Women and Science Headlines 19

Women and Science Headlines - 21:
Contact: Vera Fehnle

Robert O’Meara <mailto:robert.o’[e-mail]>

2007 is the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, during which we will seek to make people in the EU more aware of their rights to enjoy equal treatment and a life free of discrimination. These are two of the basic principles underpinning the Union. The Year will also launch a major debate on the benefits of diversity for European societies.

For more information, go to http://equality2007.europa.eu
Further information on the National Implementing Bodies is available at the following link: http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/equality2007/nb_en.htm

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

DESCARTES

The 7th annual Descartes Prize Ceremony took place here in Brussels in collaboration with the event 'Today Is The Future' - involving the participation of EC President Jose Barroso, and Commissioners Janez Potocnik and Viviane Reding as well as Germany's Education and Research Minister Annette Schavan and Director General of DG Research, José Manuel Silva Rodriguez. At the evening's gala dinner, attended by 500 guests from the worlds of science, education and politics (including 8 Ministers) the Descartes Prizes for Excellence in Scientific Collaboration (5 Finalists and 3 Laureates) and the Prizes for Science Communication (5 Finalists and 5 Laureates) were awarded by Commissioner Potočnik and Minister Schavan.

For full details on this year's Descartes Laureates and Finalists – please go to:

http://ec.europa.eu/research/descartes/news_en.htm

The call for proposals for next year's awards has been launched:

http://ec.europa.eu/research/descartes/submit_en.htm

EUROPEAN COMMISSION GREEN PAPER

– 'The European Research Area: New Perspectives'

As you will most likely be aware the European Commission recently adopted a Green Paper, entitled 'The European Research Area: New Perspectives'. The purpose of a Green Paper in general is to stimulate debate and launch a process of consultation. The purpose of this Green Paper in particular is to assess the progress made in establishing the ERA and to discuss the future direction of the project. In line with these objectives, the European Commission has published a complementary, online public consultation addressing the questions raised in the Green Paper. This consultation can be found by clicking on the 'Online Questionnaire' link on the ERA homepage (http://ec.europa.eu/research/era/index_en.html) where additional information on ERA can be found. At this moment the consultation is available only in English, but will be published in French and German very shortly.

The structure of the consultation mirrors that of the Green Paper and poses questions on each of the six main characteristics identified in the Green Paper as requirements for an effective ERA: An adequate flow of competent researchers; World-class research infrastructures; Excellent research institutions; Effective knowledge sharing; Well co-ordinated research programmes and priorities; and a wide opening of the European Research Area to the world. It also poses general questions on the overarching elements of ERA.

Like the Green Paper, what the consultation does not do is put primary focus on innovation, nor on the need to increase business R&D. Work to promote innovation and a much more developed and coordinated demand-side policy will continue in the framework of the broad-based innovation strategy launched in 2006 including in particular, the "lead market" initiative. The Green Paper is nevertheless consistent with and complementary to the broad-based innovation strategy, as increased business R&D can only occur with the right framework conditions: surveys suggest that when investing in R&D, business considers the presence of adequate numbers of well-trained and mobile researchers, responsive to the needs of industry and an excellent public research base (research institutions and infrastructures) with strong interactions with industry to be vitally important. All of these are areas considered by the Green Paper and the accompanying consultation. We encourage you to participate in this debate by responding to this public consultation, and to disseminate this message to your members or stakeholder community. Guidelines on the completion of the consultation questionnaire can be found at the website above. Note that you can if you wish, download Word or PDF versions of the consultation prior to completing the online version. You may also provide additional comments via the email address: [e-mail].

In addition to the online consultation, please note that the European Commission will also organise a series of expert groups, stakeholder seminars and other activities to generate input for the ERA debate as well as will other European insitutions. Member States are also expected to organise debates on the issues raised in the ERA Green Paper, and to provide feedback to the European Commission on the outcomes.

Information on the 7^th Framework Programme (FP7)

A useful glossary for FP7 wording: http://webdira/glossary_de_fp7_files/glossary_fp7_final.htm

To register as an expert https://cordis.europa.eu/emmfp7/index.cfm?fuseaction=wel.welcome

For general information on FP7, please go to:

Europa - http://ec.europa.eu/research/enquiries

Cordia - http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/get-support_en.html For telephone enquiries – please call Europe Direct at 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11

PUBLICATIONS

Report of the Expert Group on Humanities
Under the mantle of DG Research's Social Sciences and Humanities programme, the final report of the Expert Group on Humanities has been released. The launch of this publication, 'Positioning Humanities Research in the 7^th Framework Programme' marks a number of fresh insights into the relevance of significance of Humanities Research in the EU-27.

