4,5/4,5 CM Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação The NEST Program and the Future of European Research at the Frontier Rachel Newton CRC 2005

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Overview Part I - NEST at a glance Part II - Stimulating new and emerging technology Part III - The future of emerging science and technology research funding

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part I –NEST at a glance i.What is NEST? ii. The Action lines iii. Examples

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part I – NEST at a glance i – What is NEST?  NEST - New and Emerging Science and Technology  A new activity within the EU’s Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) providing research funding for unconventional and visionary research  No restrictions on the scientific fields to be addressed- interdisciplinary research encouraged, cutting across or lying outside the areas funded by other activities.  Overall budget € 215 million  Involves 3 Action Lines, which contribute to improving European anticipation of future scientific and technological needs

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part I – NEST at a glance ii – The Action Lines  NEST supports three complementary action lines which operate in parallel:  ADVENTURE - develop new scientific and technological opportunities in areas identified by the researchers themselves  INSIGHT -assess new discoveries or newly- observed phenomena which could indicate risks or problems to society  PATHFINDER - groups of complementary projects with highly challenging objectives in emerging scientific and technological fields

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part I – NEST at a glance iii – Examples  Adventure projects  ATOM3D - Grasping tiny objects such as living cells using laser beams  OPTICAL NOSE - an instrument for gas sensing in the medical sciences  EA-BIOFILMS - identifying bacteria that can be used as a power source in fuel cells.

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part I – NEST at a glance iii – Examples (cont)  Insight Projects  Perforce - risk assessment of the environmental impact of PFCs (perflorinated compounds)  Porgrow - examine obesity in Europe as a risk to society to help policy-makers make informed strategic choices

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part I – NEST at a glance iii – Examples (cont)  Pathfinder Projects  What it means to be human- examining evolution and development of the human mind.  Tackling complexity in science- developing tools to tackle complex world problems.  Synthetic biology - transferring design and production principles from engineering to biology

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part II – Stimulating new and emerging technology i.Europe’s capacity to identify and exploit new and emerging technology ii.The role of Creativity iii. Strategies and mechanisms for managing risk iv. Social responsibility v. Interdisciplinary research

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part II – Stimulating new and emerging technology i- Europe’s capacity to identify and exploit new and emerging technology  Important issues for investing in research:  Continuity -build on the success of NEST  The role of Industry-listen to industry- private partnerships  Simplification- greater autonomy and trust in researchers  Inclusion - all fields to capture the entire research potential  Integration -East and West–excellence should be the deciding factor  Attractiveness- Strengthen infrastructure- fellowship schemes assure the career of individuals

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part II – Stimulating new and emerging technology i- Europe’s capacity to identify and exploit new and emerging technology (cont)  Generating new ideas: Innovation from basic research  Creating the conditions for creativity in research  Associating complementary skills  Implementing projects with risk  Developing European and international cooperation  To respond to societal needs, to consider the effect of research on society and to communicate the benefits of technology to society

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Work that is novel (original, unexpected)! With major implications or potential New scientific findings mean New products or services that create jobs Part II – Stimulating new and emerging technology ii –The role of creativity - ii –The role of creativity -why foster creativity?

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier  Organizational features for creative research  Scientific Diversity  Low Hierarchical and Bureaucratic Coordination  Integration of Multi-disciplinary Perspectives.  High Quality Part II – Stimulating new and emerging technology ii – The role of creativity (cont)

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier  Organizational features impeding creative research  Funding problems – lack of, solely external, overemphasis on financial rewards  Bureaucracy – limits time for research Other priorities: evaluation, accountability, management, administration  Too narrow, no perspective of other disciplines Part II – Stimulating new and emerging technology ii – The role of creativity (cont)

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part II – Stimulating new and emerging technology iii – Strategies and mechanisms for managing risk  Factors that mitigate against risk taking  Scientists fear being less successful  Organisations- disciplines and structures  Peer review confirms established structures/ reputations  Funding bodies go for short term prudence

