New Research. New Technology. New Thinking
EuroScience Open Forum 2006 launches call for proposals

About ESOF

ESOF2006 is the 2nd EuroScience Open Forum that will take place 15 to 19 July 2006 in Munich, Germany. It is a pan-European scientific meeting staged to provide an interdisciplinary forum for open dialogue, debate and discussion as well as showcase European achievements right across the scientific spectrum. Through ESOF, researchers and scientists, as well as journalists and the general public are provided with an adequate platform for exchanging views and discussing the challenges and consequences of scientific developments around the world.

ESOF was successfully launched in Stockholm, Sweden in 2004. It attracted 1800 visitors from 67 countries. Founder of ESOF is the Organisation EuroScience, a grass-roots scientific organisation founded in 1997 with over 2,000 members in 40 countries.

In order to promote dialogue between science and society, ESOF2006 will be jointly held with the Wissenschaftssommer (German national science week) in Munich. The Wissenschaftssommer is organised annually by Wissenschaft im Dialog, an initiative of the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft and other German science-funding organisations.

In its work ESOF2006 is supported by a number of committees. The Steering Committee is chaired by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Heckl, General Director of the Deutsches Museum in Munich. Host of the conference is Wissenschaft im Dialog gGmbH. ESOF2006 is to date generously supported by two initiating partners, the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft.

Contact National:

Caroline Wichmann
Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Wissenschaft im Dialog gGmbH
Markgrafenstraße 37
D-10117 Berlin
Tel.: +49 030 20 64 92 04
Fax: +49 (0)30 20 64 92 05
Mob.: +49 (0)173 21 52 04 4
Email: caroline.wichmann@w-i-d.de

Contact International:

Effrosyni Chelioti
Press & Marketing Officer ESOF2006
Wissenschaft im Dialog gGmbH
Markgrafenstraße 37
D-10117 Berlin
Tel.: 030 20 64 92 04
Fax: +49 (0)30 20 67 29 96
Mob.: +49 (0)173 64 33 01 0
Email: effrosyni.chelioti@w-i-d.de

Career Programme for young researchers - CALL FOR PROPOSALS

One important aspect of the forum is to address the specific problems and needs of young scientists. Therefore, ESOF2006 would like to organise a Career Programme for young researchers including two types of activities: thematic and skill development workshops.

The thematic workshops are supposed to deal with important issues related to young scientists' needs (e.g. science policy regarding young scientists, the situation of young researchers in developing countries, better access to scientific education and resources, women and science, bidirectional brain drain, alternative careers for researchers, scientists in industry).

The main purpose of the skill development workshops is to give practical directions for improving the career opportunities of young scientists by developing their (presentation) skills. Some of the sessions might be of general interest (CV and scientific writing, networking strategies, media training etc.), while others - taking into consideration the specific needs during each stage in the scientific career- could be specific for undergraduates, PhDs, postdocs and young principal investigators. Some examples are:

• Undergraduates and PhDs: Mentoring, grant application, research management
• Postdocs: Job application and interview
• Young Principal Investigators: Starting and managing a new lab, recruitment of team members

For the proposal form and further details please contact Patricia Boya (pboya@cib.csic.es) or Marta Maczel (ways@waysnet.org).