The report can be downloaded from the 'What's New' section on the right-hand side of this link:

http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/index_en.htm

Rocard Group Report on Science Education

At the end of last year the European Commission, at the request of the Commissioner for Research, Janez Potočnik, set up a group of experts to look at what action can be taken in Europe to support science education in primary and secondary schools. The group is chaired by Michel Rocard, former French prime minister and now Member of the European Parliament. The four other group members are distinguished scientists with longstanding experience and a particular interest in science education.

The European Commission has given this group of experts the task of examining a cross-section of ongoing European initiatives. The outcome of the report will undoubtedly prompt a boost for science education in Europe. The group's findings and recommendations to the Commission will be compiled in a report that will be presented to both the Commissioner for Research, Janez Potočnik and the Commissioner for Education and Culture, Jan Figèl at a press-conference in Brussels on 12 June 2007. From mid-June onwards, the report shall be available to download at

http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/home_en.cfm

NETWORK NEWS - FUNDING

Lithuania to host EU sex equality institute
Lithuania will host a new EU sex equality institute set to open its doors next year, EU social affairs ministers agreed on Friday. The European Institute of Gender Equality, yet to be formally approved by the European Parliament, will start life with a staff of 15 and a seven-year budget of 52.5 million euros. "We did want to send out a clear political message that we think that gender equality is extremely important at the European level, national level and local level," EU Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimir Spidla told reporters after a meeting of EU health and social affairs ministers. Lithuania beat fellow new EU members Slovenia and Slovakia to host the institute, which will have its seat in Vilnius.
The EU ministers, in a final statement, encouraged the future institute "and the different national gender equality bodies to investigate how various circumstance, opportunities, structures and policies affect both men and women, boys and girls".
It also encourage the development from earliest childcare and education of "Pedagogic practices aimed at eliminating gender stereotypes," paying special attention to ways to "improve the capacity and potential of boys and men to care for themselves and others". Spidla said the creation of the institute would be "an important step forward" in tackling cases of discrimination between men and women, while admitting that its effectiveness would depend on how EU member states cooperate with it. The main activities of the Institute for Gender Equality will be to collect, record, analyse and disseminate information on gender equality Community-wide. On the basis of the information collected it will develop "methodological tools to support the integration of gender equality into all Community policies". The general public will be given access to information on the issue of gender equality, notably through a documentation centre and a website. See also: Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO)
PLEASE NOTE: the vacancy for the post of Director of the European Gender Institute has been published in the Official Journal of the European Community (JOEU - C92A). You will find the full vacancy notice and application form on the Commission's website at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/personnel_administration/working_senior_mgt_en.htm
Le Prix Irène Joliot-Curie – Appel à Candidatures 2007
Le Prix Irène Joliot-Curie est destiné à promouvoir la place des femmes dans la recherche et la technologie en France. A cette fin, le Prix, créé en 2001, met en lumière les carrières exemplaires de femmes en science qui allient excellence et dynamisme.
Le Prix Irène Joliot-Curie 2007 comporte quatre catégories dotées chacune de 10,000 EUR. Les dossiers de candidature sont à votre disposition sur le site de la Mission www.recherche.gouv.fr/parite. Les dossiers reçus seront examinés par un jury qui designera les lauréates. Date limite du dépôt de dossier: 15 juin 2007

NETWORK NEWS - EVENTS
EUROPEAN WOMEN INVENTORS & INNOVATORS CONFERENCE & AWARDS

EUWIIN Conference: Innovation and Research for a better Competitive Europe and beyond.