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part II – Stimulating new and emerging technology iii – Strategies and mechanisms for managing risk (cont)  The promotion of risk taking as a means of seizing new opportunities  Environments that foster creativity  Interdisciplinary  Non bureaucratic  Motivation for excellence  The EU response is NEST  Risk is a necessary part of the project  Balanced by the impact on science, and supported by credibility

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part II – Stimulating new and emerging technology iii – Strategies and mechanisms for managing risk (cont.)  The anticipation, response to and communication of potential problems to society  Information gathering through surveillance and monitoring  The need to assess the of the level of knowledge i.e. its accuracy  Involvement of all the stakeholders

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part II – Stimulating new and emerging technology iv – Social responsability  The need to build trust by:  Early involvement of the public in new fields  Improving the communication of science in the media  Contrast between people’s lack of trust in the media and their trust is what is written which influences the way they view certain fields of science.

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part II – Stimulating new and emerging technology v – Interdisciplinary research  To promote interdisciplinary research certain problems need to be overcome including:  Departmental and institutional boundaries  Peer review problems  Discipline language differences  Erroneous concepts of other disciplines e.g. engineer vs. scientist

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part II – Stimulating new and emerging technology v – Interdisciplinary research (cont.)  Ways of promoting interdisciplinary research could include:  Interdisciplinary Conferences  Transfer of techniques from one field to another  An EU interdisciplinary research centre  Using young scientists as transfer agents  Broad education system

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part III – The future of emerging science and technology research funding i – The 7th framework program ii –The European Research Council

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part III – The future of emerging science and technology research funding  Science-driven fundamental research is important for stimulating economic growth and social welfare.  Fundamental investigator driven research in all fields  Less distinction between basic and applied research  i.e. science orientated and problem generated rather than conclusion orientated and solution driven  Risk is inherent to research so false positives must be accepted to stand a chance of capturing a winner i – The 7th framework program

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part III – The future of emerging science and technology research funding  Linking science to technological innovation  Furthering public awareness  Competing for talent i – FP7 Some Challenges

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part III – The future of emerging science and technology research funding  Linking science to technological innovation i – FP7 Challenges (cont)  Research must address real problems  The scientific question must drive the methodological approach.  Projects prepared merely to meet criteria e.g. of multidisciplinarity probably have a weak scientific basis.  Selection of projects and evaluation panels must be based on quality rather than on interdisciplinarity.

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part III – The future of emerging science and technology research funding  Eurobarometer found that citizens are:  poorly informed  sceptical that scientists will cross ethical boundaries  want scientists to have more freedom  believe that scientific progress is beneficial i – FP7 Some Challenges (cont)  Furthering public awareness

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part III – The future of emerging science and technology research funding  Society influences research so communication is key to improving progress  Social responsibility at the heart of policy making  Integration of “science in society” to the whole program and a major budget increase i – FP7 Some Challenges i – FP7 Some Challenges (cont)  Furthering public awareness

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part III – The future of emerging science and technology research funding i – FP7 Some Challenges (cont)  The strategic value of human resources - knowledge is Europe’s riches resource  Need to modify university curricula to ensure graduates can cope with new challenges  A diverse undergraduate training prepares for change -learning a second (or a third) scientific language early removes barriers later.  Interdisciplinary Research Centres should be encouraged  Competing for talent

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part III – The future of emerging science and technology research funding iii –The European Research Council  Supporting fundamental research of the highest quality in a truly competitive mode, with applications evaluated by peer review  ERC independent; its Governing Council of Scientists not an advisory body, but integral to the ERC in terms of policy setting and decision-making  A budget to suit its ambitions: between 1.5 and 2 B € per Annum

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part III – The future of emerging science and technology research funding iii –The ERC-anticipated activities  Research programmes  Individual researcher support  Research networking  Research infrastructure  Research policy  Dissemination of scientific information

NEST Conference 2005 European Research at the Frontier Part III – The future of emerging science and technology research funding iii –The ERC and the future of NEST  ERC –originally 1/6th of the FP budget  NEST –currently< 1/20 FP  NEST –ERC phasing out/phasing in but NEST type activities will certain play a major role in future European Research.