BNU April 2019

4 Calls for Funding and Awards, BNU April 2019, Brussels News Updates

Horizon Impact Award

Horizon Impact Award

To illustrate the wider socio-economic benefits of the EU investment in R&I and to encourage project beneficiaries to best manage and utilise their research results, the European Commission awards on an annual basis a recognition prize for rewarding beneficiaries that have successfully demonstrated effective exploitation and uptake of their projects’ R&I results. Five winners will be selected by the evaluation jury for their achievements. The prizes are monetary and each of the five winners will receive EUR 10.000.

Deadline: 28 May 2019
Website: http://bit.ly/2Z7gkCU

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4 Calls for Funding and Awards, BNU April 2019, Brussels News Updates

European Gold Medal

European Gold Medal

Every two years, the exceptional achievements of one scientist working in the field of chemistry in Europe are rewarded. The winner is awarded a gold medal and the opportunity to give the opening lecture at the next EuChemS Chemistry Congress (ECC). The call for nominations was opened on 1 March and will be open until 30 September 2019. Submissions can be made here.

Deadline: 30 September 2019
Website: https://www.euchems.eu/awards/european-chemistry-gold-medal/

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1 European Highlights, BNU April 2019, Brussels News Updates

The future of gender equality in European research and innovation

EuChemS attended an important conference on the future of gender equality in European research and innovation on 11 April 2019, organised by Gender Action, an EU supported project. Speakers provided both an overview of the current state of affairs as well as concrete examples of how gender bias, discrimination and unequal opportunities can be addressed in universities, research institutions, and projects. A core focus of the conference was how to ensure that the future EU research framework programme, Horizon Europe can ensure that proper integration of gender mainstreaming is incorporated. You can read the Briefing Papers prepared by Gender Action here.

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EuChemS at the American Chemical Society meeting in Orlando

EuChemS President Pilar Goya and EuChemS Secretary General Nineta Hrastelj made their way to Orlando, USA, for the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) yearly National Meeting at the beginning of April 2019. They were invited to present the work and latest initiatives being prepared by EuChemS at the ACS Committee on international activities / subcommittee for Europe meeting, where they also discussed how to further develop collaboration – and in particular, with a focus on how chemistry can contribute to many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Such collaboration was recently demonstrated at the workshop on Horizon Europe, education and employability, organised by EuChemS and held in the European Parliament on 7 March 2019. A relevant and timely contribution from LaTrease E. Garrison, Executive Vice-President for Education at the ACS was provided by video, in which she analysed the state of employability of chemists in the USA. EuChemS and the ACS have moreover recently worked together on developing the upcoming joint employability survey for chemists in 2020 following the recent publication of EuChemS’ second employability survey for European chemists in 2018.

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European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) seeks to restrict intentionally added microplastics

At the latest Committee for Risk Assessment meeting of the European Chemicals Agency, and on which EuChemS sits, the latest updates on ECHA’s calls for the banning of intentionally added microplastics took centre stage. The proposed restriction aims to ban uses that result in releases to the environment, labelling requirements for other uses where only residual releases are considered to occur, as well as reporting requirement for downstream users on uses exempted from the ban. Polymers as a whole should not be placed on the market as a substance of its own or in a mixture as a microplastic in a concentration equal or greater than 0.01% w/w.

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Obituary: Sergio Facchetti

It is with a heavy heart that we have learnt the news of Sergio Facchetti’s passing on the morning of Saturday 30 March 2019.

Sergio Facchetti, born in Borgo Ticino (Novara – Italy), was a leading scientist who gave outstanding service to the field and image of chemistry in Europe, as well as to EuChemS and its predecessor FECS, and for this we are eternally grateful.

His life’s work has had major and influential consequences, and his contributions to the field led to concrete transformations in science. Sergio worked in the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre laboratories in Ispra, firstly in the Radiation Chemistry Group of the NUCLIT corporation (1959-61), and subsequently as a European Official (1961-97) becoming the head of a division of over 100 people and coordinator for the Environmental Research Agency. His main work was on the identification of environmental pollutants – and it was through studies carried out in connection with the Seveso disaster of 1976 that he made his most far-reaching contributions. His work led to his appointment as adviser to the United States Government and originated the lead isotope experiments which eventually led to the banning of lead in fuels – an achievement he later recognised as one of his proudest moments. He was later coordinator of the Eureka project 674 on “Advanced Mobile Analytical Laboratory” – a project intensively used in many field investigations.

In addition to his work, Sergio was able to play a crucial role in the support of Chemistry as a whole, serving on the board of the CNC (1998-2017) and the Italian Chemical Society, founding in 1971 its Mass Spectrometry Division and serving as Vice-President from 1996 – 1998. He also occupied the posts of Vice-President of the European Chemistry Council and of the European Chemist Registration Board.

Sergio retired from the EuChemS Board in 2017 after an astonishing 47 years of continuous work on the Board of both FECS and EuChemS. Sergio was a highly active member of the community, continuously proposing new ways in which EuChemS could broaden its scope and increase its impact, whether through the organisation of major conferences, including the hosting of seven lectures during the EXPO Milan, or other initiatives.

