Svenning Institute of Chemistry Department of Biology, and Bioengineering, University of Tromsø, Norway Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania ■ Professor Angheluta Vadineanu National University Research Council, ■ Dr. Sonja Lojen Bucharest, Romania Department of Environmental Sciences, J. Stefan Institute, Slovenia ■ Professor Zoltán Varga Department of Zoology and Evolution, ■ Professor Volker Mosbrugger Debrecen University, Hungary Institute of Geoscience, Universität Tübingen, Germany Representatives from Bulgaria, France, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK are in ■ Professor Jan Motlik the process of being nominated. Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences of * The delegate is also a Core Group member the Czech Republic, Libechov, Czech Republic Observers: ■ ESF Standing Committee for Physical

■ Dr. Tiina Nõges and Engineering Sciences (PESC) Võrtsjärv Limnological Station Rannu, Professor Elisabeth Guazzelli Estonia ■ Marine Board – ESF (Chair) ■ Professor Paavo Pelkonen Mr. Lars Horn University of Joensuu, Finland ■ Marine Board – ESF (Vice-Chair)

■ Dr. Maria Pilar Perez Dr. Jan Mees Instituto de Microbiologia Bioquemica, Universidad de Salamanca, Spain ■ European Polar Board (Chair) Professor Carlo Alberto Ricci ■ Dr. Olgeir Sigmarsson* Science Institute, University of Iceland ■ European Space Sciences Committee and Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, (Chair) CNRS, Clermont-Ferrand, France Professor Jean-Pierre Swings

■ Professor Mark Stitt* ■ Israel Academy of Science, Israel Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Professor Giora Simchen Physiology, Golm, Germany

■ Professor Andreas Strasser Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Switzerland

European Science Foundation 137 ESF’s Science Structure (PESC)

■ Standing Committee materials research and initiatives to cre- for the Physical and ate Knowledge and Innovation Commu- Engineering Sciences nities (KICs), which are also foreseen as (PESC) cornerstones for a European Institute of Technology (EIT). – A frst result of these The strategy of the ESF Standing Commit- discussions was the “First World Materi- tee for Physical and Engineering Sciences als Summit on Materials Research: Key (PESC) is to develop and disseminate a to meeting Energy Needs and Climate pan-European vision on how to network Change” initiated and co-sponsored by research and innovation and to address PESC, EMRS, and EMF together with the related societal issues in a more effec the Portuguese EU-Presidency, the tive and sustainable manner. The Commit- European Commission, ALSTOM and tee is a unique cross-disciplinary group the IUMRS. This conference took place which focuses on fundamental research in Lisbon on 4-5 October 2007. It was and innovative engineering. PESC covers extremely successful in that it attracted a broad spectrum of ﬁelds ranging from highly renowned scientists, policy makers mathematics, informatics and fundamental and industrial representatives and was a sciences to computer sciences, materials high class showcase on how sustainable research, physics, chemistry, applied sciences, new technologies and engineering. energy supply and climate change are Networking activities supported by the true global issues that require more than Committee cover a wide range of experi- just scientifc understanding but clear mental and theoretical approaches. solutions with ramifcations in all felds of research and society. In a fnal plenary Some 2007 highlights: session, the scientists present unanimously agreed to set up a new global ■ At the 2007 PESC Round Table with Member Organisations issues discussed networking initiative in this area. The were to identify scientifc trends and global network, CORME (Coordination requirements in chemistry, and discuss of Research on Materials for Energy), will how to improve networking actions and be organised by the International Union what PESC can do to improve ESF sup- of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS), port for the discipline. PESC has decided working in conjunction with regional and to highlight one scientifc feld in its remit national Materials Research Societies and each year at the Member Organisation related bodies. For Europe, the European Round Table Meetings with the goal to Materials Forum (EMF) will be in charge. identify action items and to promote new In this context the EMRS and EMF have initiatives for research and networking. It raised the question if it would be suitable is foreseen that the 2008 Meeting with to establish an expert committee on new Member Organisations will concentrate materials and materials research. Tasks on engineering. for such a committee would include fore-

■ In October 2006, the PESC Core Group sight exercises for materials sciences and entered discussions with the European servicing as a science board to express Materials Research Society (EMRS) and materials scientists’ views to European the European Materials Forum (EMF) on institutions such as ESFRI and the EC. how to cooperate closer in support of

138 European Science Foundation European Science Foundation 139 ESF’s Science Structure (PESC)

Over 30 distinguished scientists, nominated for Chemistry and Molecular Sciences by the Member Organisations active in and Technologies (CMST), Information the PESC remit, serve on the committee. and Communication Technologies (ICT), Observers from the European Commission, Materials, Physical and Nanosciences the European Mathematical Society, (MPNS) and, since 2007, an observer from the European Research Consortium for the European Materials Forum (EMF). PESC Informatics and Mathematics, the Israel also maintains close working relationships Academy of Sciences, the U.S. National with the ESF Expert Committees on radio Science Foundations and the ESF astronomy frequencies (CRAF), space Standing Committee for the Life, Earth and sciences (ESSC), and nuclear physics Environmental Sciences (LESC) are invited (NuPECC). to committee meetings as are liaison mem More information: www.esf.org/pesc bers from the COST Domain Committees

140 European Science Foundation Chair: ■ Professor Wolfgang Ertmer ■ Professor Michel Mareschal Institute of Quantum Optics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium University of Hannover, Germany (from September 2007) Members: ■ Professor Andreas Alexandrou ■ Professor Stavros C. Farantos Universityal Cyprus University of Crete and Institute of Electronic Structure and

■ Professor Yvonne Brandt Andersson Laser, FORTH, Iraklion, Crete, Greece Department of Materials Chemistry, ■ Professor Walter Gear Uppsala University, Sweden School of Physics and (from May 2007) Astronomy, University of Wales, ■ Professor Jean-Marie André Cardiff, United Kingdom Laboratoire de Chimie Théorique Appliquée, ■ Professor Elisabeth Guazzelli* Facultés Universitaires Institut Universitaire des Systèmes Notre-Dame de la Paix, Namur, Belgium Thermiques Industriels, Université de Provence, ■ Professor Venko N. Beschkov Marseille, France Institute of Chemical Engineering, Bulgarian ■ Professor Ivan Hubac Academy of Sciences, Department of Chemical Physics, Soﬁa, Bulgaria Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

■ Professor René de Borst Department of Mechanical Engineering, ■ Dr. Fjola Jonsdottir Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Netherlands Engineering, University of Iceland, (from June 2007) Reykjavik, Iceland

■ Professor Katarzyna Chalasinska- ■ Professor Katarzyna Macukow Chalasinska-Macukow University of Warsaw, Poland University of Warsaw, Poland (from June 2007) ■ Professor S. Engin Kilic ■ Professor Kenneth Dawson Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Middle East Technical University, University College, Ankara, Turkey Dublin, Ireland (from June 2007) ■ Professor János Kollár Research Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Budapest, Hungary

European Science Foundation 141 ESF’s Science Structure (PESC)

■ Professor Ulrich Langer ■ Professor Moira C. Norrie Institute of Computational Institut für Informations-systeme, ETH, Mathematics, Johannes Kepler Zurich, Switzerland University Linz, Austria ■ Professor Valdemaras Razumas ■ Professor Manuel de León* Institute of Biochemistry, Instituto de Matemática Vilnius, Lithuania Aplicada y Física

Fundamental, CSIC, ■ Professor Kenneth Ruud Madrid, Spain Department of Chemistry, University of Tromso, Norway ■ Professor Bozidar Liscic (October 2007) Faculty of Mech. Engineering and Naval Architecture, ■ Professor Kaisa Sere* University of Zagreb, Croatia Department of Computer Sciences, Åbo Academi University, Finland ■ Dr. Pasquale Lubrano* INFN - Perugia, Italy ■ Professor Milan Tichy Department of Surface and Plasma ■ Professor Elaine B. Martin Science, Charles University Prague, Chemical Engineering Czech Republic and Advanced Materials, (from April 2007) University of Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom ■ Mrs. Malgorzata Tkatchenko CEA, Saclay, Gif sur Yvette, France ■ Professor Enn Mellikov

Department of Materials Science, Tallinn ■ Dr. Peter Venturini* University of Technology, Estonia National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia ■ Professor José Cardoso Menezes Instituto Superior Técnico, ■ Professor Dorothea Wagner Lisboa, Portugal Faculty of Informatics, University of Karlsruhe, Germany ■ Dr. Henri-Noël Migeon Laboratoire des Analyses de Matériaux, ■ Professor Michel Waroquier CRP Gabriel Lippmann, Luxembourg University Gent, Belgium

■ Professor Radu Munteanu Representatives from Cyprus and Italy are Faculty of Electrical Engineering, in the process of being nominated. Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania * The delegate is also a Core Group member

■ Professor Ole John Nielsen Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

142 European Science Foundation Observers: ■ ESF Standing Committee for the Life, Earth and Environmental Sciences (LESC) Professor Alexandre Quintanilha

■ COST BMBS – Biomedicne and Molecular Biosciences Professor Mihail Pascu

■ COST CMST – Chemistry and Molecular Sciences and Technologies Professor Venceslav Kau i

■ COST ICT – Information and Communication Technologies Liaison and European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics ERCIM Professor Juan José Moreno Navarro

■ European Materials Research Society (EMRS) / European Materials Forum (EMF) Professor Gabriel Crean

■ European Mathematical Society Professor Ari Laptev

■ European Commission, DG Research Dr. Lorenzo Valles-Brau

■ Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities Professor Joseph Klafter

■ National Science Foundation Division of Materials Research, National Science Foundation, United States

