Science Programme Announced for ESOF 2012

The science programme for Euroscience Open Forum 2012 (ESOF 2012) was officially launched at the AAAS meeting in Vancouver.

ESOF 2012 Science Programme

The Leading advocate for ESOF 2012 and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish Government, Professor Patrick Cunningham, officially launched the science programme and spoke of the honour in Dublin hosting this prestigious event following an open competition in 2008. Prof. Cunningham in launching the programme gave an update on ESOF 2012 developments.

‘Dublin is shaping up to be the best and brightest ESOF to date. Across the four days there will be over 120 science, careers and science-to-business sessions, with 400 plus speakers, including 23 keynotes speakers and five Nobel Laureate’s, an interactive exhibition and busy marketplace and of course a lively social programme.

‘Highlights include the keynote lecture by Jules Hoffmann, 2011 Joint Nobel Prize winner for Medicine, at the ESOF 2012 Opening Ceremony on 11th July, interview with James Watson, Policy Day on 13th July with the keynote address by Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Director General of CERN, Rolf- Dieter Heurer’s address and also a lecture by Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General of the European Space Agency.’

ESOF 2012: Science Programme Highlights. 

The science programme includes current and relevant topics across a spectrum of disciplines. Highlights include sessions on exoplanets, planetary robots, building better athletes (timely as ESOF 2012 is just before the 2012 London Olympics), water-challenges for a changing world, science and innovation in the Islamic World, urban sustainability and the young academy movement. There is an interesting session entitled ‘Science without Borders’ that features speakers such as Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor, Dominique Ristori, John Beddington and Alan Leshner.

Other notable sessions include a symposium on the debate on Publishing and Open Access featuring Philip Campbell. The ESOF 2012 programme has sessions on ‘Volcanic eruptions and the global fallout’, ‘The hunt for the Higgs at the LHC’, ‘Particle of Physics and the explosion of interest’ and ‘Responses to radical climate change’. The argument on ‘aging in Europe, abyss or opportunity’ and ‘What will power Europe’s future’ also feature on the ESOF programme.

The event, which is held biannually in a European city, will bring together over 5,000 scientists, business leaders, government officials and international science and related media to discuss the best of European science and to address all of the major global challenges, including Energy, Climate Change, Food and Health.

ESOF 2012 has several distinct streams including the aforementioned science-to-business and careers programme sessions and at the core of the Dublin event is a strong science programme. Another integral programme stream is the ‘Science and the City’ element. According to David Fahy, ESOF 2012 Director, this programme ‘celebrates where creativity and great science meet and will provide scientific interchange opportunities between ESOF 2012 delegates and the general public.

Science in the City

‘This Science in the City Festival will include a range of events that will excite the public and ESOF Delegates about science and technology, will tap into peoples’ curiosity by engaging them at various levels.

‘The innovative science themed programme which will take place throughout Dublin will consist of over 70 events over the ten days that bridge the ESOF meeting from the 6th to the 15th of July. Events include photographic and art exhibitions, several theatre pieces, film, tours, trails and treasure hunts, street performances, science buskers, large-scale interactive installations, experiments, science carnivals, public talks, debates, workshops and even a
fashion show,’ David concluded.

Early Bird registration

Early bird registration is open until 28th March, standard fees apply following close of early bird discounts.

Rolf-Dieter Heuer

 CERN Director General

Professor Rolf-Dieter Heuer has been CERN Director General since January 2009. He obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Heidelberg in 1977. Most of his scientific work has focused on the study of electron-positron reactions, the development of experimental techniques, as well as the construction and operation of large detector systems.

From 1984 to 1998, Prof. Heuer was a staff member at CERN, working for the OPAL experiment at the electron-positron storage ring LEP. During his 15 years at CERN Prof. Heuer occupied the highest managerial positions in the OPAL experiment and was the OPAL’s spokesperson in 1994-1998.

In 1998, Rolf-Dieter Heuer was appointed to a chair at the University of Hamburg. Then, he set up a working group to prepare experiments at an electron-positron Linear Collider that quickly became one of the leading groups in this field worldwide.

From 2004 to 2008, Prof. Heuer was research director for particle and astroparticle physics at the DESY laboratory, a member of the Helmholtz association. Prof. Heuer has been a member of many scientific committees and advisory bodies where he has acquired a great deal of expertise in reviewing projects as well as in assessing and promoting people.

Craig Venter

J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., is regarded as one of the leading scientists of the 21st century for his numerous invaluable contributions to genomic research. He is Founder, Chairman, and President of the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a not-for-profit, research organization with approximately 300 scientists and staff dedicated to human, microbial, plant, synthetic and environmental genomic research, and the exploration of social and ethical issues in genomics.

Dr. Venter is also Founder and CEO of Synthetic Genomics Inc., a privately held company dedicated to commercializing genomic-driven solutions to address global needs such as new sources of energy, new food and nutritional products, and next generation vaccines.

Dr. Venter began his formal education after a tour of duty as a Navy Corpsman in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968. After earning both a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Physiology and Pharmacology from the University of California at San Diego, he was appointed professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. In 1984, he moved to the National Institutes of Health campus where he developed Expressed Sequence Tags or ESTs, a revolutionary new strategy for rapid gene discovery. In 1992 Dr. Venter founded The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR, now part of JCVI), a not-for-profit research institute, where in 1995 he and his team decoded the genome of the first free-living organism, the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae, using his new whole genome shotgun technique.

In 1998, Dr. Venter founded Celera Genomics to sequence the human genome using new tools and techniques he and his team developed. This research culminated with the February 2001 publication of the human genome in the journal, Science. He and his team at Celera also sequenced the fruit fly, mouse and rat genomes.

Dr. Venter and his team at JCVI continue to blaze new trails in genomics. They have sequenced and analyzed hundreds of genomes, and have published numerous important papers covering such areas as environmental genomics, the first complete diploid human genome, and the groundbreaking advance in creating the first self-replicating bacterial cell constructed entirely with synthetic DNA.

