A small FNR delegation comprising its Secretary General and Science Europe President Dr Marc Schiltz, Dr Helena Burg (Head of International Affairs) and Didier Goossens (Head of Communication) participated in the recent 15th Annual Meeting of the Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum in Kyoto. Two FNR ATTRACT Fellows also had the opportunity to take part.
It took place from October 7 to 9, with the participation of more than 1,400 global leaders in science and technology, policymaking, business, and media from nearly 80 countries, regions, and international organisations.
The Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum aims to provide a new mechanism for open discussions on an informal basis, and to build a human network that would, in time, resolve the new types of problems stemming from the application of science and technology.
The forum community explored the opportunities arising from science and technology, and addressed how to remove the barriers to using science and technology to solve the problems facing humankind.
FNR Secretary General and Science Europe President Marc Schiltz had been invited to hold an introductory presentation on the ambitious Plan S on Open Science in front of an audience of funding agency presidents from all over the world. The plan stipulates that by 2020, scientific publications that result from research funded by public grants provided by participating national and European research councils and funding bodies, must be published in compliant Open Access Journals or on compliant Open Access Platforms.
In a final statement, the Forum concluded that:
“Science and technology issues concern all of us, and they should not be left only to science and technology professionals. We must all think of them as our own problem. Open science encourages the broader participation of other scientists as well as citizens, reinforcing the idea of open societies. The problems also cannot be solved by one or two countries alone, and therefore it is important for scientists, policymakers, business executives, and other leaders to gather and discuss the issues.
Beyond that, effective communication of science and research findings to the public, thereby encouraging better understanding and greater participation of stakeholders as science and technology continue to transform society. (…)The links between peoples will increasingly require that a greater role be given to S&T diplomacy in a world where many tensions still exist and all could benefit from more harmonious scientific cooperation and exchanges.”
FNR ATTRACT Fellows present
FNR ATTRACT Fellows Associate Professors Anne Grünewald and Thomas Schmidt also attended the 2018 STS Forum Future Leaders Program, with their attendance sponsored by the FNR.