European Science Foundation 143 ESF’s Science Structure (SCSS)

■ Standing Committee for theme papers examining relationships be- the Social Sciences (SCSS) tween higher education and society is now expected to continue as a EUROCORES; The social sciences study the possibili- the project Higher Education and Social ties and constraints that surround human Change (EUROHESC) was launched in activity, open spaces, and erect limits early 2008. around human creativity. Therefore they examine and explain human beings on Another success story concerns the different levels, from neural foundations Research Networking Programme Quan- to individual behaviour, group processes titative Methods in the Social Sciences and the functioning of entire societies. (QMSS) www.esf.org/qmss, which ran Consequently, the social sciences employ from 2003-2007 and was enthusiastically a wide variety of methods tailored to be taken up by 22 ESF Member Organisa- scientifically rigorous, and to ensure that tions. Data collection is only a first step reliable knowledge is secured. in a complex process and specific standards and human capacity are required to Against this background, the SCSS funds compare and analyse the data statistics and develops initiatives in the fields of psychology and the cognitive sciences, in order to translate them into that can pedagogic and education research, social be communicated – and that can then anthropology, sociology and gender stud- influence how policies are created and ies, economics, business and administra- changes brought about. A series of work- tive sciences, geography, demography, shop and, especially, the training of junior environmental sciences, law, political researchers in a series of summer schools, sciences, communication sciences, in- carried out within this project have been a ternational relations, social statistics and first step and the project leaders now will informatics. continue to advance with a continuation of the current Programme in 2008 to be A European Collaborative Research Project known as QMSS2. (ECRP) is addressing citizens of the future: the concerns and actions of young people Naturally, the social sciences benefit from around current European and global issues the insights gained through related disci- to see what opinions young Europeans plines such as the human, life and medical have on issues such as democratic pro- sciences. These areas of convergence cesses, poverty, unemployment, human allow for a fuller understanding of the rights, the environment and conflict. The diverse facets of the social science enter- project will also compare how these opi prise, and range from literary, philosophi- nions vary depending on the country of cal and historical inputs on the one hand, residence; in this case Poland, Spain and to biological and medical ones, including Turkey. www.uwm.edu.pl/citizens human biology, on the other. At the same time, almost all (medical, life and human) The Forward Look on Higher Education in scientific problems have aspects that re- Europe beyond 2010 (www.esf.org/helf), quire the participation of social sciences in which had its final conference in October their thorough examination. 2007, and produced a report with five

144 European Science Foundation The members of the Standing Commit- tee for the Social Sciences represent their national Member Organisation(s), and are leading ﬁgures within research councils or institutions within their countries. A number of observers, from important European and transatlantic social science institutions, regularly attend the bi-annual plenary SCSS meetings.

More information: www.esf.org/scss

European Science Foundation 145 ESF’s Science Structure (SCSS)

Chair: ■ Professor Rainer Kattel ■ Professor Sir Roderick Floud Tallinn University Dean of the School of Advanced Study, of Technology, Estonia University of London, United Kingdom (from February 2007) (from May 2007) ■ Professor Anne Kovalainen Members: Turku School of Economics, Finland ■ Professor Tommy Bengtsson Lund University, Sweden ■ Professor Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard (from September 2007) University of Copenhagen, Denmark

■ Professor John Coakley ■ Professor Volkmar Lauber University College Dublin, Ireland University of Salzburg, Austria

■ Professor Ian Diamond/ ■ Professor Luisa Lima Mr. Glyndwr Davies* ISCTE - Instituto Superior de Ciências Economic and Social Research Council, do Trabalho e da Empresa, Portugal United Kingdom ■ Professor Bogdan Mach* ■ Professor Dalina Dumitrescu* Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland National University Research Council,

Romania ■ Dr. Zdenka Mansfeldová Academy of Sciences of the Czech ■ Dr. Javier Esparcia Pérez Republic, Czech Republic University of Valencia Spain ■ Dr. Silvia Miháliková Comenius University, Slovak Republic ■ Professor Emmanuël Gerard

Catholic University Leuven, Belgium ■ Professor Patrick Navatte* CNRS, France ■ Professor Galin Gornev

Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, ■ Professor Ilona Pálné Kovács Bulgaria Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungary ■ Professor Pieter Hooimeijer Utrecht University, ■ Professor Pasqualina Perrig-Chiello* Netherlands Universität Bern, Switzerland

■ Professor Thorlakur Karlsson ■ Professor Manfred Prenzel* Reykjavik University, Iceland Leibniz-Institut für die (from March 2007) Pädagogik der Naturwissenschaften (IPN), Germany

146 European Science Foundation ■ Professor Asbjørn Rødseth* ■ Israel Academy University of Oslo, Norway of Sciences and Humanities Professor Asher Koriat

■ Professor Davorin Rudolf Croatian Academy ■ National Science Foundation, of Sciences and Arts, Croatia United States Dr. David Lightfoot ■ Dr. Savvas Savvides* Cyprus College, Cyprus ■ COST Domain Committee Individuals, Societies, Culture and Health

■ Professor Slavko Splichal Dr. Laura Maratou-Alipranti University of Liubljana, Slovenia (from September 2007)

■ Professor Georges Steffgen ■ Social Sciences and Humanities University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg Research Council, Canada Mr. Christian Sylvain

■ Professor Luc Wilkin Université Libre de Bruxelles, Advisory Expert: Brussels, Belgium ■ Norwegian Social Science Data Services ■ Professor John Yfantopoulos Mr. Bjørn Henrichsen National Centre for Social Research, Greece

Representatives from Belgium, Italy, Lithuania and Turkey are in the process of being nominated.

* The delegate is also a Core Group member

Observers: ■ European Commission, DG Research Dr. Dimitri Corpakis

■ International Social Science Council Dr. Heide Hackmann (from March 2007)

European Science Foundation 147 148 European Science Foundation ESF’s Science Structure

Unites the outputs of advanced marine Expert Boards research; Provides insights necessary to transfer and Committees research to knowledge for leadership and decision making; ■ Marine Board - ESF Develops foresight initiatives to secure future The increasing interdependence of marine research capability and to support informed research policies and programmes at na- policy making; tional and at European levels, as well as the Places marine research within the European rapidly changing environment of European sociopolitical and economic issues that pro- marine sciences, call for a new approach foundly affect Europe. to the development of European research The Marine Board operates via four principal strategies. To this end, the Marine Board, approaches: established in 1995 by its Member Organi- ■ Voice: Expressing a collective vision of sations, to facilitates enhanced coordination the future for European marine science in between the directors of European marine relation to developments in Europe and science organisations (research institutes, world-wide, and improving the public un- funding agencies and research councils) derstanding of science in these felds; and the development of strategies for ma- ■ Forum: Bringing together 26 marine rine science in Europe. The Marine Board research from 18 European countries to operates within the European Science share information, to identify common Foundation. problems and, as appropriate, fnd solutions, to develop common positions, and As an independent non-governmental advi- to cooperate; sory body, the Marine Board is motivated by, ■ Strategy: Identifying and prioritising emer- and dedicated to the unique opportunity of gent disciplinary and interdisciplinary ma- building collaboration in marine research. The rine scientifc issues of strategic European Marine Board develops insight, recognizing importance, initiating analysis and studies opportunities and trends, presenting compel- (where relevant, in close association with ling and persuasive arguments that shape the the European Commission) in order to future of marine research in Europe. develop a European strategy for marine research; The Marine Board provides the essential ■ Synergy: Fostering European added value components for transferring knowledge for to component national programmes, fa- leadership in marine research in Europe. cilitating access and shared use of national Adopting a strategic role, the Marine Board marine research facilities, and promoting serves its Member Organisations by provid- synergy with international programmes ing a forum within which policy advice to na- and organisations. tional agencies and to the European Com- mission is developed, with the objective of The Marine Board meets on plenary twice providing comparable research strategies a year, while its Executive Committee of at the European level. As a major science Chairman, vice-Chairpersons and Executive policy think-tank, the Marine Board: Secretary meet four times per year.

European Science Foundation 149 ESF’s Science Structure (Marine Board)

Marine Board Working Groups New Marine Board WGs have been created and will begin their activities in 2008: One of the Marine Board’s assets is its ■ Risk assessment and monitoring of capacity to be proactive in identifying existing and emerging new chemicals research priorities through establishing and in the European marine and coastal supporting Working Groups (WGs). These environment; WGs are composed of high-level European experts who elaborate on speciﬁc marine ■ Science Dimensions of Ecosystem science and technology topics. The out Approach to Management of Biotic put from a WG is a peer reviewed Position Ocean Resources (SEAMBOR). Paper, subsequently used at national and European levels to identify priorities for Marine Board Panels future research funding programmes. Marine Board Panels aim to operate Recent Marine Board publications on as collaborative, long term operational strategic matters (downloadable on the networks whose members beneﬁt from Marine Board homepage): mutual interactions and from interactions

■ Impacts on Climate Change on with the Marine Board. the European Marine and Coastal Environment - Ecosystems Approach. Marine Board Panels: Marine Board Position Paper 9, March ■ Marine Board Communications Network 2007 (created in 1999; re-established in 2006)

■ New joint Marine Board - EuroGOOS ■ European Ocean Research Fleets Panel on EMODNET is to be launched - Towards a Common Strategy and in 2008. Enhanced Use. Marine Board Position Paper 10, March 2007 Marine Board Policy related ■ Marine Board Statements in response activities to the European Commission’s Green Papers on: EurOCEAN 2007 and Aberdeen (i) Maritime Policy, and (ii) ERA. Position Declaration Paper 11, November 2007 (see also Upon request from the European Commission p.27) the Marine Board organised EurOCEAN 2007 science policy conference, which resulted Pending publications: in the Aberdeen Declaration, supporting the ■ Remote Sensing of Shelf Seas European Maritime Policy and highlighting Ecosystems. signifcance of bringing marine and maritime Marine Board Position Paper 12; groups together.

