April 2009
Letter from the editor
As spring begins to oust winter across Europe we bring you an equally combative issue of The Euroscientist.
For a start, our Euroscience President, Enric Banda, and Peter Tindemans, erstwhile convenor of the Euroscience Working Group on Science Policy, have written an incisive article on how Europe should proceed if we wish to optimise the way our scientific effort is made on this continent. The fragmentation and one-size-fits-all approach of the past have not been good for European science, and Enric and Peter present their thoughtful analysis of how to make the best of what we have. Europe has great scientific talent and excellent facilities, with the promise of further improving both to the benefit of us all, but the direction and process must be carefully thought through and planned. Read more>>
Europe needs more joint research
By Enric Banda, President Euroscience andPeter Tindemans, former convenor Science Policy Group Euroscience
There is an impressive amount of evidence, accumulated for several decades now, to state that if Europe decides to work jointly in a well defined research project, it will indeed do well. Plenty of examples that illustrate this point come from institutions such as the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), European Space Agency (ESA), European Southern Observatory (ESO), etc. Such examples range from very successful fundamental research, turning these labs into veritable centres of excellence, to applied research and innovations represented by advances in the field of biomedicine or aeronautics. Read more>>
Issues for young scientists
"Intersectoral mobility: Mobility from Science to Industry and back"
Best practices from East to West – Russia vs. Western Europe
By Elena Rybalkina and Karoline Holländer, EurodocInterview with Professor Bagheri
During my stay in NIAS, from September 2006 to January 2007, I finished my PhD dissertation entitled Books I and IV of Kushyar ibn Labban's Jami' Zij: An Arabic astronomical handbook by an eleventh-century Iranian scholar (its full text can be found in http://igitur-archive.library.uu.nl/dissertations/2007-0109-200521/index.htm ). I defended this dissertation on 20 December 2006 in Utrecht University and I was glad that the President, staff and fellows of NIAS participated actively in the ceremony. In NIAS I also worked on the remaining Books II and III of Kushyar's astronomical handbook, but more time was needed to finish them. Now in my limited free time I continue to work on them and meanwhile look for an opportunity (like that offered by NIAS) to finish this job, so that the whole work can be published (it will be the first complete English translation of an Arabic astronomical handbook). Read more>>
Power and Researchers: A Difficult Dialogue
Ph. Nozières*The French President’s speech of the 22nd of January on research and innovation criticises the efficiency of French research and announces political decisions that are supposed to remedy the situation, mainly by the transfer of responsibilities to independent universities and the transformation of the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research) into a funding agency. Unfortunately, the statement is biased and the role granted to universities does not take into account the competition with elite schools (grandes écoles) that cream off a high percentage of the best science students. Read more>>
Science Journalism in Crisis? – from the World Conference of Science Journalists 2009
Sallie RobinsCo-Director, World Conference of Science Journalists 2009 and Communications Manager, The Big Bang
In December last year CNN axed its entire science and environment unit. This action sparked protest from a range of organisations including The World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ). Is the action at CNN indicative of a wider crisis in science journalism? Last month (February 2009) a press briefing posed this question to the science press pack, gathered in Chicago for the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The briefing, organised by the World Conference of Science Journalists (that will take place in London this summer), gave a platform to science journalists who have been monitoring the health of science journalism in their region. Cristine Russell, President of the USA Council for the Advancement of Science Writing, kicked off the briefing with some sobering figures on science journalism in the States. Read more>>
Scholarly Communication
Open Access to Open Research
By Hélène BoscConvenor, Euroscience Working Group on Science Publishing
"Your reactions" was created in order to get discussion and reflection on the articles published. Now we have found a new way of doing this. The next issue of the Euroscientist will be blog based. It will have the same design and format as the Euroscience website but everyone will be able to comment directly online and in realtime, exactly like a normal blog. Therefore, this little section will no longer be needed.
Euroscience Media Awards
Euroscience is pleased to announce that its existing journalism awards will, from 2009, be expanded to include awards for popular television and research media relations. Original sponsors, Euroscience Stiftung have been joined by Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, Europe, and the AlphaGalileo Foundation to provide an opportunity for everyone involved in securing more and better media coverage for European research to showcase their work. The journalistic awards have the support of the European Union of Science Journalists Associations. For more details >>
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