Dr. Venter is one of the most frequently cited scientists, and the author of more than 250 research articles. He is also the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, public honors, and scientific awards, including the 2008 United States National Medal of Science, the 2002 Gairdner Foundation International Award and the 2001 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize. Dr. Venter is a member of numerous prestigious scientific organizations including the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Society for Microbiology.

James Watson

The winner of the 1962 Nobel Prize, Dr. Watson uncovered the basic scientific structures of life and how the organization of these proteins and nucleotides arrange themselves to create the unique identities of each living organism.

There is no one with more authority than Dr. Watson to comment on the current direction and debates surrounding genetic engineering, cloning and the future of ‘ life’ itself. Dr. Watson is a living legend whose greatest scientific discovery radically advanced and altered our understanding of human identity and whose legacy points to infinite possibilities and complicated questions.

From 1988 to 1992, Dr. Watson was appointed to head the National Institute of Health in the Human Genome Project, which involved thousands of scientists worldwide working to crack the human genetic code. The recent completion of the first survey of the entire human genome is a historic achievement in DNA research and provides scientists worldwide with the knowledge of an estimated 90% of genes on every chromosome. This discovery will expedite the understanding of how genetics can influence disease development, aid researchers looking for genes associated with particular diseases and lead to the discovery of new treatments.

A member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society, he has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Science and, with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins, the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1962. Dr. Watson received an honorary knighthood December 31, 2001.

Jean-Jacques Dordain

Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA)

Jean-Jacques Dordain, born in 1946, studied engineering at the Ecole Centrale (obtaining his diploma the year Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon), before going on to join ONERA, the French National office for aerospace studies and research in 1970. First serving as a researcher in propulsion and launchers from 1970 to 1976, he then went on to be Coordinator of Space Activities and then Director of Fundamental Physics. In 1977, he was among the first five French candidate astronauts to be selected by CNES.

After joining ESA in 1986 as Head of the Microgravity and Space Station Utilisation Department, Jean-Jacques Dordain became Associate Director for Strategy, Planning and International Policy in 1993, Director of Strategy and Technical Assessment in 1999, then Director of Launchers in 2001. He was appointed Director General in December 2002, taking up office in July 2003. In June 2006, his mandate as ESA Director General was renewed until 2011. In June 2010 he was re-elected to a third four-year term until June 2015.

Registration & Fees

Conference Schedule

Maire Curie Dinner

The Marie Curie Dinner will be held on Tuesday 10th July in The Royal Dublin Society

This beautiful building dates back to 1731 and is an ideal location for the dinner.  Fellows will have the opportunity to sample some of Ireland’s food in a relaxed environment.

Access from Dublin Convention Center to he Royal Dublin Society, Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin: 

By Bus The RDS is serviced by bus routes number 4, 7, 5 and 45, which stop outside the Main Hall Entrance to the RDS on the Merrion Road. These bus services can be availed of on Nassau Street outside Trinity College.

By Local Train Dublin DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport) service also operates from the City Centre to Ballsbridge. Travel southbound to Lansdowne or Sandymount

Please see here for further directions

The Westbury Hotel *****

Already one of the Leading Hotels of the World, The Westbury Hotel is renowned worldwide when it comes to luxury Dublin city hotels. Its unbeatable location just off Dublin’s Grafton Street, half-way between historic Trinity College and the landmark that is Stephen’s Green, puts The Westbury Hotel at the very heart of Dublin’s premier retail and cultural quarter, with great shopping, great pubs and restaurants, and great theatres and night-life literally on your doorstep.

Westin Hotel *****

The Westin Dublin is a luxury 5 star hotel in Dublin, located just opposite Trinity College.  Behind the historic 19th century façade of The Westin Dublin hotel, all 163 guest rooms and suites are spacious and feature a signature Heavenly Bed® ensuring the best night’s sleep, as well as a characteristic Irish décor to remind you of the delightful surroundings

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel ****

Situated in the heart of Dublin the hotel’s location affords guests prime access to all of the city centre’s sights and sounds. Enjoy stunning city centre views from any of the well appointed bedrooms in the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel. All bedrooms are equipped with LCD TV, hair dryer, tea/coffee facilities, and complementary internet access and all guests are given complementary access to a nearby leisure centre to wind down after a busy day.

The Morgan Hotel ****

This funky, boutique style hotel is positioned right in the heart of Dublin’s infamous Temple Bar. The vibrant atmosphere of this cultural hub is reflected in the quirky furnishings and design of this unique hotel.

Gibson Hotel ****

The Gibson Hotel is chic, understated and right in the heart of Dublin’s brand new cultural hub, 5 minutes from the CCD. Subtle, yet surprising, understated yet complex too, the hotel takes inspiration from its central location and unique surroundings.

Clarion (IFSC) ****

The Clarion Hotel Dublin City is a modern, Irish owned, 4 Star Hotel and Leisure Centre in the heart of Dublin City, and only 3 minutes from the Convention Centre Dublin. Rooms have everything you might need for your stay, and are ideal for both business and leisure travellers. With a clean, uncluttered finish throughout, and warm, friendly staff to take care of you, the Clarion Hotel Dublin City is the perfect choice for your stay in Dublin.

The Morrison Hotel ****

Located in the centre of the city overlooking the River Liffey, the Morrison Hotel is ideally suited to those looking for stylish, contemporary accommodation close to all the city’s amenities. The Hotel was designed by the famous Irish designer John Rocha who created a haven of calm in this bustling vibrant area of Dublin. All rooms in this boutique hotel are beautifully appointed and finished to the highest standard.