■ The effects of anthropogenic sound on Building on existing momentum, the Marine marine mammals - Board brought together the EurOCEAN 2007 A draft research strategy. Marine Board organising committee, the Aberdeen+ Interest position Paper 13. Group, to organise a science conference The role of marine sciences in ocean sustainability and global change, as a Portuguese EU Presidency Event (8 October 2007, Lisbon).

150 European Science Foundation Blue Paper on the Maritime Policy and ■ FEUFAR related Action Plan The Marine Board Secretariat represents The EC Blue Paper on the Maritime Policy the Marine Board in the FEUFAR (adopted on 10 October 2007), which Consortium of seven partners. FEUFAR includes a plan of action to improve cross- (Future of European Fisheries and sectoral collaboration between maritime Aquaculture Research) is an FP6 funded players, includes the recommendations as Specific Support Action addressing expressed in the Aberdeen Declaration and the modernisation and sustainability of in the Marine Board Position Paper 11. fisheries policies. The objective of the ini tiative is to undertake a foresight analysis Marine Board FP6 activities to identify key challenges and options ■ MarinERA towards a more sustainable development The Marine Board is the joint coordinator of European fisheries and aquaculture of MarinERA (an FP6 ERA-NET) (p.120) in industries. association with Ifremer (French Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea). MarinERA Marine Board Secretariat aims to facilitate the coordination of national relocation – Strengthening and regional marine RTD programmes synergies in Europe. A common call for research proposals to address “Regional Drivers of From November 2007 the Marine Board Ecosystem Change: Description, Modeling Secretariat operates from Ostend and Prediction”, involving funding from six (Belgium). Responding to an offer from the European marine research organisations, Government of Flanders, this relocation is to be launched in February 2008 was judged and approved by the Marine with a provisional funding envelop of Board in May 2006 within the perspective approximately € 5M. of developing synergy with other co- located agencies (e.g. VLIZ, UNESCO‘s MarinERA publications 2007: Project Offce for IODE and EFARO) for the “Barriers to Cooperation in MarinERA benefit of marine science in the European Partner State Marine RTD Programmes” Research Area. The Government of (MarinERA Technical Report 2, February Flanders established the facility as a 2007) centre of marine secretariats in support of global marine research launched as “InnovOcean”. ■ AMPERA The Marine Board is in a task leader in More information: www.esf.org/marineboard AMPERA, another FP6 ERA-NET, whose aim is to foster prevention of, and best res ponse to, accidental marine pollution. The Marine Board’s responsibility is to ensure effective engagement with other Marine ERA-NETs. The Marine Board organised the 3rd Marine / Environmental ERA- NET Forum (February 2007, Brussels), to address key regional research policy concepts and perspectives.

European Science Foundation 151 ESF’s Science Structure (Marine Board)

Chair: ■ Dr. Annalisa Griffa ■ Mr. Lars Horn Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Norges Forskningsrådet, Norway (CNR), Italy

Vice Chairs: ■ Dr. Kerstin Johannesson ■ Dr. Antoine Dosdat Vetenskapsrådet, Sweden Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER), ■ Dr. Jaana Lehtimäki France Suomen Akatemia /Finlands Akademi, Finland ■ Professor Edward Hill National Oceanography Centre, ■ Dr. Karin Lochte Southampton (NOCS), United Kingdom Deutsche Forschungs- gemeinschaft (DFG), ■ Dr. Jan Mees Germany Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen (FWO), Belgium ■ Dr. Nicole Papineau Centre National de la Recherche ■ Professor Jan Willem de Leeuw Scientifque (CNRS), France Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (KNAW), ■ Dr. Beatriz Morales-Nin Netherlands Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientíﬁcas (CSIC), Spain ■ Dr. Kostas Nittis Hellenic Centre for Marine Research ■ Mr. Tore Nepstad (HCMR), Greece Havforskningsinstituttet, Norway

■ Dr. Kaisa Kononen ■ Mr. Geoffrey O’Sullivan The Academy of Finland Marine Institute, Ireland

Delegates: ■ Dr. Gregorio Parrilla ■ Professor Jean-Marie Beckers Instituto Espanol de Oceanografía (IEO), Fonds National Spain de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS), Belgium ■ Professor Sevcan Çolpan Polat-Beken Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma ■ Dr. Alessandro Crise Kurumu (TÜBITAK), Turkey Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS), Italy ■ Dr. Bo Riemann Forskningsrådet for Natur og Univers ■ Professor Jerzy Dera (FNU), Denmark Polska Akademia Nauk (PAN), Poland

152 European Science Foundation ■ Professor Mario Ruivo Observers: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia ■ Dr. Jacques Fuchs (FCT) Portugal , European Commission DG Fisheries and Maritime Affairs ■ Dr. Raymond Schorno

Nederlandse Organisatie ■ Mr. Pierre Mathy voor Wetenschappelijk European Commission DG Research Onderzoek (NWO), Netherlands ■ Dr. Tarmo Soomere Eesti Teaduste Akadeemia, Estonia

■ Professor Bodo von Bodungen Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft deutscher Forschungszentren (HGF), Germany ■ Dr. Mike Webb Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), United Kingdom

European Science Foundation 153 ESF’s Science Structure (EPB)

■ European Polar Board Parliament in Strasbourg, attended by (EPB) the special representative of President Putin and other high level dignitaries, EPB is Europe’s strategic advisory body brought together all committees of on science policy in the polar regions. It the ESF. The ESF coordination for the acts as a voice and high-level facilitator of event is an example of a successful cooperation between European national interdisciplinary collaboration between funding agencies, national polar institutes the ESF Committees. and research organisations.

EPB is also a major managing partner The European Polar Board is concerned in the European Polar Consortium with major strategic priorities in the (EUROPOLAR) composed of 25 ministries Arctic and Antarctic and has members and funding agencies and national polar from national operators and research authorities from 19 countries including the institutes in 20 countries. The Board is Russian Federation and Greenland Home taking a central role in the coordination Rule Government, and supported under of European agencies and infrastructure managers in the strategic issues of the the European Commission Framework International Polar year 2007-2009. programme 6 ERA-NET priority (ERAC- CT-2005-517842). Established in 1995, the European Polar Board, the ESF’s expert committee on The ESF through the European Polar science policy in the Polar Regions, Board unit is the Ofﬁcial coordinator of the is acting as a voice and facilitator of ERICON AURORA BOREALIS (European cooperation between European National Research Ice Breaker Consortium) a Funding Agencies, National Polar project supported under EC FP7 as part of Institutes and research organisations and the implementation of the ESFRI roadmap the European Commission. projects. This 4.5 Million Euro project will focuse on the strategic, management, legal EPB is taking a central role in the and ﬁnancial aspects of implmenting this coordination at European level of the large scale research facility and involves International Polar Year 2007-2009, a 15 partners from 10 countries over four global event focusing on the importance years. of the polar regions for humankind. Major focus areas are on education, The Board’s long term strategy with respect outreach and communication; enhancing to facilitating the construction of the political visibility. The European Polar AURORA BOREALIS European Icebreaker Board has active liaison with the director has taken a major step forward with the of United States Polar Agency at the frst successes of an EPB-coordinated National Science Foundation and has Consortium bid to the FP7 Research been involved in discussions with other Infrastructures theme for the Preparatory international agencies on international Phase of the project. cooperation in the Polar regions. The high profle European Launch of the More information: www.esf.org/epb International Polar Year at the European

154 European Science Foundation EPB Executive Committee Policy Advisory Committee advising its Chair: Director General, in the EC’s FP7 Space Professor Carlo Alberto Ricci, Advisory Group, and it holds an observer President of the Italian National Scientiﬁc status in ESA’s Ministerial Councils. At the Committee for Antarctic Research, Italy international level, ESSC maintains strong relationships with the NRC’s Space Studies Vice-chairs: Board in the U.S., and corresponding bod- Professor Anders Karlqvist, ies in Japan and China. Swedish Polar Research Secretariat Director, Sweden In line with the ESSC review in November Professor Alexander Guterch, Poland 2003, a Strategic Plan for the Period Professor Jan Stel, The Netherlands 2007-2010 was published to enable the Dr. Hanne K. Petersen, Danish Polar Committee to re-examine its position on Center Director, Denmark the European space scene and the role it Dr. Gérard Jugie, IPEV Director, France can play vis-à-vis the other space actors. Two main goals of this Strategic Plan are:

■ To amplify and diversify the role of the ■ European Space Sciences Committee, with the goal of becoming Committee (ESSC) the advisory body of the European Union The European Space Sciences Committee, on space sciences. established in 1975, grew out of the ■ To bring together in an informal setting need for a collaborative effort that would European national programme managers ensure European space scientists made and top-level scientists and engineers and their voices heard on the other side of the provide them with the possibility to identify Atlantic, in an era when successive Apollo pan-European strategic challenges and and space science missions had thrust the interact on common problems. idea of space exploration into the collective conscious for the first time. At the request of ESA, and in preparation for their 2008 Ministerial Council, ESSC More than 30 years later the ESSC has has conducted a strategic evaluation and become even more relevant today as it acts consultation of the relevant scientifc com- as an interface with the European Space munities, in order to establish recommen- Agency (ESA), the European Commission, dations on a science-driven scenario for national space agencies, and ESF Member Europe’s exploration programme. Dubbed Organisations on space-related aspects. “Emergence and evolution of life with its The mission of the ESSC is to provide an planetary environment”, this scenario lays independent European voice on European the ground for Europe’s scientifc human space research and policy. exploration of the solar system in the next decades. Furthermore ESSC and SCH The ESSC is non-governmental and provides have launched an interdisciplinary coop- an independent forum for scientists to de- eration to reflect on the humanities-related bate space sciences issues. The ESSC is aspects of space exploration (one work- represented ex officio in ESA’s scientific ad- shop and one conference in 2007). visory bodies, in ESA’s High-level Science

