European science conversations
by the community, for the community
Science is probably the last bastion of true freethinking but is being swallowed by this make-money-get-profit world. Science and scientists are becoming more and more detached from the pure curiosity and they are embracing this notion that an idea must first be sold in order to be explored.
The coronavirus crisis is showing us that working together is possible when the threat is direct and immediate. Let’s hope that it will open the way to drive real collaborative actions for other threats such as climate change with more indirect or distant impacts.
HiLASE is a new technological infrastructure in the field of application-oriented laser research and development.
From June 6 to June 8, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2019) was held in the northern capital of Russia.
The second Eurasian Women’s Forum (EWF), which took place from September 19 to September 21, 2018, ended in St. Petersburg. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at the plenary session of the forum. The head of state noted that it is necessary to Read more […]
At their simplest, blockchains are just lists of transactions – ledger books – that are recorded in a transparent and decentralised way. Currencies such as Bitcoin are the best-known application of the technology. However, other applications are emerging far beyond the financial sector. In this stimulating opinion piece, Philip Boucher, policy analyst at the European Parliament’s Scientific Foresight Unit explains the opportunities and challenges that such an emerging technology offers. The biggest question is: are we ready to give up traditional financial and governmental control in favour of decentralised blockchain applications harbouring greater transparency? Some of the answers may be found in an event organised by the Scientific Foresight Unit of the European Parliament event on the 11th May 2017.
moja global is a collaboration among governments to develop software informing land use policies. It is also designed to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from the land sector. Thanks to its open governance structure, funders, developers and users, have their say in the development of the software. The private sector is rapidly adjusting to this opportunity to gain value from the process. According to an opinion piece by Guy Janssen, interim director at moja global, this should, in turn, inspire governments to explore how open governance can create a vituous circle leading to a similar multiplier effect for the common good.
As plans are underway to establish yet another instrument to support innovation in Europe, dubbed the European Innovation Council (EIC), entrepreneurs and research-based organisations have questioned the proposal. The determination that Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner Carlos Moedas has shown in developing the concept, begs for further questioning concerning the details of the implementation of the proposed EIC. In this article, EuroScientist investigates whether those closely involved in innovation believe EIC is a good idea.
Our democracies have bugs, lack user-friendly features and under-perform. Above all, they are in need of major upgrades. Political and economic systems are failing us because they are structured vertically through top-down hierarchies. Instead we need to adopt a new economic system, driven by principles related to “act local, think global” philosophy. In this stimulating opinion piece, Lorenzo Fioramonti, director of the Centre for the Study of Governance Innovation, in South Africa, shares his vision about creating a highly integrated horizontal economic system.
Austrian writer Christian Felber proposes to switch the drivers of the economy. Replacing current money-orientated indicators of economic success by criteria such as quality of life, fulfilment of human needs and fundamental values. In an opinion piece, he shares how he believes the economy for the common good could happen.
Working in academia is not what it used to be. At least, when it comes to evaluation of work performance. Heightened and underhand pressure on academic performance, has led to the tragic death, last year, of an eminent professor from Imperial College, London, UK. Other academics across Europe have suffered the same fate, albeit these have only been documented anecdotally and did not receive the broader coverage English speaking publications affords. This raises questions concerning the pressures academics come under from academic institutions. These are run like businesses and are looking for unrealistic benchmarks, when it comes to research evaluation.
Print edition of EuroScientist special issue Looking East, focusing on Eastern European research and innovation.
EuroScientist journal 