14 June 2007 - Berlin, Germany
Promoting the advancement of new products, services and processes invented by women in workplaces, homes, businesses and learning environments right across Europe in collaboration with The Global Summit of Women - 14–16 June 2007 - Berlin, Germany.
The conference provides a platform for dialogue which will put the spotlight on women’s innovation in Europe. It will promote the development of an environment that utilises and values the contribution that women make to the economy and manufacturing industry in Europe and beyond. This will be an excellent forum and meeting place for inventive and innovative women from across Europe, including a diversity of stakeholders and service providers. The conference will provide the opportunity to share good practice from women who have contributed viable innovative ideas in areas such as transport, environmentally friendly materials, food, home and children, communication, science and technology, energy and recycled products.
The Organisers:

The Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network (GWIIN) www.gwiin.com in partnership with London Metropolitan University www.londonmet.ac.uk. For further information go to their websites at www.euwiin.eu and www.gwiin.com

INWES Regional Symposium on Women Scientists and Engineers

in New EU Countries and Eastern Europe – 2-4 July 2007 - Wroclaw, Poland
The Symposium is organized by the University of Wroclaw in close collaboration with the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists-INWES (www.inwes.org) and held in the beautiful baroque buildings of the University of Wroclaw, Poland, from the 2nd to 4th July 2007. The Symposium, organized for the first time in Eastern Europe, will provide general reflections on gender and science and give an opportunity to share and learn from successful strategies and programs implemented by countries, both in Eastern Europe and the Western countries, and those which have been less successful, in removing obstacles to women in STEM.

Participants are expected from all Eastern European countries, and from Russia, Japan, Korea, Canada, USA, Western Europe, India and Pakistan, and African countries. Participants are kindly asked to come prepared with examples (come with posters!!!) from their own country for the discussion period. Speakers and representatives of organizations such as UNESCO, OECD, AAAS, European Commission, and INWES have been invited. Abstract submission is not required for this symposium. Speakers for Plenary Lectures and Panels have been invited. A “poster” area with panels and tables will be available for providing and discussing information about results of relevant research or programs on the issue of women in SET or on programs implemented by universities, research institutions, etc. Intent to present a poster must be indicated to the organizer by June 1st.

ESOF 2008 – Science for a better Life

July 18-22 – Barcelona, Spain
Euroscience Open Forum – ESOF is Europe's most important forum for presentation and debate of leading scientific trends and key science policy issues. It brings Europe's science community together to discuss the social and economic impact of science, technology, the social sciences and humanities.
For more information, please go to www.esof2008.org

CALL FOR PAPERS
Women in Engineering and Technology Research - International Conference

26-27 October 2007 - Palais du Luxembourg, Paris, France

 

This international conference is organized within the framework of the PROMETEA project, by the French members of the consortium: Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan (ENS Cachan), Institut National de Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), the Conference of the Heads of French Engineering Schools (CDEFI) and the association ECEPIE. PROMETEA “Empowering Women Engineers in Industrial and Academic Research” is a research project funded by the European Commission under FP6 from November 2005 to December 2007.

 

The conference is supported by the European Commission, the Regional Government of Ile de France and promoted by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

 

The objective of the conference is to gather specialists to exchange on gender issues in engineering and technology research careers and bring new perspectives on engineering and technology research in itself.

 

On October 26 and 27, the conference will be structured around five plenary sessions devoted to specific themes. Papers and posters will be presented in each session.

 

Scholars who work on the sessions topics are invited to submit abstracts or posters to bring other perspectives and/or create a debate. Research through case studies, comparative methodology, pluridisciplinary approaches, new methodologies is highly appreciated. Young promising scholars are strongly encouraged to submit abstracts or posters.

 

Additionally to these five sessions, we will offer a roundtable to bring together men and women working in engineering and technology research, students who plan to become researchers, people responsible for research policies, researchers on gender and research. Two networking sessions are also planned. Proceedings will be published after the conference; authors of accepted papers will be invited to send a full paper.

 

Conference languages are English and French

For full information, please go to www.prometea.info/conference2007

EuroNews Futuris programme on Women in Research
A series of 8 minute news items were produced and repeatedly broadcast on EuroNews in 2006, as part of DG Research's communication strategy. The Futuris news films which serve to make science more accessible to the general public, is now available on DVD. The DVD includes 10 of the Futuris films – covering scientific subjects as diverse as nanotechnology, biotechnology, environmental science, and women and science, to name but a few.
Full information on the content of the DVD is available on the web at the following URL:

http://www.euronews.net/create_html.php?page=futuris&lng=1
If you would like a copy of the Futuris DVD, please contact Robert O'Meara (email top).

IN THE MEDIA
Some news items that might be of interest…
EU Media: Stuttgarter Zeitung: Article on the conference EUR Future – European Researchers of Tomorrow : http://www.stuttgarterzeitung.de/stz/page/detail.php/1424832

Research Enquiries: http://ec.europa.eu/research/enquiries