European Science Foundation 155 ESF’s Science Structure (ESSC)

The ESSC has a new Chair since May ■ The assessment of potential European 2007. Professor Jean-Pierre Swings is an capacity for development of radio- astrophysicist from the University of Liège in isotopic devices for space exploration; Belgium. His main tasks over the next two ■ The ﬁnalisation and approval of its years will be to materialise the Strategic Financial Plan 2008-2012 with its Funding Plan in a very concrete manner. Organisations. Among the activities that the ESSC will More information: www.esf.org/essc have in 2008 are: ■ The evaluation of ESA’s programme in life and physical sciences in space, including its exploration component;

156 European Science Foundation Chair: ■ Professor Christiane Schmullius ■ Professor Jean-Pierre Swings Department of Geoinformatics, Institut d’Astrophysique et de Friedrich Schiller Universität, Géophysique, Liège, Belgium Jena, Germany

Members: ■ Dr. Catherine Turon ■ Professor Angioletta Coradini Laboratoire Galaxies, Etoiles, CNR-Istituto di Fisica dello Spazio Physique et Instrumentation, Interplanetario, Roma, Italy Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, France

■ Professor Karsten Danzmann ■ Professor Manuel G. Velarde Institut für Atom- und Molekülphysik, Unidad de Fluidos, Instituto MPI für Gravitationsphysik, Pluridisciplinar, Universidad Hannover, Germany Complutense de Madrid, Spain

■ Dr. Michel Deshayes ■ Professor Karel Wakker Maison de la Télédétection, Institute for Space Research, SRON, CEMAGREF-CIRAD-ENGREF, Utrecht, The Netherlands Montpellier, France ■ Dr. Frances Westall ■ Professor Hans Jörg Fecht Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Abteilung Werkstoffe der Elektrotechnik, CNRS, Orléans, France Universität Ulm, Germany

■ Professor Monica Grady Planetary & Space Sciences Research Institute, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

■ Professor Matt Grifﬁn School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Cardiff, United Kingdom

■ Professor Per Barth Lilje Institute for Theroretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, Norway

■ Dr. José Miguel Mas-Hesse Centro de Astrobiologia, CSIC-INTA, Torrejon de Ardoz (Madrid), Spain

■ Professor Göran Scharmer Institute for Solar Physics, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden

European Science Foundation 157 158 European Science Foundation ESF’s Science Structure (CRAF)

■ Committee on Radio pro and against spectrum management Astronomy Frequencies choices are deeply related to what are (CRAF) the frontiers of science and technology today and to what are the objectives of Established in 1988, CRAF represents all the science projects that are expected to the major radio astronomical observatories be undertaken in the future, issues where in Europe. Its mission is to coordinate ESF itself can contribute a lot. the protection of the frequency bands used by radio astronomers in Europe More information: www.esf.org/craf i.e. to keep them free from interference. This task will remain indispensable for astronomical science in the foreseeable Chair: future. The committee’s pursuit of this ■ Professor Roberto Ambrosini task is becoming increasingly difﬁcult, Istituto di Radioastronomia I.N.A.F., given the steady increase in global Bologna, Italy use of the electromagnetic spectrum Members: for both terrestrial and space-borne ■ Dr. Rafael Bachiller communications e.g. mobile telephones. Observatorio Astronomico Nacional IGN, Madrid, Spain At the European level, the committee plays a key role in deﬁning, coordinating ■ Dr. Valery Bezrukovs and articulating the frequency needs Ventspils International Radio Astronomy of the radio astronomy community. Center, Ventpils, Latvia In the global framework CRAF is the European Sector Member of the ■ G. Butin International Telecommunication Union Institut de Radio Astronomie (ITU). Committee on Radio Astronomy Millimétrique, IRAM, Headquarters, Frequencies (CRAF) CRAF continues Domaine Universitaire de Grenoble, to defend the interests of the radio France astronomy, passive remote sensing and ■ Dr. Frederic Clette related science communities in Europe, Observatoire Royal de Belgique, and indeed more widely, by seeking to Département de Physique Solaire, protect the frequency bands allocated to Bruxelles, Belgium these domains. This becomes ever more important as the pressure on the frequency ■ Professor Luis Manuel dos Santos spectrum increases due to new commercial Rocha Cupido applications demanding more bandwidth Centro de Físicados Plasmas, Instituto and new frequency bands, whilst major Superior Técnico, Lisboa, Portugal new Research Infrastructure investments are planned for radio-astronomy and other ■ Dr. André Deschamps domains. The protection of frequency Observatoire de Paris, LERMA, Paris, bands dedicated to fundamental science France explorations could be misinterpreted as a non-scientifc activity. The evidence is totally in the opposite direction. Arguments

European Science Foundation 159 ESF’s Science Structure (CRAF)

■ Dr. Wim van Driel ■ Dr. J. P. V. Poiares Baptista Observatoire de Paris, GEPI, ESTEC / ESA, Noordwijk, Meudon, France The Netherlands

■ Dr. Istvan Fejes ■ Dr. Jouko Ritakari FOMI SatelliteGeodetic Observatory, Metsähovi Radio Observatory, Budapest, Hungary Kylmälä, Finland

■ Professor Ernst Fürst ■ W. Schlueter Max-Planck Institut für Radio Fundamentalstation Wettzell, Astronomie, Radio-observatorium Bad Kötzting, Germany Effelsberg, Bad Münstereifel, Germany ■ Professor J.H. Seiradakis ■ Dr. Axel Jessner Aristoteleion University of Thessaloniki, Max-Planck Institut für Radio Astrophysics, Astronomy & Mechanics, Astronomie, Bonn, Germany Greece

■ Dr. K. Jiricka ■ H. Smith Astronomical Observatory, Ondrejov, Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory, Czech Republic Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge England, UK ■ Dr. A. A. Konovalenko National Academy of Sciences, ■ P. Thomasson Department of Decameter Radio University of Manchester, Jodrell Bank Astronomy, Kharkov, Ukraine Observatory, Macclesfeld, United Kingdom ■ Dr. Ibrahim Küçük Erciyes University, Department of ■ Dr. Jerzy B. Usowicz Astronomy and Space Sciences, Torun Centre for Astronomy, Kayseri, Turkey Dept. of Radio Astronomy, Poland

■ Professor Michael Lindqvist ■ Dr. Gudmund Wannberg Onsala Space Observatory, EISCAT Scientiﬁc Association, Onsala, Sweden Kiruna, Sweden

■ Robert Millenaar Netherlands Foundation for Research in ■ Pietro Bolli Astronomy, Dwingeloo, The Netherlands (CRAF Secretary) Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Istituto ■ M. Mingaliev Special Astrophysical Observatory Nazionale di Astrofsica, Loc. Poggio dei Nizhnij Arkhyz, Karachai-Cirkassian Pini, Italy Republic, Russia ■ Laurentiu Alexe (Frequency Manager) CRAF, P.O. Box 2, ■ Dr. Christian A. Monstein Radio Astronomy Group, Institute of The Netherlands Astronomy, ETH Zentrum, ■ Patrick Bressler Zürich, Switzerland (ESF liaison)

160 European Science Foundation ■ Nuclear Physics European NuPECC’s quinquennial forward looking Collaboration Committee exercises have traditionally had a signif- (NuPECC) cant effect on the development of the domain within Europe. Its reputation in these This Expert Committee’s tasks are to activities resulted in the direct submission strengthen European collaboration in of NuPECC recommendations, in line with nuclear physics and science. NuPECC the “NuPECC Roadmap for Construction defines a network of complementary of Major Research Facilities in Europe” facilities within Europe and encourages (see http://www.nupecc.org/pub) to the optimisation of their use. The Committee frst ESRFI Roadmap and the emergence provides a forum to discuss the exploita- of NuPECC’s top recommendations for tion of future facilities and instrumentation; new facilities relevant for the nuclear and to issue recommendations on the physics community (FAIR in Darmstadt, development, organisation, and support Germany, and SPIRAL2 in Caen, France) of European nuclear physics, and of par- on the ESFRI List. These projects are ticular projects. thus eligible for funding by the European Commission under “Construction of New NuPECC regularly presentss reports on Infrastructure – Preparatory Phase”. Dur- scientific issues of importance to the Euro- ing 2008 NuPECC will begin preparations pean nuclear physics community and pub- for its next “perspectives” exercise. lishes a Long-Range Plan (Forward Look) every 6 years delineating the perspectives Through its quarterly magazine, Nuclear for the field and giving recommendations Physics News International, NuPECC and priorities for the advancement of provides accurate and timely updates on nuclear science in Europe. the status of nuclear science. NuPECC acts as the scientifc advisory Committee NuPECC continues to pursue its joint to NuPNET, the recently established ERA- initiative with the European Physical NET in Nuclear Physics funded by the EU Society, PANS (Public Awareness of in FP7. Nuclear Science), and produces pam- phlets, books and CDs. NuPECC also More information: www.esf.org/nupecc continues to work closely with nuclear and www.nupecc.org physics research networks supported via the Framework programmes of the European Commission. European Science Foundation 161 ESF’s Science Structure (NuPECC)

