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Europe is now embracing the vision of turning the continent into a knowledge-based economy |
Efforts are increasingly being made to bring science out from hidden laboratories and into the open. Such efforts are allowing the public to meet scientists and ask them pointed questions in order to satisfy their curiosity, and in some cases, to disperse their angers and frustrations.
Despite repeated requests from the Royal Society (UK), the British Association for the Advancement of Science and similar organizations across the world, much science remains far removed from the understanding of the general public. Scientists appear to persistently refuse to communicate their work in a simple, non-technical language that can be understood by all.
In recent years, however, efforts have been made by research organizations and scientists to share their work and findings with the public. Science festivals and public forums for the presentation of scientific discoveries have become a regular feature in some countries to encourage a public understanding of science.
This reflects an understanding among research organizations and scientists that the funds needed to accomplish their work comes from taxpayers who have a right to know what they are paying for. They have also come to realize that scientific research stands a better chance of obtaining necessary funds if the public supports it.
The City of Science at Its Best
With exactly this in mind, the EuroScience Open Forum 2004 was held in Stockholm, Sweden from August 25 to 29. Europe's first scientific mega event was fittingly held in what is known as the ‘city of science' for its glorious affiliation with the Nobel Foundation and Nobel Laureates.
An impressive number of scientists from Europe and other parts of the world gathered in the Swedish capital to discuss their work and to share their aspirations, fears and frustrations.
Europe is now embracing the vision of turning the continent into a knowledge-based economy. And it seems to be quite feasible.
| The EuroScience Open Forum could pave the way for larger forums between the European Union and developing countries |
The idea of a pan-European Open Science Forum was the birth child of Dr. Carl Sundberg of Karolinska Institute, Sweden. Sundberg is an avid popular science communicator, and thought up the idea when he was elected to the governing board of EuroScience, a grassroots-based European organization established in 1997 that aims at building a scientific Europe from the bottom-up.
Not everyone was happy with Dr. Sundberg's proposal. Many considered it a waste of scarce resources, better spent on priority research areas. Others worried that not many scientists would agree to partake in the forum and share their work, based on experiences of lack of collaboration and secluded research and development activity in Europe.
Yet, despite such doubts and misgivings, the Open Science Forum saw its journey to completion, only five years after it was inspired.
“At first there were lots of people who were opposed to the idea of EuroScience Open Forum 2004 (ESOF2004) but gradually we convinced them,” said Dr. Carl Sundberg, Chair of the Steering Committee.
Involved in the area of science communication for more than 15 years, Dr. Sundberg passionately talked about his baby. “I came up with the idea because having been involved in popular science communication I was very much aware of the importance of technology transfer and the interaction between science and society,” he said.
The European meeting was, to a large extent, similar to that organized annually by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The AAAS meeting is the venue where scientists openly discuss their pet projects and findings, receiving substantial coverage in the US and international media.
Dr. Sundberg, however, stresses that although the idea of ESOF2004 was inspired by the AAAS model, it was different in some very distinct ways.
“We were inspired by the AAAS model but the distinction between the AAAS model and ESOF2004 is that we encouraged the involvement of the general public in our meeting in many innovative ways,” he explained.
Sundberg said that he was particularly proud of the ‘Science in the City' component of the event where scientific activities were directly aimed at the European public to trigger their innovative capacities.
“What we want to achieve from this kind of meeting is to put knowledge on the European agenda, because we would like to develop Europe into a knowledge-based economy by 2010,” said Dr. Sundberg. An idea which was later supported by Jean-Patrick Connerade, President of EuroScience and Chair of the Programme Committee.
First of Its Kind
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| Stockholm, the city of science at its best |
The first of its kind, the pan-European interdisciplinary scientific meeting attracted over 1,000 participants from over 30 countries including China, Japan, Nepal, South Africa, European member states, the United States and Switzerland. The meeting was also covered by a large number of journalists from Europe and other parts of the world.
“The meeting was more successful than we had expected,” said Henrik Pompeius, Fundraising Coordinator of the event. “We are excited about this event and we are sure the second one will be more successful in pushing science and knowledge up the European agenda.”
During the meeting, much attention was focused on sessions on biotechnology research, climate research, nanotechnology, robotics and public understanding of science.
One of the highlights of the forum was the selection of 25 young scientists among 777 applicants from 15 countries by heads of 18 research councils as recipients of cash awards ranging from one million euros to 1.25 million euros.
Present for the occasion were Professor Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker, President of European Heads of Research Councils (EUROHORC) and Bertil Anderson, Chief Executive of European Science Foundation (ESF).
It would not be surprising to find some of these young geniuses standing in the near future on the podium of the Hall of Fame in the Nobel Foundation, delivering the acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize to the international scientific community. This might especially be the case since some of them have already committed themselves to furthering their research with the generous financial awards they received from EUROHORC and EFS.
A Promising Start
One can safely say that EuroScience Open Forum 2004 was a very good beginning. The ball is rolling for its second stop in Munich, Germany in 2006.
With openness and a commitment of collaboration, there is no reason to suspect that this would not lead to the transformation of European society into a knowledge-based economy, which they aim to achieve by 2010.
It is hoped that the EuroScience Open Forum will not only be a venue for European scientists to exchange their views and meet with the public, but that it could also pave the way for other larger forums that could be jointly organized by the European Union and developing countries to promote North-South partnerships.
Forums like ESOF 2004 are bound to promote greater openness among the scientific community and the general public. Such openness is bound to encourage the public to have a better understanding of scientific issues, leading to social development much needed worldwide.
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