Why joining forces will future-proof European science
Slovenia joining the Institut Laue-Langevin, a powerful neutron source as a scientific member marks a new era of science for the country.
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A reflection on current academia reality: is it gaining religious features?
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 hidden knowledge
In a scientific world where there are too many candidates for the scarce positions and funds, recruitment became extremely demanding. With the needed ambition to publish more impactful stories, scientists often choose not to publish smaller projects. But is that really important? And, if so, can we foresee some solutions? These are some the questions we discuss in the present article.
Wind energy data?… Hack it!
The wind energy industry is at a crossroads. With 40 to 80 GW of wind capacity reaching the end of its designed operational life in the next decade according to WindEurope, lifetime extension is a top priority and data will play a big role in accomplishing Read more […]
Homo scientificus europaeus: Giving European scientists back their voice
Political populism, with its accompanying “fake news” and pseudoscience, leaves scientists distraught. But maybe scientific research itself needs a reboot. Research can no longer win public funding on the mere promise of a possible contribution to society. Read more […]
The Catalan Paradox
Recently, I have involved the Homo scientificus europaeus project in both a national and local initiative, first in Spain and then in Barcelona. My apologies for writing in the first person. This was not on the agenda. Two weeks ago, I realized that the Read more […]
Nightmare on Academia Street: an English horror story coming to a campus near you
Any politician that dangles the carrot of a graduate premium on future earnings to justify increases in student fees, interest rates on loans, or adjusting student loan repayment thresholds, should be challenged for gross mis-selling. These are the findings of a recent report by the UK Intergenerational Foundation. In this opinion piece, the author of the report warns of the possible financial implications of postgraduate student loans for the future financial health of students and their career prospects. This phenomenon, particularly acute in the UK, could soon reach other countries in Europe, should they be tempted to follow suit.
The Algorithm God
Computer science gives us stunning possibilities these days, but I wish we would all take time to remind ourselves of some simple facts about algorithms.
The Scientists Dating Forum celebrated an event linking science and society in a relaxed environment for the first time
‘How democratic should science be?’ was the question that opened the first Scientists Dating Forum public event. In the evening of the 26th October, around 30 people meet in Flatherty’s Irish Pub (Barcelona) to discuss the participation of society in science while having a beer.
Emmanuelle Charpentier: European research funding could do with less red tape
In the second instalment of a two-part series, Emmanuelle Charpentier, head of regulation and infection biology at the Max-Planck-Institut in Berlin, Germany, gives her opinion on the challenges in obtaining research funding in the current system in Europe. She also shares her views on how mobility can be hampered by bureaucracy. Finally, she points to the limited coherence for scientists pursuing a research career in Europe. Clearly, many efforts have yet to be made to improve the condition of scientists in Europe.
Gemma Milne: Fast-tracking research through cross-fertilisation
Science:Disrupt aims to bring people together, encouraging them to mix ideas and share their dreams, by organising events and stimulating discussions using articles and podcasts. Mixing people of various background is designed to facilitate cross-fertilisation of ideas from different disciplines and geographies and stimulate collaborative co-creation in science. In this interview with Euroscientist, Science:Disrupt co-founder Gemma Milne, explains how she was inspired by this type of multidisciplinary emulation already taking place in the tech start-up scene.
The three-parent baby: monster or miracle?
In April of this year the world’s first three-parent baby was born and is reported to be healthy. This is a huge milestone in mitochondrial therapy, a year after the procedure was legalised in the UK, the only country in the world (so far) to have explicitly permitted the technique.
EuroScientist journal 