10 2 / 2021 // LEOPOLDINA / NEWS
Science and media come together
SILBERSALZ Conference : Application for Science & Media Pitch is open until 21 June
Scientists wishing to present their projects at this year ’ s SILBERSALZ Conference have until 21 June to apply . Submissions are being accepted for ongoing research projects in any scientific discipline . The organisers are particularly interested in topics of social relevance and in creative formats with the potential to communicate scientific knowledge in a way which is easily understood and appeals to a public audience .
To apply , applicants simply need to submit a brief project description , a project photo and a statement outlining why they wish to take part . The selected projects will be presented at the SILBER- SALZ Conference Science & Media Pitch at the Leopoldina in Halle ( Saale ) from 16 to 18 September . They will then be discussed by an international audience from the worlds of science , media and industry . These discussions between researchers and media professionals will inspire new ideas for communicating science and help participants to forge new partnerships .
The conference is part of the SILBER- SALZ Festival , which is taking place for the fourth time in Halle ( Saale ) from 15 to 19 September . This year , the Festival will explore what science can and should do to build peace and create a better society . As part of this , it will examine how injustices can be pointed out and overcome . Initiated by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and Documentary Campus e . V ., the Leopoldina supports the event once again as partner .
■ VB
SILBERSALZ Conference and Festival
Two Leopoldina members chair committee
Half of the members of the Joint Committee on the Handling of Security- Relevant Research were replaced in April . Representing the Leopoldina Presidium and the German Research Foundation Presidium , Thomas Lengauer ML and Britta Siegmund ML will take the chair for the next three years . For this new term of office , the committee aims to further promote the independent , responsible handling of security-relevant research risks by research institutions . To this end , the committee members intend to foster national and international exchange .
■ AKE
Joint Committee on Dual Use
EASAC , FEAM
Decarbonisation of the health sector
ALLEA , EASAC , FEAM
Personal health data for research
Academies Research Initiative
Researching academies history in Europe
The European Academy Networks EASAC and FEAM have published a commentary titled “ Decarbonisation of the Health Sector ”. Despite contributing about five percent of global CO₂ emissions , the health sector was previously often neglected in discussions about decarbonisation .
EASAC and FEAM highlight that a concerted policy-making effort at European Union level is needed , in spite of some decarbonisation initiatives in the sector , in order to holistically implement climate change mitigation and climate adaptation strategies . Attention should also be paid to other sectors and global regions . ■ JMO
For researchers , it is vital to be able to access and share health data on a global level . This data transfer ensures sufficiently large sample sizes and enables researchers to compare the progression of diseases in different settings . Events such as Brexit and the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation ( GDPR ) are increasingly introducing impediments to this transfer . Three European science academies networks are therefore calling on EU policy decision-makers and legislators to reduce such impediments to sharing personal health data with researchers outside of the European Economic Area ( see page 4 ). ■ JMO
In June 2019 , the national science academies of Germany , France , Italy , Austria , Sweden , the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom joined forces to form the “ European Academies Research Initiative ”, with the aim of gaining new insights into the history of academies in Europe . The online workshop “ The History of European Academies in the 20th Century ” organised at the Italian Accademia dei Lincei on 27 May represented an important first step for the initiative . It gave an overview of the topic , including a presentation of the state of research as well as desiderata for future research , across the different countries . ■ RST
Decarbonisation of the Health Sector
Sharing of Personal Health Data for Research
The History of European Academies in 20th Century