Jurys Inn Customs House Hotel

Jurys Inn Custom House has its own special place along the regenerated skyline. It sits amongst the corporate headquarters of multinational companies in the International Financial Services Centre, just across the river from the Grand Canal Theatre and alongside the Convention Centre, two exciting new additions to Dublin. It’s not just an ideal location for business and leisure travellers: it’s an ideal Dublin hotel.

Maldron Hotel Cardiff Lane ****

The Maldron Hotel Cardiff Lane is located a stone’s throw away from the Convention Centre Dublin. Located on the quays of the River Liffey in the centre of Dublin City it is the perfect location for a hotel break. Delegates can enjoy contemporary, spacious and beautifully appointed rooms. With a bar, restaurant and health and fitness club, the Maldron is a great place to unwind after a conference.

O’Callaghan Stephens Green

A chic boutique hotel on Dublin’s Stephens Green cleverly combines a modern facade with two beautifully restored Georgian houses. The hotel is home to many hidden gems including a beautifully restored Georgian Library with staccato ceilings and open fireplaces on its first floor. It is within walking distance of the CCD and on the doorstep of Grafton Street and Temple Bar making it an ideal location for those that want to experience Dublin to the full.

O’Callaghan Davenport Hotel

Located on a quiet corner in the heart of Dublin, moments away from the buzz of city life, and a short walking distance from the CCD, the Davenport Hotel is where history and modernity unite. A fusion of old and new is a distinctive feature of this traditional, elegant hotel. Imaginatively decorated in warm, vibrant colours, the 4-star Davenport Hotel has been designed with style and comfort in mind.

O’Callaghan Alexander Hotel

This is a hotel where style has taken precedence over everything except service. Delightful soft furnishings and an array of special features dot the public areas creating an ambiance that is both unique and effortless. Ideally located at Merrion Square in the heart of Georgian Dublin, the Alexander is within strolling distance of all of Dublin’s major sights.

The Gresham Hotel ****

The Gresham Hotel is located in the heart of the city centre. This well known 4 star hotel is located on Dublin’s main thoroughfare, O’Connell Street and is close to Temple Bar, the IFSC and the CCD. This landmark building successfully marries the traditional elements of this historic building with the contemporary style of the 21^st Century.

Trinity Capital Hotel ****

The Trinity Capital guest rooms have been carefully designed with the guest in mind and feature all modern conveniences. Sleek and modern furnishings have been selected with supreme comfort in mind. Extended in 2007 and in 2009 the Trinity Capital Hotel in Dublin now boasts 195 bedrooms in total, all en-suite, ideally located beside Trinity College and a short walk away from the Convention Centre.

Fleet Street Hotel ***

The Fleet Street Hotel Temple Bar is perfectly located in the heart of Dublin City Centre. The hotel is an ideal base to enjoy affordable accommodation in Dublin City Centre. The Fleet Street Hotel Temple Bar is withing walking distance of the IFSC, Convention Centre Dublin , O2 and Grand Canal Theatre. In addition, it is less than a 5 minute walk from the iconic Trinity College Dublin.

Jurys Inn Christ Church ***

Located beside the one thousand year old Christ Church Cathedral and opposite Temple Bar, Jurys Inn Christchurch ticks all the boxes for guests looking for accommodation in Dublin’s epicentre. It offers a choice of dining options with a cafe, bar and restaurant before you step outside the door. The bedrooms in the hotel are spacious and relaxing with internet access, tea and coffee station and multi channel flat screen TV.

Maldron Hotel Parnell Sq. ***

The Maldron Hotel Parnell Square is located a few short steps from O’Connell Street. The boutique style accommodation has a modern, contemporary design in this prime city centre location. The hotel offers both bath and shower, complimentary internet access, interactive TV, 24 hour room service and has Stir Cafe and bar.

Jurys Inn Parnell St ***

Jurys Inn Parnell St is right in the midst of activity located just off Dublin’s main thoroughfare of O’Connell St. This hotel is located right in the middle of Dublin life. The shopping heaven of Henry St is located just 5minutes away while Trinity College, the CCD and Grafton St are just a short stroll away. Each of the bedrooms is finished to a high standard with comfortable furnishings ensuring a pleasant stay.

Maldron Hotel Smithfield ***

All guest rooms are furnished in a contemporary style with complimentary broadband access as standard. Many bedrooms feature wall to ceiling glass windows or balconies with panoramic views of the city with some of the finest accommodation Smithfield has to offer. This 3 star Dublin City Hotel open’s it doors onto Smithfield Plaza, a vibrant and newly developed quarter of Dublin city centre.  Smithfield is very well served with public transport, with the nearby Luas red line (tram) station just 3 mins walk from our doors.  Heuston Station is just 2 stops away by Luas, offering easy access to visitors arriving by intercity and commuter services into Dublin.

Camden Court Hotel ***

Located a short stroll from Dublin’s St Stephens Green, the hotel offers a wide range of ensuite bedrooms. The hotel is well suited for guests offering a complete leisure centre and business centre, complementary WiFi, the Iveagh Restaurant and the Central Bar available for guests to get a feel for the Irish Sociable nature.

The Pearse Hotel ***

The Pearse Hotel is within walking distance of the best shopping areas, restaurants, theatres, conference and sports venues in Dublin including, RDS, Lansdowne Road and the Point Depot. The nearby cosmopolitan district of Temple Bar offers a lively combination of bars, cafes, restaurants and nightclubs.

The Sandymount Hotel ****

The Sandymount Hotel is located in one of Dublin’s most exclusive addresses. Situated beside the stunning Aviva stadium the family run hotel is just a leisurely walk away from the Convention Centre and all the attractions of Dublin’s City Centre.

The Burlington Hotel ****

Deep-rooted tradition with a cosmopolitan twist, the Burlington Hotel is a long standing favourite luxury hotel of times past  and present. Just a short stroll from Dublin’s City Centre, the Aviva Stadium and the RDS and a short bus or taxi ride from the Grand Canal Theatre, O2 Arena and the CCD, the Burlington provides guests with a central base in which to explore the city from. All rooms are recently refurbished to the highest standards ensuring guests enjoy a comfortable stay.