Chair: ■ Professor Hans-Ake Gustafsson ■ Professor Brian Fulton Department of Physics, University of York, Lund University, Sweden Department of Physics, United Kingdom ■ Dr. Bernard Haas Members: Centre d’Etudes Nucléaire de Bordeaux ■ Professor Claude Amsler Gradignan, France CERN, Genève, Switzerland ■ Professor Muhsin Harakeh ■ Professor Jean-Paul Blaizot Kernfysisch Versneller European Centre for Theoretical Studies Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas, Groningen, The Netherlands Trento, Italy ■ Dr. Sotirios Harissopulos ■ Dr. Angela Bracco National Centre for Scientiﬁc Research Milano, Italy “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece

■ Professor Tullio Bressani ■ Professor Paul-Henri Heenen Istituto Nazionale Fisica Nucleare, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium Dept. of Experimental Physics, Torino, Italy ■ Dr. Rauno Julin Dept. of Physics, ■ Dr. Roman Caplar University of Jyväskylä, Finland Zagreb, Croatia ■ Dr. Attila Krasznahorkay ■ Dr. Jan Dobes Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Institute of Nuclear Research, Republic, Nuclear Physics Institute, Debrecen, Hungary Rez (Prague), Czech Republic ■ Dr. Thomas Peitzmann ■ Professor Ana Maria Eiró Utrecht, The Netherlands Centro de Física Nuclear da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal ■ Professor Alfredo Poves Departamento de Física Teórica, ■ Dr. Jens Jørgen Gaardhøje Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Copenhagen, Denmark Spain

■ Dr. Dominique Goutte, ■ Dr. Dieter Röhric Ganil, Caen, France Institutt for fysik og teknologi, University of Bergen, Norway

■ Dr. Dominique Guillemaud-Mueller Groupe Physique Nucléaire Ions Lourds, ■ Professor Günther Rosner Institut de Physique Nucléaire d’Orsay, Department of Physics and Astronomy, France University of Glasgow, United Kingdom

162 European Science Foundation ■ Professor Horst Stöcker Darmstadt, Germany

■ Professor Hans Ströher Institut für Kernphysik, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany

■ Professor Jan Styczen The Henryk Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Cracow, Poland

■ Professor Jochen Wambach Institute for Nuclear Physics, Technische Hochschule, Darmstadt, Germany

■ Professor Eberhard Widmann Stefan Meyer Institute for Subatomic Physics, University of Vienna, Austria

■ Dr. Nicolae-Victor Zamfr Bucharest, Heavy Ion Department, Bucharest, Romania

■ Gabriele-Elisabeth Körner München, Germany (Scientifc Secretary)

■ Patrick Bessler (ESF Liaison)

European Science Foundation 163 ESF’s Science Structure Science Advisory Board

The Science Advisory Board (SAB) is ■ Professor Amélie Mummendey composed of six high level researchers (Social Psychology) with a broad disciplinary balance with Lehrstuhl Sozialpsychologie very strong scientifc reputations as the Institut für Psychologie frst consideration, covering the whole re- Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena search spectrum, plus the Chairs of ESF’s Germany fve Standing Committees. Members are chosen from nominations by ESF Member ■ Professor Kai Simons Organisations and are appointed by the (Molecular Cell Biology) Governing Council for a maximum period Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Cell of three years, renewable once. Biology and Genetics Germany The SAB advises the Chief Executive on strategic science issues, and scientifc ■ Professor Louise Vet advice with regard to ESF’s key instru- (Ecology) Netherlands Institute ments (including EUROCORES, Forward of Ecology (NIOO) Looks, ESF Conference Scheme). It also The Netherlands provides overall science quality control of the ESF, such as overseeing the complete Standing Committee Chairs: peer review system, the composition and ■ Professor Sir Roderick Floud operation of ESF Panels and Committees (Economic History) (including Review Panels, Forward Look Social Sciences (SCSS) Management and Scientifc Committees, London Metropolitan University European Latsis Prize, Expert Commit- United Kingdom tees), safeguarding of the interdisciplinarity of ESF instruments and keeping an over- ■ Professor Liselotte Højgaard sight on ESF procedures. (Clinical Physiology) European Medical Research Independant Members: Councils (EMRC) ■ Professor Raimo Väyrynen (Chair) Director, Head of Department (Political Sciences) Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine Finnish Institute of International Affairs & PET Rigshospitalet Finland University of Copenhagen Denmark ■ Professor Edouard Brézin (Theoretical Physics) ■ Professor Michel Mareschal Département de Physique (Statistical Mechanics) Laboratoire de Physique Théorique Physical and Engineering de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure Sciences (PESC) - France Universite Libre de Bruxelles Belgium ■ Professor Judith Howard (Structural Chemistry) Science Laboratories Department of Chemistry University of Durham United Kingdom

164 European Science Foundation ■ Professor Gretty Mirdal ■ Professor Alexandre Quintanilha (Clinical Psychology) (Biochemical Physiology) Humanities (SCH) Life, Earth & Environmental Department of Psychology Sciences (LESC) Institute of Clinical Psychology Director Instituto de Biologia University of Copenhagen Molecular e Celular Denmark Portugal

Finance

In order to provide the latest available in- infrastructure (employment and running formation on ESF Finances, the 2007 ac- expenses), and core scientifc activities counts are published in this annual report. that are essential for the proper implementation of the ESF mission (meetings of the The accounts were presented to and Standing committees, Forward Looks, Ex- discussed by the ESF Finance and Audit ploratory Workshops, support to Confer- Committee at its March 2008 meeting, ences, scientifc networks, science policy and approved by the Governing Council at and strategic activities, quality assurance, its April meeting. communication and governance).

■ Activities and Budget All ESF Member Organisations contribute Structure to the General Budget according to a scale ESF and its activities are mainly funded by of contributions set out according to the contributions from ESF Member Organisa- Statute and outlined in Table 7. tions and grants from the European Com- mission. Other activities are funded à la carte, only by those Member Organisations interested The General Budget is used to fnance in participating. These activities are the the running of the offce and general ESF Research Networking Programmes

166 European Science Foundation and the ESF Expert Committees and The evolution in expenditure is explained by Boards. The ESF also runs special budgets the strategy followed by ESF during 2007 involving partnerships such as the ESF and also takes into account the manage- Research Conferences. A breakdown of ment of new responsibilities attached to the ESF budget structure is provided in the EC contracts. Table 1. The General Budget carries all indirect and In addition, the European Commission pro- residual costs related to the EC contracts, vides funding to ESF for the management together with the provisions for contingen- of COST activities, which accounts for cies (582k€) that are necessary to protect around 44 percent of the total expenditure MOs from the constraints and risks at- in 2007, for the support of EUROCORES, tached to such contracts. Although these the coordination of the EURYI scheme provisions are not accounted for as such and the participation in several other EC within the Statutory Accounts, our cautious programmes. approach has led us to continue building them transparently into the Management ■ Overall comments on 2007 Accounts. Income and Expenditure After a signifcant increase in activities of General budget expenditure in science ac- 8,5% in 2006, 2007 resulted in a more tivities is slightly lower than in 2006. This moderate growth of 7% corresponding to budget envelope covers ESF core strate- an overall level of funding of 47.1M€, as gic and science policy instruments such as shown in the Consolidated Income and Ex- Forward Looks, Workshops, Conferences penditure Statement (Table 2 and Chart 1). and Quality Assurance.

Adjusted with the necessary provisions for At the same time, employment costs and contingencies and anticipated overhead running expenses of the General Budget on accruals attached to the EC contracts, were slightly below budget. ESF globally ends the year with a consolidated result amounting to 19k€ in the ■ Overall comments on the management accounts. 2007 Balance Sheet

The statutory accounts, detailed in Tables The ESF Consolidated Balance Sheet 4 and 5, show a consolidated excess of (Table 3) gives an instant picture of the income of 221k€ at year end, which is patrimonial situation of the organisation at reconciled to the result in management the end of the year. accounts (Table 6). The positive cash situation, reflecting a pro The development of income mainly relates active management of available cash, and to activities within the COST contract, the increase in funds received in advance the EUROCORES support contract, ESF are both mainly linked to the management Research Networking Programmes and of funds related to EC contracts. the ESF Research Conferences. The main decreases relate to the General Budget and the EURYI support contract.

