ESOF2020 – EuroScience Open Forum REPORT au 2 – 6 septembre 2020
Forum
In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, EuroScience and the Fondazione Internazionale Trieste announce the postponement of the 2020 edition of the ESOF conference to September.
EuroScience and the ESOF2020 team in Trieste install a new advisory body to help organise an outstanding ESOF even in times of the pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has a disruptive effect on all areas of science, economy and the everyday life worldwide and ESOF2020 is no exception.
Although we see all around Europe that the measures implemented by governments show relatively positive result, the situation in September remains uncertain. This uncertainty forces us as organisers of ESOF to plan for different scenarios. These new scenarios will involve changes and updates in the programme and format of sessions and events planned during the conference. Changes that sometimes require a decision within days. At the same time ESOF must retain its high-quality standard in the programme and preserve its unique feature as an open forum for dialogue and debate between different actors of the scientific community and society. To face these challenges ESOF2020 Trieste and EuroScience installed the ESOF2020 Executive Committee as a rapid response advisory body. The nine committee members including two members of the EuroScience Governing Board are senior scientists, science journalists, and science communicators and served before on one of the various committees of ESOF2020. Most of the members have also experiences in the organisation of previous ESOFs.
The committee will be able to direct advice to the Champion of ESOF2020 and the President of EuroScience in a very short time in virtual meetings. This will help both teams in Trieste and Strasbourg in our efforts to deliver an outstanding ESOF2020.
The EuroScience Open Forum 2020 Trieste is really coming alive. From today until 15 June 2019 [Deadline extended until 7th July 2019] it will be possible to submit proposals for the scientific programme of the event, which will take place from 5 to 9 July 2020 in the Old Port of the city. Key players from the world of science and technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, politics, communication and all those who want to bring innovative ideas, strategies and formats on the relationship between science and society can present their ideas through the website www.esof.eu. The bids must fall into one of the topics identified for the 2020 edition and will be selected by international experts.
THE THEMES: FROM FUTURE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES TO SUSTAINABILITY
ESOF2020 programme will cover nine scientific topics. Starting with “Blue Planet“, water as a heritage of fundamental importance for humanity, to continue with “I compute therefore I am“, which embraces the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, big data, ever faster, ubiquitous and intelligent computers. A third theme goes under the name “Science and society” and explores the interactions between the world of scientific research and other fields of knowledge, from ethics to philosophy and law, and its impact on everyday life. “Breaking frontiers in science and knowledge” aims at fostering the discussion on leading edge research. “Sustainable future” concerns the available technologies and strategies for balanced development and environmental protection. “Nourishing the planet” encompasses different themes: from food waste to synthetic foods. “Live long and prosper” refers to an increasingly technological, refined, personalized medicine. “Science for policy / policy for science” addresses the issues of scientific diplomacy, research policies, infrastructure, networking and gender issues in the techno-scientific field. Finally, “The Smart City” focuses on the sustainable city of the future.