Ashling Hotel ****

The Ashling is a stunning Dublin City hotel in a great central location adjacent to Heuston Station, Dublin Zoo, Kilmainham Gaol and on the Luas red line. A genuinely warm welcome, spacious bedrooms, strategic location and friendly, professional staff – all combine to offer you a unique 4 Star Dubin Hotels experience throughout your stay. You can travel by tram on the Luas red line to Dublin city centre, only minutes away.

D4 Hotels***

3 hotels located a stone’s throw from one another all positioned in Dublin’s most prestigious postcode addresses. Located beside Aviva stadium it is only a short away from the coastline, the boutique stores of Grafton Street, the buskers of Temple Bar and the Convention Centre Dublin. Rooms are modern, comfortable and stylish.

North Star Hotel***

The North Star Hotel is located on the edge of the busy city centre making it a good retreat from  bustle of Dublin city centre, while still being able to walk to the major tourist attractions. It has cosy bedrooms with crisp cotton duvets and tea and coffee making facilities. The hotel offers a gym and sauna for guests and parking is available at a charge.

Temple Bar Hotel ***

The Temple Bar Hotel is situated in the heart of Dublin. With a tradition of live music and good food in the Terrace Restaurant and Buskers Bar this hotel is ideal for the couple or individual wishing to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city. Located beside Dublin’s Hard Rock Cafe – this hotel will offer a great selection of nightlife to explore. The bedrooms are modern and comfortable with Wifi, room service, flat screen TV and in room laptop safe. Parking is available in nearby complex at a reduced fee.

Cassidys Hotel***

For a classic Dublin experience Cassidys hotel is the perfect choice. Cassidys hotel is a comfortable, family owned and operated, boutique styled hotel located in 3 converted Georgian buildings in the heart of Dublin’s city centre. Cassidys hotel is situated opposite the famous Gate theatre on Upper O’Connell Street and close to everything a visitor to Dublin could want. Dublin’s shopping districts and museums are all within a short stroll of Cassidys hotel.

Arlington Hotel ***

The Arlington Hotels in O’Connell Bridge and Temple Bar are some of the most centrally located hotels in Dublin’s City Centre. Both hotels are conveniently located close to all visitor attractions, business, and shopping and theatre district. Comfortable and affordable they provide the perfect base for your trip to Dublin.

Accommodation

We have negotiated special rates for the Marie Curie Actions Conference and ESOF 2012 with a range of hotels in Dublin close to The Convention Centre.

The accommodation can be booked on your registration form.  The list of accommodation with descriptions, rates andphotographs are below.

Trinity College Dublin:

Apartment Accommodation

Located in historic parts of campus and recently renovated, the apartments have two or three single bedrooms, one bathroom and a kitchen / living room. The kitchen is suitable for tea/coffee making facilities & light catering. All bedrooms have individual locks. While the bathroom is shared in these apartments they are modern and comfortable and the superior accommodation option within the Trinity Campus.

Ensuite Single/Twin

This accommodation consists of basic single-bedded or twin-bedded rooms with own private bathroom equipped with shower, toilet & wash basin. All rooms have access to a shared kitchen for tea/coffee making facilities & light catering. There is no internet access in this building.

Temple Bar Hotel***

The Temple Bar Hotel is situated in the heart of Dublin. With a tradition of live music and good food in the Terrace Restaurant and Buskers Bar this hotel is ideal for the couple or individual wishing to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city. Located beside Dublin’s Hard Rock Cafe – this hotel will offer a great selection of nightlife to explore. The bedrooms are modern and comfortable with Wifi, room service, flat screen TV and in room laptop safe. Parking is available in nearby complex at a reduced fee.

D4 Hotels***

3 hotels located a stone’s throw from one another all positioned in Dublin’s most prestigious postcode addresses. Located beside Aviva stadium it is only a short away from the coastline, the boutique stores of Grafton Street, the buskers of Temple Bar and the Convention Centre Dublin. Rooms are modern, comfortable and stylish.

The Burlington Hotel****

Deep-rooted tradition with a cosmopolitan twist, the Burlington Hotel is a long standing favorite luxury hotel of times past – and present. Just a short stroll from Dublin’s City Centre, the Aviva Stadium and the RDS and a short bus or taxi ride from the Grand Canal Theatre, O2 Arena and the CCD, the Burlington provides guests with a central base in which to explore the city from. All rooms are recently refurbished to the highest standards ensuring guests enjoy a comfortable stay.

Maldron Hotel Cardiff Lane ****

The Maldron Hotel Cardiff Lane is located a stone’s throw away from the Convention Centre Dublin. Located on the quays of the River Liffey in the centre of Dublin City it is the perfect location for a hotel break. Delegates can enjoy contemporary, spacious and beautifully appointed rooms. With a bar, restaurant and health and fitness club, the Maldron is a great place to unwind after a conference.

Visiting Dublin

For General Information on Dublin please click here

For information on the venue please click here

Contact Details

For further information on registration, accommodation and social programme for the Marie Curie Actions Conference 2012 please contact:

Julia Edkins, Conference Partners Ltd, 11-13, TheHydeBuilding, The Park, Carrickmines,Dublin18,Ireland.

Email: esof2012onferencepartners.ie

Tel: + 353 1 296 8688

For further information on the Marie Curie Actions conference programme please contact:

Arya-Marie BA Trung, European Commission, Communication Officer, EAC.C.3 – People Programme; Marie Curie Actions, MADO 10/77, 1049 Brussels, Belgium.