European Science Foundation 167 Finance

■ The following tables provide a consolidated overview of all funds managed by ESF in 2007

Budget Structure Table 1: Detailed structure Key Figures Chart 1: Consolidated Expenditure 2007 Chart 2: Detail of Science Activities Funded by the General Budget Management Accounts Table 2: Income and Expenditure Statement Table 3: Consolidated Balance Sheet Statutory Accounts Table 4: Income and Expenditure Statement Table 5: Statutory Balance Sheet Table 6: Reconciliation of the balance of the year between Management and Statutory Accounts This table explains differences between the Management Accounts (which take into account some business situations not necessarily reflected in statutory terms) and the Statutory Accounts, which follow International Accounting Standards. Other Table 7: Scale of contributions

Budget Structure

Table 1: Detailed structure

Budget component Related activities Sources of funding

General • Basic activities that are essential for the proper • Contributions from MOs Budget implementation of the ESF mission such as • Other internal income (Financial earnings…) Exploratory Workshops and Forward Looks • Overheads from external contracts • Quality assurance • Running of the Office and general infrastructure

À la carte • Specific activities such as Research Networking • Contributions from MOs on an à la carte basis Programs and Expert Boards

Partnerships • Partnership activities such as Conferences • Partners’ contributions • Contribution from General Budget • Participation fees

Contracts • Support for the coordination of programmes • Grants from the European Commission with external such as EUROCORES, EURYI, EuroBioFund and parties ERA-Nets • Management of scientific secretariats for activities such as COST

168 European Science Foundation Key Figures

Chart 1: Consolidated Expenditure 2007

EURYI Support contract 1 % Other EC EUROCORES contracts 2 % General Budget Support contract 8 % 25%

Account for Closed Prog. 3 %

ESF Research Networking Prog. 11 % COST contract ESF A La Carte 44 % Research Expert Committees 2 % Conferences 4 %

Chart 2: Detail of Science activities funded by the General Budget in 2007

Corporate Governance 2 % Communications 11 % Exploratory Quality Workshops 24 % Assurance 9 %

Networks 2 %

Corporate Science Policy ESF Research 12 % Conferences 18 % Interdisciplinary Standing New Initiatives 5 % Committees 17 %

European Science Foundation 169 Finance Management Accounts Table 2: Income and Expenditure Statement (k€)

EXPENDITURE 2006 2007 General Budget 12 489 11 943 Expenditure 10 514 10 532 Science, Science Policy and Strategy 4 091 3 816 Employment Costs 5 292 5 545 Running Expenses, Equipment & Works, IS Project 1 131 1 171

ESF Management Provisions for Contingencies 1 095 582 linked to external contracts

Residual costs from EC contracts 880 829

Account for Closed Programmes 1 381 1 265 Expenditure 410 149 Allocation to dedicated funds 971 1 116

ESF Research Networking Programmes 4 491 5 003 Expenditure 4 491 5 003

A La Carte Expert Committees 705 907 Expenditure 705 907

ESF Research Conferences 1 243 2 003 Expenditure 1 243 2 003

COST Contract 19 577 20 929 Direct incurred expenditure 17 544 20 854 Depreciation of fxed assets 93 75

Accrued expenses 1 940

EUROCORES Support Contract 2 957 3 937 Direct Expenditure 2 957 3 937

EURYI Support Contract 463 246 Direct Expenditure 463 246

Other External Contracts 702 861 Direct Expenditure 702 861

TOTAL Expenditure 44 008 47 094

170 European Science Foundation EXPENDITURE 2006 2007 2007 Balance NET INCOME 2006 2007 General Budget 12 489 11 943 16 General Budget 12 449 11 959 Expenditure 10 514 10 532 Internal Income 7 809 7 894 Science, Science Policy and Strategy 4 091 3 816 Contributions from Member Organisations 6 652 7 018 Employment Costs 5 292 5 545 Additional Contributions 2 1 Running Expenses, Equipment & Works, IS Project 1 131 1 171 ESF Administrat ive Overhead 545 537 Financial earnings of the year 235 338 ESF Management Provisions for Contingencies 1 095 582 Use of Provisions and dedicated funds 375 linked to external contracts

Residual costs from EC contracts 880 829 External Funding 4 640 4 065

Account for Closed Programmes 1 381 1 265 3 Account for Closed Programmes 1 385 1 268 Expenditure 410 149 Transfer from Closed Programmes 392 293 Allocation to dedicated funds 971 1 116 Other Income 3 5 Reversal of dedicated funds 990 970

ESF Research Networking Programmes 4 491 5 003 ESF Research Networking Programmes 4 491 5 003 Expenditure 4 491 5 003 Contributions 4 938 5 451 ESF Administrative Overhead -447 -448

A La Carte Expert Committees 705 907 A La Carte Expert Committees 705 907 Expenditure 705 907 Contributions 754 956 ESF Administrative Overhead -49 -49

ESF Research Conferences 1 243 2 003 ESF Research Conferences 1 243 2 003 Expenditure 1 243 2 003 Conference Fees 349 666 European Union Grants 0 0 Partnerships and Miscellaneous income 423 773 Contributions from General Budget 520 604 ESF Administrative Overhead -49 -40

COST Contract 19 577 20 929 COST Contract 19 577 20 929 EC Contribution 23 252 23 822 Direct incurred expenditure 17 544 20 854 Bank interest 195 177 Depreciation of fxed assets 93 75 Other contributions Overhead on Direct expenditure -3 870 -3 070 Accrued expenses 1 940

EUROCORES Support Contract 2 957 3 937 EUROCORES Support Contract 2 957 3 937 EC Contribution 3 376 4 490 Direct Expenditure 2 957 3 937 Bank interest 77 215 Overhead on Direct expenditure -496 -768

EURYI Support Contract 463 246 EURYI Support Contract 463 246 EC Contribution 556 207 Direct Expenditure 463 246 Bank interest 11 39 Overhead on Direct expenditure -104 0

Other External Contracts 702 861 Other External Contracts 702 861 Direct Expenditure 702 861 EC Contribution 863 960 Bank interest 9 30 Overhead on Direct expenditure -170 -129

TOTAL Expenditure 44 008 47 094 19 TOTAL Income 43 972 47 113

European Science Foundation 171 Finance

Table 3: Consolidated Balance Sheet (ke)

Assets 2006 2007

Fixed assets 1 672 1 635

Receivables 3 680 2 686

Cash Positions 24 229 31 844

Securities 23 895 31 759

Cash at banks 334 85

TOTAL ASSETS 29 581 36 165

Liabilities 2006 2007

Working Capital 713 673

Reserve on Account for Closed Prog. 617 621

Grants received for building works 807 723

Dedicated Funds 1 160 1 305

Provisions 4 725 5 353

Payables 7 250 7 817

Received in advance and committed 14 345 19 654

Final Balance -36 19 TOTAL LIABILITIES 29 581 36 165

172 European Science Foundation Statutory Accounts Table 4: Income and Expenditure Statement (e)

2006 2007 Operating revenues Contributions 41 201 180 43 983 114 Use of provisions 27 000 82 835 TOTAL OPERATING REVENUES 41 228 180 44 065 949 Operating expenses Purchases 373 645 357 981 External charges 29 328 335 31 821 365 Taxes 610 175 518 724 Employment costs 6 766 148 7 698 876 Social contributions 3 065 755 3 358 517 Depreciation of fxed assets 265 774 310 937 Provisions 237 733 311 622 Other charges 173 930 180 409 TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES 40 821 496 44 558 430 Operating earnings 406 683 -492 481 Financial income 529 398 800 434 Financial expenses 7 045 1 016 Financial contribution 522 353 799 417 Exceptional income 42 505 86 738 Exceptional expenses 4 323 27 836 Exceptional contribution 38 182 58 902 Intermediate balance 967 218 365 838 Reversal of dedicated funds 1 275 283 1 159 724 Allocation to dedicated funds 1 159 724 1 305 269 Excess of inflow 1 082 777 220 293

European Science Foundation 173 Finance

Table 5: Statutory Balance Sheet (e)

ASSETS 2006 2007 NET GROSS DEPR NET Intangible assets Softwares 1 302 25 465 21 993 3 472

Tangible assets 1 662 303 2 879 030 1 255 120 1 623 910

Financial assets F ixed A ssets Guarantee deposits 8 755 7 590 7 590 TOTAL I 1 672 360 2 912 085 1 277 113 1 634 972

Advance payments 510 521 632 327 632 327

Receivables Customers and related 1 442 879 1 573 825 432 863 1 140 962 accounts

Other receivables 804 146 605 899 605 899

Securities 23 894 892 31 759 184 31 759 184 CURRENT ASSETS Cash at bank 333 958 85 455 85 455

Prepayments 921 981 306 588 306 588

TOTAL II 27 908 377 34 963 277 432 863 34 530 414

GENERAL TOTAL(I+ II) 29 580 737 37 875 362 1 709 976 36 165 386

174 European Science Foundation Liabilities 2006 2007

Working capital Capital endowment 223 910 223 910 Balance brought forward 4 394 176 5 473 000 Current year excess of inflow over use 1 082 777 220 293 Accumulated excess of use over inflow 0 0 Reserve on account for closed programmes 618 009 621 962 Investment subsidies 807 595 722 585

ASSOCIATION FUNDS ASSOCIATION TOTAL I 7 126 467 7 261 751

Provisions for contingencies and charges 459 481 505 802 provisions

Dedicated funds 1 159 724 1 305 269 FUNDS DEDICATED DEDICATED TOTAL II 1 619 205 1 811 071 Suppliers and related accounts 2 074 101 2 206 251 Social and tax liabilities 1 845 064 2 222 323 Other payables 3 330 832 3 389 742

PAYABLES Received in advance and committed 13 585 067 19 274 248 TOTAL III 20 835 065 27 092 565

GENERAL TOTAL (I + II + III) 29 580 737 36 165 386

European Science Foundation 175 Finance

Table 6: Reconciliation of the balance of the year between Management and Statutory Accounts k€

Result in Management IES (1) 19

Provisions for Contingencies built in Management Accounts 582

Variation of anticipated overheads accounted for in Statutory Accounts -380

Surplus in Statutory IES 221

(1) IES : Income and Expenditure Statement

This table explains differences between the Management Accounts (which take into account some business situations not necessarily reflected in statutory terms) and the Statutory Accounts, which follow International Accounting Standards.

