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Autumn 2007
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Stempra newsletter
Eurochat Well you probably haven't noticed it but we are already halfway through the Portuguese presidency of the EU. At the risk of extending a stereotype, our friends from Portugal have taken a relaxed southern European approach to their turn on the leader's chair for Europe and assumed a fairly horizontal profile so far. The usual summer shut-down in Brussels hasn't helped any ambitions they may have had to make a big impact, but just in case you missed it, the Portuguese have three main aims in terms of European research before they had over to the Slovenian team on 1 January 2008. In scientific publishing and technical information Portugal wants to start a debate on digital scientific libraries - involving all interested stakeholders to establish mutual trust. Nanoscience and nanotechnologies are also a priority and this coincides with a Commission mid-term review of its strategy in this area. Finally, Portugal "recognises universities as one of the most strategic resources in a knowledge-based society" - an excellent piece of analysis there - and are looking to help the process of modernisation of higher education in Europe including "diversification and internationalisation". Pigs in space? To be frank, no-one is expecting much from Slovenia either but - hang onto your hats - the French take control of the reins of power for the second half of next year and M. Sarkozy certainly wants to punch above his height. Policy initiatives are already in hand and European ambition in space is one area that is expecting a major boost. However M'ser S may have some tricky manoeuvring to do first on a space-related issue. Rumour has it that the public money needed to fund the European Galileo GPS system will be found from cash allocated to the Common Agricultural Policy. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see trouble brewing à la ferme if that happens. Verheugen saves the pint Considering the particularly non-political phrases Commissioner Verheugen (Enterprise & Industry) uses to describe UK policy in Europe ("poisonous" is one of the more polite ones), it was a great surprise to hear him decide that us Brits can carry on with our imperial (imperious?) measures as long as we like. This may well make him a short-term hero in our green and pleasant land; and he will be more than happy to take the praise. Of course he knows that this dual measurement system will impose a small continuing, and effectively self-imposed, competitive disadvantage on the UK. And that will also bring a wry smile to his face I'm sure. ERC is a success… For some The European Research Council (ERC) had to draft in extra help to cope with three times the anticipated applications for their first call for independent researcher grants. In total some 9167 applications were received. Originally some 244 evaluators had been recruited for the 20 ERC assessment panels but the ERC's Scientific Council had to call in an additional 600 evaluators to sift through the mountain of potential academic excellence. The outcome was that 559 (or just over 6%) of the original roposals have been selected for the second stage of the peer review process which involved submitting a more detailed proposal by 17 September. The average age of successful applicants is 36 and 76% of them are male with 45% of the applications coming from "physics, mathematics and engineering", 37% from the "life sciences" and the remainder from "social sciences and humanities". It is anticipated that a little less than half of the 559 will actually get a grant, but the big question for me is: what happened to the chemists!! A bientôt - Tim |
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