Email : Arya-Marie.BA-TRUNG@ec.europa.eu

Tel : + +32 2 29 55319

Media Room

To facilitate media at ESOF 2012, we will operate a fully-equipped Press Centre in the ESOF 2012 Conference Centre, Convention Centre Dublin. The Press Centre will be open from 11-15 July 2012, providing desk space, access to telephones, PCs , Wifi and interview rooms. Registered journalists will have access to embargoed speakers’ papers online before the event and will be able to attend press conferences with the key speakers at ESOF 2012.

Euroscience Open Forum 2012

Europe’s Largest General Science Conference

Europe’s largest multi-disciplinary Science conference the  Euroscience Open Forum (ESOF) is being hosted in Dublin, Ireland on July 11th- 15th.

What is ESOF?

ESOF – Euroscience Open Forum – is the biennial pan-European meeting dedicated to scientific research and innovation. At ESOF, leading scientists, researchers, business people, entrepreneurs, innovators, policy makers, science and technology communicators, and the general public from all across Europe discuss new discoveries and debate the direction that research is taking in the sciences.

The main event will be held in the Convention Centre Dublin and will attract over 5,000 scientists, business leaders, senior EU and Government officials, and the international and scientific media to discuss the best of European science. The programme will cover all of the current major global scientific challenges, including Health, Food, Energy and Climate Change. It will also look at fundamental issues such as The Life and Death of the Universe, Who are we?, Where did we come from?, and Where we are going?

Some of the Keynote Speakers at ESOF 2012:

Rolf-Dieter Heuer – Director General CERN

Craig Venter – J Craig Venter Institute – Synthetic Biology

Jean-Jacques Dordain – Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA)

Charles Bolden – Administrator of NASA

Jocelyn Bell Burnell – Discovered the first radio pulsars

Peter Doherty – Awarded Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology (1996)

Jules Hoffmann – Awarded Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology (2011)

James Watson – Awarded Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology (1962)

Mary Robinson – Former President of Republic of Ireland and U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights

Bob Geldof – Human Rights and Political Activist

Commissioner Maire Geoghegan-Quinn – European Commissioner for Research, Innovation

For a full list of keynote speakers please see here

Early Bird Registration

The ESOF 2012 programme will be officially launched in Vancouver later this month at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) conference. Early Bird Registration is now open for Europe’s Largest General Science Conference! For early bird registration please click here

The Regency Hotel ***

Trinity College Self Catering

David Fahy

ESOF2012 Programme Director
Phone: 00 353 87 6143168
E-mail: david.fahy@chiefscientificadviser.ie

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn

Lisa Randall

Huanming Yang

Dr. Yang is the co-founder and President of BGI, one of the major genomics centers in the world. He and his collaborators have made a significant contribution to theInternational HGP, HapMap, Cancer Genomeand 1000 Genomes Projects, as well as to the Asian genomes, human pan-genome, ancient genomes, gut metagenomes, exomes and mythylome.  BGI has also contributed to sequencing genomes of rice,potato, maize, pigeonpea, soybean,cucumber, cabbage, chicken, silkworm, panda, ants, naked mole rat,cynomolgus and Chineserhesus macaque, CHO cell lines, SARS virus, lethal E.coliand many other microorganisms.

Dr. Yang obtained his Ph.D. from University of Copenhagen and postdoctoral trainings in France and USA. He has received many awards and honors, including Research Leader of the Year byScientific American in 2002 and Award in Biology by the Third World Academy of Sciences（TWAS）in 2006. He was elected as a foreign member of EMBO in 2006, an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2007, a fellow of TWAS in 2008, a foreign academician of Indian National Academy in 2009.

Test Team Member

Test Team Member

Charles Bolden

Charles F. Bolden, Jr. (major general, USMC Ret.)

NASA ADMINISTRATOR

Nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, retired Marine Corps Major General Charles Frank Bolden, Jr., began his duties as the twelfth Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on July 17, 2009. As Administrator, he leads the NASA team and manages its resources to advance the agency’s missions and goals.

Bolden’s 34-year career with the Marine Corps included 14 years as a member of NASA’s Astronaut Office. After joining the office in 1980, he travelled to orbit four times aboard the space shuttle between 1986 and 1994, commanding two of the missions. His flights included deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope and the first joint U.S.-Russian shuttle mission, which featured a cosmonaut as a member of his crew. Prior to Bolden’s nomination for the NASA Administrator’s job, he was employed as the Chief Executive Officer of JACKandPANTHER LLC, a small business enterprise providing leadership, military and aerospace consulting, and motivational speaking.

Bolden’s NASA astronaut career included technical assignments as the Astronaut Office Safety Officer; Technical Assistant to the Director of Flight Crew Operations; Special Assistant to the Director of the Johnson Space Center; Chief of the Safety Division at Johnson (overseeing safety efforts for the return to flight after the 1986 Challenger accident); lead astronaut for vehicle test and checkout at the Kennedy Space Center; and Assistant Deputy Administrator at NASA Headquarters. After his final space shuttle flight in 1994, he left the agency to return to active duty.

During the first half of 1998, he served as Commanding General of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Forward in support of Operation Desert Thunder in Kuwait. Bolden was promoted to his final rank of major general in July 1998. He retired from the Marine Corps in 2003. Bolden’s many military decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in May 2006.

Mary Robinson

Mary Robinson is President of the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice.  She served as President of Ireland from 1990-1997 and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997-2002. She is a member of the Elders and the Club of Madrid and the recipient of numerous honours and awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the President of the United States Barack Obama.

A former President of the International Commission of Jurists and former chair of the Council of Women World Leaders she was President and founder of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative from 2002-2010.

Mary Robinson serves as Honorary President of Oxfam International and Chair of Board of the Institute of Human Rights and Business in addition to being a board member of several organisations including the Mo Ibrahim Foundation and the European Climate Foundation. Mary is the Chancellor of the University of Dublin since 1998.

Jules Hoffmann

2011 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology.