176 European Science Foundation Other Table 7: Scale of contributions

Proposed 2007 Country 2008 Scale Scale Austria 2.13 2.16 Belgium 2.56 2.58 Bulgaria 0.31 0.31 Croatia 0.39 0.33 Cyprus 0.21 0.20 Czech Republic 0.90 0.87 Denmark 2.06 2.05 Estonia 0.23 0.22 Finland 1.42 1.42 France 14.21 14.33 Germany 18.71 19.36 Greece 1.52 1.48 Hungary 0.84 0.80 Iceland 0.19 0.18 Ireland 1.50 1.48 Italy 11.74 11.64 Lithuania 0.25 0.24 Luxembourg 0.33 0.31 Netherlands 4.26 4.16 Norway 1.97 1.90 Poland 1.89 1.80 Portugal 1.41 1.36 Romania 0.64 0.56 Slovakia 0.43 0.41 Slovenia 0.42 0.37 Spain 7.22 7.06 Sweden 2.69 2.70 Switzerland 2.58 2.68 Turkey 2.19 2.02 United Kingdom 14.79 15.02 TOTAL 100.00 100.00

European Science Foundation 177 178 European Science Foundation Human Resources

In 2007 the ESF took further steps In 2007 the staff training and management to implement the Strategic Plan sessions that began in 2006 were ex- 2006-2010 in order to secure its posi- tended to all levels of staff. ESF employ- tion in the European Research Area ees have participated in training courses (ERA). This implementation process designed to focus on improvements in would not have succeeded without quality, effectiveness and accountability. the full support and commitment of its staff. Thus, at the ESF the impact Also in 2007, a further series of measures and value of its staff are constantly in the management of Human Resources being evaluated and enhanced. was implemented and continue, according to the priorities defned by the Human The initiation of the Strategic Plan since Resources Plan published at the beginning 2006 has no doubt brought various new of 2006. and challenging objectives for the organisation and its staff. But through new ac- These included: tion plans and the smooth facilitation of • the introduction of a job structure to on-going projects initiated by the Human enable career development Resources Unit in 2007, the ESF can dem- • the implementation of standardised job onstrate continuous improvement in terms profles defning the responsibilities of of professionalism, high-quality science each position and focusing on the specifc and streamlined administrative processes. competences needed for the effcient implementation of the Strategic Plan

European Science Foundation 179 Human Resources

• the strengthening of the performance- With these measures in place Human based management ensuring the cas- Resources will be able to ensure that ESF cading down of ESF yearly priorities at possesses a high-level of professionalism, the level of each staff member in the the right scientifc and administrative com- organisation as well as the identifcation petencies, clear defnition of responsibilities of development and training needs to to deliver organisational effectiveness, a re- achieve the identifed objectives warding performance-based remuneration • the progressive implementation of an system with competitive hiring offers, and improved recruitment strategy and the more flexibility in employment conditions. development of an attractive “Jobs” web In addition the ESF can respond effectively page with the Communications Unit to an increased number of externally- funded activities which will translate into • the introduction of the Induction Plan – the success of the Strategic Plan. to rapidly familiarise new staff members with the operation and structure of the ESF and its interaction with the Member Organisations • A revision of the working time agreement for the Senior Management • The negotiation of a new performance- based salary policy.

180 European Science Foundation variation 2006 2007 2007 / 2006 Science & science management 43.9 47.5 3.6

General Budget 13.2 14.9 1.7

Other Sources 30.7 32.6 1.9

Administrative support for Science 54.4 54.9 0.5

General Budget 21.9 21.8 -0.1

Other Sources 32.5 33.1 0.6

General administration 28.7 35.9 7.2

General Budget 20.3 21.6 1.3

Other Sources 8.4 14.3 5.9

Total ESF Staff 127.0 138.3 11.3

General Budget 55.4 58.3 2.9

Other Sources 71.6 80 8.4

Analysis of the Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) The FTE evolution funded from other evolution for the General Budget over the sources of funding grew in coherence with period 2006 to 2007 confrms that ESF is the increase in responsibilities ESF has in line with the objectives of the strategic developed in the management of external plan of reinforcing the proportion of science contracts. staff compared to science support staff. Staff increase in General Administration corresponds to the completion of necessary competences in Human Resources and Finance functions.

European Science Foundation 181 Communications

Effective communication is crucial to the In order to promote researcher-led scale success of ESF fulflling its missions – 1) and scope of European science, the ESF to advance European research – and 2) to Member Organisations, the science com- explore new directions for research at the munity and the policy makers, which are European level. the ESF’s primary audience, have been receiving tailor-made information from the As mentioned in the 2006-2010 Strategic ESF Communications Unit this past year – Plan, the role of communication is the key a continued effort to keep them updated to the implementation of the European and informed on the organisation’s activi- Science Foundation’s strategy. In order to ties and its development. ensure high-quality outreach, all communication adheres to the ESF Communication In a effort to raise the 34-year-old Founda- Plan and follows the rules of clarity, con- tion’s public profle, the ESF Communica- sistency, the appropriate tone and appeal, tions Unit has also been utilising a series of credibility as well as openness. media tools such as a new web site with novel designs and functionality. Since the Since the beginning of 2007, the ESF’s launch of the web site in March 2007, the Communications Unit has embarked on a number of unique visitors has increased series of initiatives to facilitate the two-way from 50,000 to 80,000 during the period communication channels that are essential July 2006 to July 2007. to fulflling these missions. Also in 2007, the Communications Unit One of these channels is the establishment has signifcantly boosted the number of of a forum for the Member Organisations’ press outputs to inform and highlight the communications departments to discuss works of the Foundation and its Mem- their challenges and ideas, and to work to- ber Organisations. The number of press gether for their common goals. As a kick-off, releases, which include mostly scientifc the frst communications network meeting stories resulting from the cooperation of took place in October 2007 in Strasbourg. the science community, has more than doubled in 2007 – with about 110 of A range of communication tools and is- them distributed in 2007 compared to sues were discussed during the two-day 45 in 2006. As a result of this upsurge meeting – from how we could take advan- of press outputs, media coverage on the tage of the current wave of social media ESF and its related activities have risen tools such as blogs and online social tremendously – with 1,190 press cita- networks, via the analysis of effective web tions recorded in 2007 compared to 450 communications, to ways of reaching out in the previous year. Meanwhile in 2007, to our targeted audiences. The Member the number of publications including bro- Organisations’ representatives agreed to chures, leaflets, scientifc reports, position participate in a few pilot projects - a sign papers and briefngs, newsletters, and of commitment for cementing a long-term annual report has almost doubled to 90. working relationship.

182 European Science Foundation ESF (Global press) - Total Articles 180 ESF (Global press) 160

140

120

100

80 Articles

Articles 60

0 2007- 2007- 2007- 2007- 2007- 2007- 2007- 2007- 2007- 2007- 2007- 2007- 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

In 2007, the Communications Unit was As for 2008, the ESF Communications Unit present at numerous scientifc conferenc- has already started venturing its efforts into es, thus contributing to the visibility of the additional projects for the purpose of fur- ESF and disseminating knowledge on the ther strengthening the communication of role and activities of the Foundation. Next ESF and its Member Organisations’ works. to providing information at ESF booths, These projects include a new Intranet (a outcomes of many conferences were cir- one-stop shop for staff and members to culated via various channels. Among the seek background and updated informa- major events visited and covered was the tion) and a photo gallery/image bank that European Geosciences Union General As- will give access to a more comprehensive sembly. During 2007, the Communications archive on various science-related pictures Unit has also emphasized internal commu- that are useful to explain different science nication by engaging ESF staff in contrib- topics. uting and participating in the production of the internal newsletter. In addition, the unit All the activities undertaken mark signif- has facilitated a series of media trainings cant and important steps towards effec- for the heads of units from various science tively communicating and interacting with domains to learn how to effectively get Member Organisations, the scientifc com- their respective science programmes and munity, policy makers, other stakeholders policies communicated to the public. and ESF employees as well as the media.

European Science Foundation 183 COST

The European Cooperation in Science Proposals are assessed in two stages. and Technology (COST), an intergovern- Preliminary Proposals, consisting of a brief mental initiative, exists to foster coopera- overview and an impact description, are tion between nationally-funded research checked for eligibility frst and assessed. activities. The main objective of COST is The top ranked Preliminary Proposals to stimulate innovative and interdisciplinary are then invited to submit a Full Proposal scientifc networks in Europe. which is peer reviewed according to the published assessment criteria. COST, with 35 member states in Europe, has a membership which extends beyond The European Science Foundation is the the European Union, including Israel. On implementing agent for COST. It estab- the basis of mutual beneft, COST also lished the COST Offce, based in Brussels, allows participation from institutions in to execute the decisions of the Committee non-COST Countries and from Non-Gov- of Senior Offcials (CSO), the decision- ernmental Organisations (NGOs). There making body of COST. The CSO is con- are no geographical restrictions on ad-hoc stituted by representatives of all 35 COST participation in COST’s activities. COST countries and is presided by Professor has one of the largest frameworks for re- Francesco Fedi, who was re-elected in search cooperation in Europe, supporting March 2007 for a period of three years. more than 30 000 scientists and complements the European Union’s Framework The COST Offce also supports the COST Programme. Actions and the respective nine Domain Committees in the fulflment of their objec- A continuous COST Open Call to attract tives and carries out a number of strategic the best proposals for new COST coop- and outreach activities. eration networks (COST Actions) is used. The continuous call is thematically open During 2007, COST:

and proposals playing a precursor role ■ implemented a well-defned restructur- for other European programmes and/or ing of the COST Offce to accommodate initiated by early-stage researchers are the operational and administrative con- particularly welcome. sequences of the expanded scope of activities and the subsequent increase in Maintaining the “bottom-up” principle, budget compared to the previous con- proposers are invited to locate their topic tract under FP6 within one of the nine scientifc COST ■ held two collection dates, in March and Domains. Interdisciplinary proposals not September respectively, which resulted ftting readily into a single Domain are also in a total of 881 Preliminary Proposals. welcome. Although COST does not fund In addition, 155 Full Proposals were research projects themselves, it fnances assessed to become 50 new COST Ac- the networking of nationally funded activi- tions ties in supporting meetings, conferences, short-term scientifc exchanges and out- ■ supported the networking of scientists reach activities. involved in COST Actions by funding meetings with a total of some 29 000

