Tag Archives: ESOF 2014

EuroScience

EuroScientist coverage of ESOF 2014 on Storify

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You can now follow all the updates related to the ESOF 2014 conference on our Storify account. This account will be updated throughout the conference with news, photos and news, so that those of you who cannot attend the conference, can still share in the fun. We will let you know about the atmosphere, the gossips, the exciting sessions and parties too. Stay tuned! Read more […]

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Policy

ESOF 2014 Special Issue – Print Edition

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What can a conference like this one bring to you? Those among our readers who have a sweet tooth will agree that such events can be compared to the cherry on the cake of academic life. Once every two years, it is time to enjoy a stimulating flow of discussions. Participants are guaranteed to have fruitful encounters with other people from various horizons. They may not be like-minded but, at least, share similar concerns about European science, policy or science communication. This is what ESOF 2014 is about! Read more […]

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Science in society

Multiple perspectives matter in shaping science policy too

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The most popular Danish cultural export in recent times is arguably the TV series Borgen. Outlining the intricacies of the mechanisms of democracy, the series follows Prime Minister Birgitte Nyborg in her rise and fallout from power. Scientific themes are pervading the series because science remains at the heart of many societal issues debated by politicians prior to translating decisions into policies that ultimately will affect citizens. Issues at stakes in the series range from the environment, with green power production, to agriculture, with intensive pigs farming. Read more […]

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Policy

Do European countries need a Chief Scientific Adviser?

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Health, transport, science and security: these are the areas of government where the mantra of ’evidence-based policy making’ is repeated across departments. Especially for science, one would think that each European member State would have an easily identifiable individual that can provide independent, trusted advice to leaders on controversial topics such as shale gas or genetically modified crops. Read more […]

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Interviews

Anne Glover — the art of providing scientific advice to policy makers

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Anne Glover currently serves as Chief Scientific Adviser to the President, European Commission. She is also a Scottish biologist and professor of molecular biology and cell biology at the University of Aberdeen, UK. She was previously the first ever Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland, between 2006 and 2011. We present here an exclusive Skype interview of Anne Glover with the EuroScientist. In this interview, Glover talks about the art of providing science policy advice to policy makers, using evidence-base… Read more […]

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Science in society

Handling uncertainties and risks in society requires all actors to cooperate

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Uncertainty is ubiquitous, and an inherent feature of scientific research. Scientists are therefore used to dealing with uncertainty. Those making decisions in society are much less comfortable with uncertainty since they need to be accountable to a public, who is often averse to the unknown. Things become even more complex when uncertain is associated with risks faced by society. This leads to question how modern societies can come to reasonable decisions, norms, regulations and measures to deal with ambiguity, uncertainty and risk. Read more […]

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Policy

Research funding gap: her excellence dwarfed by his excellence

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Promoting excellence is an explicit goal in European and national research systems. As a result, various excellence-marked initiatives have been established across Europe. However, recent empirical studies and monitoring exercises outlined below show that these excellence initiatives have been more beneficial for male than female researchers. Moreover, this applies to excellence initiatives from organisations or countries with gender equality plans and monitoring practices in place. It even applies in countries with long-term gender equality interventions backed up by political will, such as countries in the Nordic region. Read more […]

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Interviews

Jean-Patrick Connerade: Science meets poetry, with a Danish flavour

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Jean-Patrick Connerade, is emeritus professor of physics at Imperial College London, UK, and the president of the European Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters (EASAL). He is also a poet in his own right, writing in French, under the pen name of Chaunes. To many, science would seem the very opposite of poetry, being born of reason and rational deduction, whereas a poem appears as the fruit of imagination. Amongst all literary forms, poetry is the one most likely to be associated with the irrational. This could perhaps explain the hidden tension which has driven so many scientists, from Omar Khayyam to Robert Oppenheimer and from William Hamilton to Marie Curie to write poetry. Read more […]

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Funding

Research funding: trust, freedom and long-term vision pay off

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A recipe for how to stimulate breakthrough research would include the following ingredients: long-term commitments, large flexible grants, trust, and the funding body’s continuing interest in the research. This is precisely the approach that the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF) has adopted with its ‘Centres of Excellence’ concept, over the past 22 years. The foundation’s core activity is to fund frontline research in highly creative environments. By recognising and trusting the talent of top researchers, the foundation expects them to deliver potentially ground breaking results. Read more […]

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Policy

Economic models: ever evolving target for adequate policy making

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The inability to predict the financial crisis has raised a debate on an important toolkit of economists: economic models. How reliable and useful are they? To what extent can policy makers rely on model analyses in forming policies? And to what extent, can they be used, for example, for science policy to ensure most effective allocation of limited funding resources? Read more […]

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Interviews

Nicholas Steneck: the pressures making scientists go off-piste

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Nicholas Steneck is director of the Research Ethics and Integrity Program of the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research, USA. In this exclusive interview to the EuroScientist, he shares his views on the pressures that influence scientists in failing to observe the strictest ethical code of conduct. To avoid such issues, he recommends introducing training to ”teach new researchers about their responsibilities and about the pressures they are gonna face.” He also calls upon research leaders to stand up and promote the need for research integrity. Read more […]

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Ethics

Does media coverage of research misconduct affect public confidence in science?

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The SOM Institute at the University of Gothenburg conducts annual surveys of the Swedish public. It explores, among other things, media consumption, confidence in societal institutions and different professional groups. Since 2002, an independent and influential Swedish non-profit membership organisation that works to promote dialogue and openness between researchers and the public called Vetenskap & Allmänhet—which stands for Public and Science—has added a section to the SOM survey to study public confidence in science and scientists. The results of a study, which examines the hypothesis that media reports of research misconduct will have an impact on public confidence in science and scientists, are about to be uncovered at the ESOF 2014 conference, in June, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Read more […]