J. Hoffmann is Professor at the University of Strasbourg and has spent most of his career working with the French National Research Agency CNRS. The studies of the Hoffmann laboratory have been devoted over the last 30 years to unravelling the mechanisms of antimicrobial defenses in Diptera, namely in Drosophila. They have identified inducible antimicrobial peptides as primary immune response genes and have deciphered significant steps in the signaling cascade leading to gene reprogramming. They have further characterized the receptor proteins interacting with bacterial peptidoglycans and fungal -glucans. Of major interest was the discovery of the involvement of the Toll receptor (initially identified by Ch. Nüsslein-Volhard for its role in embryonic development) in the response to fungal and Gram-positive bacterial infection.

Altogether the studies of the Strasbourg laboratory have established Drosophila as an important model system for innate immunity and have contributed to a reevalution of this defense arm in the physiology of antimicrobial defense.

J. Hoffmann is the recipient of many international awards, including the 2011 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology.

Lars Steinmetz

Dr. Lars Steinmetz is one of the world’s leading scientists at the forefront of genetics and genomics research.He obtained his undergraduate degree from Yale University and a PhD in 2002 from Stanford University.

At the age of 27, he started his own research group at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany.

Since 2009, Dr. Steinmetz has served as co-chair of the Genome Biology Unit, which consists of over 100 scientists and 9 research teams; he also co-directs the Centre for High-Throughput Functional Genomics at EMBL.

In parallel, Dr. Steinmetz leads a focused research team at the Stanford Genome Technology Centre in the USA. Furthermore, he is a consultant, collaborator, and scientific advisor for several major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, advising in the areas of genetic diagnostics and personalized medicine.

Kári Stefánsso

Kári Stefánsson, M.D., Dr. Med. founded deCODE in August 1996. Dr. Stefánsson was previously a professor of Neurology, Neuropathology and Neuroscience at Harvard University and Director of Neuropathology at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

From 1983 to 1993, he held faculty positions in Neurology, Neuropathology and Neurosciences at the University of Chicago. Dr. Stefánsson received his M.D. and Dr. Med. from the University of Iceland and is board-certified in neurology and neuropathology in the United States.

Dr. Stefansson is recognized as a leading figure in human genetics. He has shaped deCODE’s scientific approach and been actively engaged in leading its gene discovery work, serving as the senior author on most of the company’s publications.

Regina Palkovits

Regina Palkovits is Associate Professor for Nanostructured Catalysts at RWTH Aachen. She studied chemical engineering at the Technical University Dortmund and carried out her Ph.D. in the group of Prof. FerdiSchüth at the Max-Planck-InstitutfürKohlenforschung. After a research stay in the group of Prof. Bert Weckhuysen at UtrechtUniversity, she returned as a group leader to the Max-Planck-InstitutfürKohlenforschung before she became Professor at RWTH Aachen. In 2010, she was awarded the Robert Bosch-Juniorprofessorship for Utilization of Natural Renewable Resources, the Jochen-Block Award of the German Catalysis Society and the Innovation Award of North Rhine-Westphalia. Her current research focuses on the development of solid catalysts and processes for the efficient utilization of renewable and conventional resources.

Helga Nowotny

Helga Nowotny is Professor emerita of Social Studies of Science, ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) and a founding member of the European Research Council. In 2007 she was elected ERC Vice President and in March 2010 succeeded FotisKafatos as President of the ERC. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Columbia University, NY. and a doctorate in jurisprudence from the University of Vienna. Her current host institution is the Vienna Science and Technology Fund (WWTF). Helga Nowotny is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Ludwig Maximilians University Munich and member of many other international Advisory Boards and selection committees. From 2005 – June 2011 she was Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the University of Vienna. She is a Foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and long standing member the Academia Europaea and recipient of several prizes and awards.

Helga Nowotny has published more than 300 articles in scientific journals. Her latest book publications include “Naked Genes, Reinventing the human in the molecular age”, (with Giuseppe Testa), MIT Press, 2011, “Insatiable Curiosity, Innovation in a Fragile Future”, MIT Press, 2008, and “Cultures of Technology and the Quest for Innovation (ed.)”, New York and London, 2006.

Christian Keysers

Department Head, Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands & Full Professor for the Social Brain, Department for Neuroscience, University Medical Center Groningen.

Christian Keysers (1973) is full professor and heads the Social Brain department at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience in Amsterdam. German and French-born, after a PhD with David Perrett, he joined the team of Giacomo Rizzolatti where he contributed to the discovery of auditory mirror neurons. He then moved to the Netherlands where he showed that our brain is deeply empathic: whenever we see the actions, sensations and emotions of others, we activate our own actions, sensations and emotions as if we were in the skin of the people we observe. Christian is one of the founding fathers of ‘social neuroscience’, his work, published in the finest scientific journals, was cited over 3000 times. He won the Marie Curie Excellence Award and his acclaimed new book, The Empathic Brain, explains how empathy is at the very core of human nature.

Eric Karsenti

I obtained my PhD from Paris University in 1979 (Laboratory of S. Avrameas, Pasteur Institute). I then moved to the University of California, San Francisco (1981), where I worked on the cell cycle and mitosis ( M. Kirschner Lab). I joined EMBL as a group leader in 1985. Over the following 20 years, I have been one the leading scientists that contributed to the understanding of the cell cycle and mitotic spindle.

I also became head of the Cell Biology and Biophysics unit at EMBL. In this Unit, I have developed a new scientific culture, mixing group leaders trained in sophisticated imaging methods with biologists and physicists creating a new discipline that could be called Systemic Cell Biology.

Finally in 2008-2009, I organized the TARA OCEANS expedition that sailed around the world, finishing in March 2012. This has also been a very interesting scientific project in which I brought together Physical Oceanographers with Marine Biologists, Imaging specialists, Molecular Biologists, Bio-Informaticians and Modelers. The aim of this expedition is to better understand plankton organisms evolution and ecosystem.

