1 / 2023 // LEOPOLDINA / NEWS 5
sium . “ The Report on Tomorrow ’ s Science is particularly important for external recognition , as due to the large number of smaller scientific disciplines within the geosciences they are not always seen to speak with one voice and their message often does not get through ”, is her assessment . At the same time we need these individual disciplines in order to understand Earth systems and to predict processes . “ We need to make sure we don ’ t lose our expertise in the finer details , that is the crux of the matter ”, she warned .
Boost to funding
Crewell also advocated for closer international networking for Earth observation systems , and other disciplines such as computer science . “ The geosciences already use many methods taken from computer science , such as machine learning , in remote sensing for example , but this has often been developed by other disciplines ”, said the meteorologist . “ If we work more closely together the geosciences could also be in the driving seat , for the development of algorithms for example .”
The Leopoldina initiative has received generous funding from the Volkswagen
Foundation who plans to invest ten million euros into this field . “ The Report on Tomorrow ’ s Science for Earth System Science immediately convinced us of the relevance and urgency of this field of research . People have become accustomed to basic research becoming increasingly specialised and more and more focused in scope – and forget to look at the Earth as a whole ”, says Georg Schütte , General Secretary of the Volkswagen Foundation . But effective solutions to global problems can only be found from the systematic perspective .
The Foundation will support six junior professorships with funding of 1.5 million euros each for the next six years . After that universities will need to take over the funding . “ We want to stimulate modernisation and bring dynamism to the geosciences . Our aim is to realign the many subdisciplines based on the future-oriented idea of Earth System Science ”, explained Schütte .
However , this process will not proceed without friction . “ Developing scientific disciplines is a challenge because you have to scrutinise everything ”, said Schütte . Particularly as the geosciences have a total of 26 professional societies .
REPORT ON TOMORROW ’ S SCIENCE – EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE
In order to understand the Earth as a whole and effectively contribute to solving global challenges , in future the geosciences in Germany need to be modernised and shaped by the concept of Earth
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System Science . This is recommended by 3
the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in their Report on Tomorrow ’ s Science “ Earth System Science – Discovery , Diagnosis , and Solutions in Times of Global Change ”. The report gives an overview of the research field and proposes measures for establishing the concept . In their “ Report on Tomorrow ’ s Science ” series Leopoldina addresses issues of medium and long-term scientific development which are relevant to the relationship between science , politics and society .
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Report on Tomorrow ’ s Science – Earth System Science
“ There needs to be an incentive to carry out the necessary process , and we also need to be patient .”
How such change can be brought about at universities was explained at the symposium with reference to examples of best practice , such as the Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University / USA or the Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability ( CEN ) at Universität Hamburg / Germany . “ At CEN , greater integration of Earth sciences has made it possible to bring expertise together in one department and to very successfully acquire third-party funding such as the Cluster of Excellence funding line from the German Research Foundation ”, reported Onno Oncken .
Another possibility would be to add components of Earth System Science to the curricula of geoscience degree courses . However , “ there is no ‘ one size fits all ’ solution . Local framework conditions will play an important role .”
Communication and networking
In his summary of the conference Oncken added further tasks to the list , such as a national roadmap for the development of observation systems and a white paper for the expansion of digital infrastructures .
However , the geologist and Member of the Leopoldina Presidium is not only concerned with uniting the geosciences . “ We need to deal with fragmentation , so that we can be seen to speak to the public more effectively with one voice ”, he added , making an equally important point . He envisages the first step to be workshops with subject representatives from Earth System Science and adjacent disciplines and other stakeholders , initiated by Leopoldina .
As part of its ten million euros funding initiative , The Volkswagen Foundation has earmarked a million euros to support networking and debate in the research community is greatly welcomed for this reason . The Volkswagen Foundation provided online information about the new funding programme back in February . Oncken : “ This is the starting signal , we now have to set it all in motion .“ ■ BJH