184 European Science Foundation participants and reimbursed scientists ■ continued to implement the new COST from the 200 running COST Actions Grant System, a web-based project management tool for COST Actions ■ supported Short-Term Scientifc Mis-

sions (exchange visits) allowing COST ■ launched communications activities to in- Action members, in particular early stage crease COST’s visibility as a contribution researchers, to gain experiences in other towards the development of the COST participating institutions Outreach strategy which was approved

■ enhanced its cooperation with institutions in March 2008. from non-COST countries and launched two pilot schemes with Australia and New For more information about COST, Zealand as an excellent example of how please visit www.cost.esf.org schemes based on mutual beneft and reciprocal funding are a simple means to facilitate networking of national research projects on the global scale

■ provided a range of strategic activities through synergy activities conducted by the COST Actions as well as through the COST Offce. Strategic activities are exploratory in nature and are either COST- specifc or established in cooperation with other ERA actors such as ESF or EUREKA

European Science Foundation 185 ESF Structure ESF RESEARCH EXPERT BOARDS/COMMITEES Governance Advisory Operation

186 European Science Foundation ESF Member Organisations in 2007 75 Member Organisations in 30 countries

Austria Det Kongelige Danske Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Videnskabernes Selskab Forschung in Österreich (FWF) Royal Danish Academy of Sciences Austrian Science Research Fund and Letters Österreichische Akademie Forskningsrådet for Kultur og Kommunika- der Wissenschaften (ÖAW) tion (FKK) Austrian Academy of Sciences Humanities Research Council Forskningsrådet for Sundhet og Sygdom Belgium (FSS) Fonds National de la Recherche Medical Science Research Council Scientifque (FNRS) National Fund for Scientifc Research Forskningsrådet for Natur og Univers (FNU) Natural Science Research Council Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek-Vlaanderen (FWO) Forskningsrådet for Samfund og Erhverv Fund for Scientifc Research - Flanders (FSE) Social Science Research Council Bulgaria Forskningsrådet for Teknik og (BAS) Produktion (FTP) Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Danish Research Council for Technolgy and Production National Science Fund of Bulgaria The secretarial functions for all fve Danish research councils are assumed by: Croatia Forsknings- og Innovationsstyrelsen (FIST) Hrvatska akademija znanosti i umjetnosti Danish Agency for Science, Technology and (HAZU) Innovation Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts Estonia Cyprus Eesti Teaduste Akadeemia (RPF) Estonian Academy of Sciences Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation Eesti Teadusfond Czech Republic Estonian Science Foundation Akademie ved Ceské republiky (ASCR) Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Finland Suomen Akatemia/Finlands Akademi Grantová agentura Ceské Academy of Finland republiky (GACR) Czech Science Foundation Suomen Tiedeakatemiain Valtuuskunta/ Delegationen för Vetenskapsakademierna i Denmark Finland Danmarks Grundforskningsfonden (DG) Delegation of the Finnish Academies of Science Danish National Research Foundation and Letters

European Science Foundation 187 Iceland

Finland Sweden Norway

Estonia

Denmark Lithuania

United Ireland Kingdom Netherlands Poland

Germany Belgium Czech Republic Luxembourg Slovak Republic

Austria Hungary France Switzerland Slovenia Croatia Romania

Bulgaria

Italy Portugal Turkey Spain Greece

Cyprus

France Max Planck Society Centre National de la Recherche Scientifque Union der deutschen Akademien der Wis- (CNRS) senschaften National Centre for Scientifc Research Union of the German Academies of Sciences Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique/Direction and Humanities des Sciences de la Matière (CEA/DSM) Materials Sciences Division of the Atomic Greece Energy Commission (NHRF) National Hellenic Research Foundation Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER) (FORTH) French Research Institute for Exploitation Foundation for Research and Technology – of the Sea Hellas

Institut National de la Recherche Hungary Agronomique (INRA) Magyar Tudományos Akadémia (MTA) National Institute for Agricultural Research Hungarian Academy of Sciences Institut de Recherche Országos Tudományos Kutatási pour le Développement (IRD) Alapprogramok (OTKA) National Institute for Development Hungarian Scientifc Research Fund

Germany Iceland Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) RANNIS German Research Foundation Icelandic Centre for Research Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Ireland Forschungszentren (HGF) Am Chomhairle um Thaighde sna Dána agus Helmholtz Association of German sna hEolaíochtaí Sóisialta (IRCHSS) Research Centres Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (MPG) Social Sciences

188 European Science Foundation Enterprise Ireland Gabinete de Relações Internacionais da Ciência e do Ensino Superior (GRICES) Health Research Board (HRB) Portuguese International Relations Cabinet for Irish Research Council for Sciences, Engi- Science and Higher Education neering and Technology (IRCSET) Romania Italy Consiliul National al Cercetarii Stiintifce din Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Istituto Invatamantul Superior (CNCSIS) Nazionale per la Fisica de la Materia (CNR- National University Research Council INFM) National Research Council Slovak republic Slovenská Akadémia Vied (SAV) Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Slovak Academy of Sciences National Institute for Nuclear Physics Agentúra na podporu vyskumu a vyvoja Lithuania (APVV) Lietuvos Valstybinis Mokslo Ir Studiju Fondas Slovak Research and Development Agency Lithuanian State Science and Studies Foundation Slovenia Luxembourg Slovenska Akademija Znanosti Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR) in Umetnosti (SAZU) National Research Fund Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts Slovenska Znanstvena Fundacija (SZF) The Netherlands Slovenian Science Foundation Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (KNAW) Spain Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Sciences Científcas (CSIC) Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschap- Council for Scientifc Research pelijk Onderzoek (NWO) Netherlands Organisation for Scientifc Research Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología (CICYT) Norway Interministerial Committee on Science and Det Norske Videnskaps-Akademi Technology Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters Sweden Norges Forskningsråd Forskningsrådet för arbetsliv och socialveten- Research Council of Norway skap (FAS) Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Poland Research Polska Akademia Nauk (PAN) Polish Academy of Sciences Forskningsrådet för miljö, areella näringar och samhällsbyggande (FORMAS) Portugal Swedish Council for Environment, Agricultural Academia das Ciências de Lisboa Sciences and Spatial Planning Lisbon Academy of Sciences Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (FCT) Foundation for Science and Technology Kungliga Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien Royal Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities

European Science Foundation 189 ESF Member Organisations in 2007

Vetenskapsrådet (VR) Swedish Research Council Vinnova Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems

Switzerland Rat der schweizerischen wissenschaftlichen Akademien (CASS) Council of the Swiss Scientifc Academies Schweizerischer Nationalfonds (SNF) Swiss National Science Foundation

Turkey Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastırma Kurumu (TÜBITAK) The Scientifc and Technological Research Council of Turkey

United Kingdom Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) The British Academy Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Medical Research Council (MRC) Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

190 European Science Foundation Governing Council and Committees Membership as at 31 December 2006

Professor Ian Halliday (President) United Kingdom Auditors Dr. Richard Dyer (Vice-President) United Kingdom Statutory Auditors: Professor Katherine Richardson Emmanuelle Serrano, KPMG Christensen (Vice-President) Denmark Marie-Line Wantz, KPMG Professor Jüri Allik Estonia Professor Colin Blakemore (until end Sept.) United Kingdom Professor Ioan Dumitrache Romania Mr Arvid Hallén Norway Dr. Romain Henrion Luxembourg Dr. Daniel Höchli Switzerland Mr. Martin Hynes Ireland Professor Michal Kleiber Poland Professor Matthias Kleiner Germany Professor Christoph Kratky Austria Professor Dimitrios Kyriakidis Greece Professor Stefan Luby Slovak Republic Professor Gábor B. Makara Hungary Professor Carlos Martinez-A. Spain Professor Markku Mattila Finland Dr. Arnold Migus France Professor Milan Mogus Hungary Dr. Andreas Moleskis Cyprus Dr. Ebba Nexø Denmark Professor Peter Nijkamp The Netherlands Dr. Gudrún Nordal Iceland Professor Pär Omling Sweden Professor Fabio Pistella (until end July) Italy Dr. Sigitas Rencys Lithuania Professor João Sentieiro Portugal Dr. Marie-José Simoen Belgium Professor Josef Syka Czech Republic Professor Nüket Yetis Turkey Professor Bostjan Zeks Slovenia

Observers: Professor Jüri Engelbrecht ALLEA Dr. John Smith EUA Mr. Robert-Jan Smits European Commission

Finance and Audit Committee: Martin Hynes (Chair) Ireland Gheorghe Adamescu Romania Anna d’Amato Italy Raymond Bausch Luxembourg Nicolas Vannieuwenhuyze France Christos Charalambous Cyprus Peter Fletcher United Kingdom Venceslav Kaučič Slovenia Jurij von Kreisler Germany Knut Liestøl Norway European Science Foundation 191 Publications in 2007

The ESF disseminates information about ESF publications are downloadable from its activities through a variety of channels, its website: including a wide range of publications (science policy briefngs, position papers, www.esf.org/publications scientifc reports, leaflets, newsletters, etc). In 2007 the ESF produced about 90 publications.

192 European Science Foundation European Science Foundation 193 1 quai Lezay-Marnésia I BP 90015 67080 Strasbourg Cedex I France Tel: +33 (0)3 88 76 71 00 Fax: +33 (0)3 88 37 05 32 SETTING SCIENCE AGENDAS FOR EUROPE www.esf.org