Enrico Giusti

Enrico Giusti was Professor of Mathematics at the University of L’Aquila, and later at the Universities of Trento, Pisa and Florence. He retired from teaching in 2010.

He has been visiting professor/scholar at several institutions, among which the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford University,  the Institute for Advanced Study, the Australian National University, the Mittag-Leffler Institute in Stockholm, the Lomonosov University in Moscow, the Nankai Institute of Mathematics, the Max-Planck-Institut in Bonn, the University of Tokyo.

His scientific interests include  partial differential equations, the calculus of variations, and differential geometry; later he focused on the history of mathematics and more recently on the popularization of mathematics.

In 1999 he founded “Il Giardino di Archimede”, the first museum ever devoted entirely to mathematics.
He is the editor since its founding (1981) of theBollettino  di Storia delle Scienze Matematiche, the Italian journal for the history of mathematics, and is a member of the Editorial Board of several scientific journals.

Marcus du Sautoy

Marcus du Sautoy is the Charles Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of New College. In 2001 he won the prestigious Berwick Prize of the London Mathematical Society awarded every two years to reward the best mathematical research made by a mathematician under 40. In 2004 Esquire Magazine chose him as one of the 100 most influential people under 40 in Britain and in 2008 he was included in the prestigious directory Who’s Who. In 2009 he was awarded the Royal Society’s Faraday Prize, the UK’s premier award for excellence in communicating science. He received an OBE for services to science in the 2010 New Year’s Honours List. He also received the Joint Policy for Mathematics Board Communications Award for 2010.

He is author of numerous academic articles and books on mathematics. He has been a visiting Professor at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, the Max Planck Institute in Bonn, the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the Australian National University in Canberra.

Marcus du Sautoy is author of the best-selling popular mathematics book “The Music of the Primes” published by Fourth Estate in 2003 and translated into 10 languages. It has won two major prizes in Italy and Germany for the best popular science book of the year. His book “Finding Moonshine: a mathematician’s journey through symmetry” is also published by Fourth Estate and appeared in February 2008. It was longlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction. His new book The Num8er My5teries was published by Fourth Estate in June 2010.

Marcus du Sautoy writes for the Times, Daily Telegraph, Independent and the Guardian and is frequently asked for comment on BBC radio and television. For several years he had a regular column in the Times called Sexy Science. He was presenter of BBC4’s TV game show Mind Games, for which he was nominated for the Royal Society of Television’s Best Newcomer to a Network award. In 2005 he presented a one hour documentary for BBC4 and BBC2 based on his book The Music of the Primes. In autumn 2008 he wrote and presented a four part landmark TV series for the BBC calledThe Story of Maths. He has presented four BBC Horizons including “Alan and Marcus go forth and multiply” co-presented with comedian Alan Davies and “The Secret You” a film about the science of Consciousness. In 2010 he presented a six part TV series for BBC called The Beauty of Diagrams. He is currently making a new 3 part  landmark series called The Code to be broadcast on BBC2 in autumn 2011.

He has written and presented several series for radio including: 5 Shapes for BBC radio 4 in 2004 and Maths and Music for the Essay on BBC radio 3 in 2007 and The Baroque: from ecstasy to infinityfor BBC radio 3 in 2009. In 2010 he wrote and presented a ten part series for BBC Radio 4 called A Short History of Mathematics. He gave the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures in 2006 entitled THE NUM8ER MY5TERIES, broadcast on Channel Five. His presentations on mathematics, which include “Why Beckham chose the 23 shirt”, have played to a wide range of audiences: from theatre directors to bankers, from diplomats to prison inmates.

Marcus du Sautoy plays the trumpet and football. Like Beckham he also plays in a prime number shirt, no 17, for Recreativo FC based in the Hackney Marshes. Born in 1965, he lives in London with his wife, three children and cat Freddie Ljungberg.

Peter Doherty

Peter Doherty shared the 1996 Nobel Medicine Prize for discovering the nature of the cellular immune defense.

Based at the University of Melbourne and also spending part of his year at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, he continues to be involved in research directed at understanding and preventing the severe consequences of influenza virus infection.

In addition, he goes in to bat for evidence-based reality, relating to areas as diverse as childhood vaccination, global hunger and anthropogenic climate change.  In an effort to communicate more broadly, he has published two “lay” books, and has two more in progress.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell

Now a Visiting Professor at Oxford University, I was previously Dean of Science at the University of Bath and for ten years Professor of Physics at The Open University. I had a year as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Princeton University, USA.

I read a Physics degree at Glasgow University, which was followed by a PhD at Cambridge in radio astronomy. During my time there I was involved in the discovery of pulsars – work which was recognised by the award of a Nobel Prize to my supervisor! I subsequently worked in many branches of astrophysics.

In 2008 I become the first female President of the Institute of Physics. I am a fellow of the Royal Society and a Foreign Member of the US National Academy of Science. In demand as a speaker and broadcaster I see public engagement with science as important, and by being visible hope to encourage more women into science.

Pearse Lyons

Renée Schroeder

Bob Geldof

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Travel Grants to attend ESOF 2012

PRESENTATION AND CONDITIONS FOR TRAVEL GRANTS
TO ATTEND ESOF 2012 Dublin, 11th-15th  July 2012

1. Purpose

Created by Euroscience, ESOF – Euroscience Open Forum – is the biennial pan-European meeting dedicated to scientific research and innovation. At ESOF meetings leading scientists, researchers, young researchers, journalists, business people, entrepreneurs and innovators, policy makers, science and technology communicators and the general public from all over the world discuss new discoveries and debate the direction that research is taking in the sciences, humanities and social sciences.

Nature Publishing Group (NPG) is a publisher of high impact scientific and medical information in print and online. NPG publishes journals, online databases, and services across the life, physical, chemical and applied sciences and clinical medicine.

