The three main monotheistic religions, Catholicism, Judaism, and Islam, all limit the right of women to decide about their pregnancies. But within each there are schisms and different interpretations and levels of acceptance. Read more [...]
RRI has become a buzzword in European science in the last few years. Scientists must fill in the RRI section in their European project and sometimes they don't know what to write there. Others are anxious to have the RRI tag attached to their communication and PR activities. But what RRI really is? Why is it needed? How could science and society benefit from this approach? The strict definition of RRI implies a radical change in the way of conceiving scientific projects from the very beginning, bringing a wide range of stakeholders (from companies to activists, from designers to patients...) in defining the scientific agenda. Are researchers prepared for that? What is the actual level of implementation of RRI in European science? What policies are there in place to facilitate this process? Read more [...]
Two researchers or research laboratories from across the world will be awarded a total of 60,000 euros each, as part of the 2018 Groupe Roullier Innovation Awards. Previous winners have had their work from a broad range of research areas, including plant nutrition, soil science, biocontrol and plant engineering, among others. This is a unique opportunity to get financial support for work which is likely to benefit the sponsor of the competition. Read more [...]
The next Science March will take place in Washington, Göttingen and many other cities throughout the world on the 14th April 2018. This research activism movement born last year is set to gain momentum. It is a reminder to the science community that researchers need to make their voices heard Read more [...]
The League of European Research Universities, LERU, has just published a paper pertaining to gender bias in academia. In this opinion piece, Jadranka Gvozdanovic, professor of Slavic studies and rector’s envoy for equal opportunities at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, who is also chair of LERU’s thematic group on gender and Katrien Maes, deputy-secretary-general of LERU, share their opinion on the much needed measures to counter gender bias in research institutions. Read more [...]
Find out from four experts how blockchain technology is likely to change the way scientists work. Some focus on the impact of blockchain-based cryptocurrencies in the financing of research while others analyse the way blockchain can improve the quality of the research itself by increasing its reproducibility. Clearly, blockchain has so many potential applications that we are only just opening the door to its many potential disruptions in professional research circles. Read more [...]
There are so many innovations waiting to serve scientists that it is quite incredible they have not been adopted sooner. In this insightful opinion piece, Simon Bungers, co-founder of labfolder, an electronic laboratory notebook for researchers, outlines his vision on how scientists' lives will be transformed by wider adoption of solutions supported by artificial intelligence and the emergence of the likes of blockchain-based solutions to gain greater data reproducibility. Read more [...]
The Wild Card initiative, launched this month by EIT Health, seeks to engage the biggest and brightest minds in implementing ground-breaking and high-risk ideas in healthcare. The two areas of focus for 2018 are: application of artificial intelligence and big data to diagnostics and finding non-pharmaceutical solutions to antibiotic resistance. In this inspired opinion piece, Jan-Philipp Beck, COO at EIT Health, who is based in Munich, Germany, tells us about the main challenges ahead to find solutions to these issues. Read more [...]
To all of you, EuroScientist readers, we would like to thank you for your continuous support. In these few words, we would like to tell you how exciting the past four years have been since we re-launched the magazine. Now, at a time where media business models everywhere are being reinvented, EuroScientist is no exception to the trend. Find out what is in store for next year.... Read more [...]
The trend against Experts and a public loss of trust in science have recently made headlines. For example, they translated as tweets questioning man-made climate change by the current US president. Or statements such as ‘I think that the people of this country have had enough of experts’ by Bristish politician Michael Gove during the Brexit campaign. But is such a shift in public attitudes towards science actually taking place? And if so, who exactly has lost trust in whom? In this opinion piece, the results of three national surveys on public perception and trust in science from Germany, Sweden and Switzerland are outlined and give us some answers. It makes for some fascinating reading! Read more [...]
Computers and digital technologies are being incorporated into all aspects of life. Yet not everyone is able to seamlessly use the web, computers, tablets, smart-phones, electronic ticket machines and even some digital-based home appliances. This is particularly true for those who experience disability, literacy, digital literacy or ageing-related barriers to accessing information and communication technologies (ICT). We need to ensure that all of us are able to operate these digital technologies or we will exclude those who cannot from all these aspects of our life. Now, a new initiative, called Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure, seeks to set up an open development community to solve this problem. Read more [...]
In this exclusive interview with Shawn Jensen, CEO of data privacy company Profila, EuroScientist editor finds out about the implications of the regulations for citizens and for researchers. Part of the discussion discusses the ins and out of giving consent, in an era where any organisations holding data is required to ensure that individual data is used appropriately. Read more [...]
European science conversations by the community, for the community