In 2018, Sergio was awarded the EuChemS Award for Service for his tireless efforts and success in promoting chemistry and EuChemS’ work over the years. Whilst he was unable to make his way to Liverpool where the prizes were announced at the 7th EuChemS Chemistry Congress, his colleague and fellow Award for Service awardee Francesco De Angelis read out a letter Sergio had written. In it, he expressed his surprise and gladness at the award, but insisted that his work throughout the years was in his eyes, his duty.

Sergio was not only an inspiring scientist, whose work was characterised by a strong belief in ethical attitudes, but he was also a true gentleman, kind and thoughtful. Sergio’s passing is sad news for chemistry in Europe and sad news for the many people who knew Sergio, and he will be very much missed. But his work and contributions will not be forgotten, nor his incessant work in helping EuChemS and the community it represents be where it is today.

We send our most heartfelt condolences to his family.

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The future of scholarly communications

In January 2019, an Expert Group tasked with advising the European Commission on open science released a report on a future vision for scholarly communications. The report contextualised the current landscape when it comes to scholarly publishing and communications, together with an analysis of perceived shortcomings and a list of recommendations for the various players involved and impacted. Members of the Open Science Policy Platform (OSPP), a high-level task force in which EuChemS is represented by Executive Board Member Wolfram Koch, were asked by the European Commission to prepare a response and remarks on the report. Watch this space for EuChemS’ take on the future of scholarly communications.

In November 2018, EuChemS published a Position Paper on Plan S, a plan set up by a coalition of science funders and supported by the European Commission to push through a rapid transition to open access publishing. You can read the EuChemS Position here.

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EFSA engages academic stakeholders

The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) held on 14 March a dedicated workshop with its academic stakeholders, of which EuChemS is one. The session, aimed at building a stronger relationship between the European agency and academic organisations was centred around recent developments on the risk assessment of pesticides, genetically modified plants and the integration of evidence for risk assessment. Speakers included several EFSA representatives together with representatives from SETAC, the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

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The EuChemS European Young Chemists’ Network elects new Board

The European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN) Delegate Assembly, held in Bremen, Germany on 17 – 20 March saw the election of a new Board that will guide the EYCN’s actions over the next two years. The new board consists of: Antonio M. Rodriguez, Chair; Maximilian Menche, Secretary; Jelena Lazić, Treasurer, as well as team leaders: Katarina Josifovska, Science; Jovana Milić, Networks; Maxime Rossato, Communications; Miguel Steiner, Membership; Lieke Van Gijzel, Global Connections.

EuChemS President Pilar Goya was invited to present the latest activities and initiatives being undertaken by EuChemS and to welcome the new EYCN Board. Science Communication and Policy Officer Alex Schiphorst also attended the assembly and in a presentation on science and policy, encouraged the EYCN to get involved in the political debate. The Assembly also included allocated brainstorming sessions to deliberate on future projects as well as presentations of member societies’ youth events.

More about the EYCN here.

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EU elections & science

The upcoming elections for the European Parliament could have a direct impact on the future of science in Europe. A rise in populist and anti-EU parties could lead to a reduction of budgets granted to research and innovation, together with growing scepticism towards scientific findings and advice, whether over medical issues or research linked to climate change or food safety. Make your voice heard for science this May!

The European Parliament’s research and industry committee (ITRE), which examines EU legislation related to research, and which negotiated the European Parliament’s vision for Horizon Europe, could also be shaped by incoming politicians. Whilst Committee heavyweights such as Polish politician Jerzy Buzek or Germany’s Christian Ehler are planning on running again, others such as MEP Paul Rübig, who chaired the European Parliament’s Science and Technology Options Assessment panel (STOA) will not. The fate of British MEPs in the Committee is also unknown at this stage. You can take a look at Business Europe’s debrief of those MEPs running and those that won’t be here.

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Horizon Europe: political agreement reached

A political agreement on the EU’s next research and development programme, Horizon Europe, has been reached between negotiators for the European Parliament and national governments following several weeks negotiations and of deadlock over a range of issues.

The preliminary agreement was welcomed by Commissioner Carlos Moedas as putting the EU “on track to launch the most ambitious ever European research and innovation programme” reports Research Europe.

The agreement will still need to be approved by the European Parliament as a whole, with the vote due on 17 April. However, any debate over the budget has not yet taken place as this is inherently tied to wider negotiations of the overall EU budget for the years 2021 – 2027, which is unlikely to happen before the end of 2019 at the earliest.

The agreement also revealed policymakers’ vision for ‘Missions’ in the next programme. The five mission areas (under which specific missions could fall) include:

  • Adapting to climate change, including societal transformation
  • Cancer
  • Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters
  • Climate-neutral smart cities
  • Soil health and food.

Several partnerships will also be developed. See the full list here.

In August 2018, EuChemS published a position paper together with amendments on the European Parliament’s proposal for Horizon Europe. In the document, we stressed the need to keep striving for excellence, the need to allow countries that have previously participated in EU research programmes to continue being able to do so in the future, as well as the need for more ambitious budgets for the programme as a whole, as well as for the European Research Council (ERC) and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).

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