NPG has supported ESOF since its very first edition in 2004. Once again, NPG has generously offered to support ESOF by funding travel grants for journalists to attend ESOF2012 in order to increase the impact of ESOF.

2.  Who can apply?

Journalists irrespective of their nationalities and of their media (paper, radio, TV, web). Media accreditation will be required.

3. Application

To submit an application, please follow the link to http://www.esof.eu/hub/user_session/new

Sign into the ESOF database and click on “Apply for a Scholarship” at the bottom of your profile page. Follow the application procedure.

On submitting the application form for travel grants, you agree to the full acceptance of the rules and to the decision taken by the Selection Committee.

The deadline for submitting an application is the 31st January 2012,
12:00 GMT.

4.  Selection Committee and decision

The Selection Committee is:
•    Philip Campbell, (Editor at Nature Publishing Group)
•    Gail Cardew,  (Chair of the ESOF Supervisory Board)
•    Ruth Francis, (Head of Press at Nature Publishing Group)
•    Carl Johan Sundberg, (Euroscience Vice-President)

The eligibility criteria will mainly be based on the CV assessment and
the applicant’s motivation statement in attending ESOF2012.

An email of decision will be sent to all candidates stating whether or
not their application has been selected and whether they have secured a
grant. (February 2012)

4.  Obligations of grantees

• Journalists must confirm by email to esof@euroscience.org that they accept the travel grant.
• At ESOF2012, the ESOF Hub will arrange two meetings with the selected journalists so as to promote contact among themselves and contact with the ESOF Hub. Journalists selected will be expected to attend these meetings.
• Journalists selected will be asked to provide post-ESOF2012 a proof of published article and failing that they will be asked to provide a written account of their travel for posting on the ESOF website.
• The expenses will be reimbursed by the ESOF Hub post-ESOF2012 on presentation of receipts up to a maximum total of 750 euros.
• The journalists selected will be asked for feedback following ESOF2012 in order to evaluate the success of the scheme.

6.  Information

For any further information, please contact the ESOF Hub at
esof@euroscience.org

What is ESOF?

The Euroscience Open Forum (ESOF) is Europe’s largest general science meeting and is held in a leading European city every two years. It is an interdisciplinary, pan-European meeting, held under the auspices of Euroscience, and the first meeting was held in Stockholm in 2004, followed by Munich (2006), Barcelona (2008) and Turin (2010). Dublin was awarded the honour of hosting ESOF in 2012, following an open competition. Copenhagen will host then event in 2014.

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Euroscience Ireland AGM

Euroscience Ireland would like to invite you to its Annual General Meeting on December 9th in the Science Gallery at 6-8pm.

The Chief Scientific Adviser, Prof. Patrick Cunningham, will speak at the event on the upcoming Dublin City of Science 2012 and Euroscience Open Forum (ESOF) event. (Please note that early bird registration for ESOF 2012 is currently open and a number of travel grants are available)

Euroscience Ireland is a grassroots, member-driven association that works to advance and communicate science and technology for the benefit of Irish society. The meeting will have as its goal the identification of projects for the association to develop and support in 2012 across four main areas:

Focus on Careers as Science Olympics comes to Ireland

Minister Quinn seeks to assist researchers in future career opportunities

Mr Ruairí Quinn, TD, Minister for Education and Skills today [25^th July 2011] launched a call for proposals to assist researchers in future career opportunities.

The outcome of this process will be career focussed workshops, seminars and other events during Europe’s largest science event, ESOF 2012, Euroscience Open Forum, which is coming to Dublin next July.

Launching the call Minister Quinn said: ‘Now more than ever science, technology, engineering and mathematics are assuming increasing importance, improving the quality of our lives, and supporting and promoting essential innovation and employment. From food to pharmacy, healthcare and sports to climate and ecology, from business to technology, teaching and human development, science is all around us, and the interconnectedness and multi-disciplinary nature of science is impacting on our daily lives.

These are critical areas of learning in today’s schools.’

The Call for Careers Programme proposals is a challenge to individuals and organisations to propose interactive sessions to advise, inform or support researchers at all career stages.

Proposals are sought under three broad headings: the challenges facing 21^st century researchers; the diversity of careers open to researchers; and international mobility and the global researcher.

The Careers Programme is an integral stream of ESOF 2012, which will attract over 5,000 scientists, business leaders, government officials and international media to discuss the best of European science and to address all of the major global challenges, including Energy, Climate Change, Food and Health.

Minister Quinn went on to say ‘ESOF 2012 and the associated year-long programme of science related events that will take place across Ireland will attract the best and brightest from across Europe and beyond.

These visitors and events will inspire and motivate our young people to take up important subjects such as science and maths and therefore next year’s activities will assist in advancing the Government’s commitment long-term in research and development and placing Ireland firmly on the map for science.’

Professor Patrick Cunningham, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government reiterated Minister Quinn’s sentiments at the Launch today, ‘ESOF 2012 is the largest multi-disciplinary science event of its kind in Europe – in effect the Olympics of science is coming to Dublin. It is extremely important that the event leaves a positive legacy by enhancing Ireland’s International reputation for science and for educational outcomes in the key areas of science, technology, engineering and maths.’

The Careers Programme call launched today is a very important part of 2012 and I would encourage all Institutions, organisations and individuals who could propose sessions targeted at researchers in all fields from the physical and natural sciences to the social sciences, medical and technology fields to answer the call.’

The Careers Programme Committee is chaired by Dr. Conor O’Carroll, Research Director, Irish Universities Association. The Committee have been working on the development of the Careers Programme for ESOF 2012 for the last number of months. Dr. Carroll who was at the launch today said: ‘Researchers are driven by curiosity in the quest for new knowledge. Their ability to solve complex problems through critical thinking is a real asset to society and gives access to a wide career path across many employment sectors. The ESOF 2012 Careers Programme will help researchers make informed decisions on their future’.