ESOF 2016 Programme Announced
 
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A man reading the ESOF programme.

The EuroScience Open Forum 2016 programme has been announced

Last week at the AAAS 2016 Annual Meeting, held in Washington DC, the programme for ESOF 2016 was announced. ESOF Co-Champion Professor Luke Georghiou released details of the key speakers and sessions that will be held in Manchester, the historical Cottonopolis of the industrial revolution and home of wonder material Graphene.

 
 

Sunday

ESOF 2016 kicks-off on Sunday 24 July with nine sessions from the Careers programme. They will explore key issues on mobility for early career researchers , peer review and making STEM subjects more attractive in schools. 

Alongside this there will be a satellite programme dedicated to Responsible Research and Innovation with critical reflections on the past, present, and future of RRI and workshops showcasing best practice in research across Europe.

The EuroScience Open Forum will be officially opened on Sunday afternoon at the grand Opening Ceremony; attended by UK government ministers, science ministers and advisers from Europe and further afield.

 
 

Monday

The Science Programme opens Monday with a plenary address from Commissioner Moedas followed by sessions focusing on the potential impact of scientific and technological advances in society. 

Monday's programme has a particular focus on health with keynote appearances from Dame Sally Davies, Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, and sessions dedicated to personalised medicine, medical innovation, biomedical research and the world's drug problem. 

Not to be missed...

"Women in science: how to reboot the system?"

"Big projects - going beyond the realm of science".

 
 

Tuesday

Tuesday is ‘Business Day’ at ESOF, with a programme dedicated to science, technology and industry, featuring debates on patents – ‘more harmful than helpful?’, and ‘the right to be forgotten vs the right to know’. A highlight of the day will be a keynote session on funding and finance in; ‘3 kinds of money’, starring Dr Hermann Hauser

Emerging frontiers are a predominant feature of Tuesday’s Science programme.  Sessions discuss how the exploration of the Universe can help us probe the laws of fundamental physics, the growing engagement of citizens and private companies in space research and the role of sustainability-driven science in promoting a flourishing and forward-looking Arctic region. 

Top sessions...

"To the ends of the Earth - cracking the mysteries of physics"

"Can we simulate the human brain?"

 

 
 

Wednesday

Nature and the Universe are at their most thrilling when revealed at their largest, smallest and fastest scales. Wednesday will examine scientific research into the smallest dimensions of materials and matter, the fastest chemical processes, and the most extreme and challenging terrestrial and extra-terrestrial environments. 

The influence of science in a changing world will feature prominently, with collaborative projects in the Middle East and the southern Mediterranean region at the forefront of discussions. There will also be opportunities to explore the inter-relationship between science and culture with a keynote appearance from Professor Michael Wood, of BBC Two’s ‘The Story of China’. 

Look out for…

"Tattoos – not just body art?"

"Big, fast, small nature"

"Science diplomacy in a changing world"

 
 

Details of individual speakers in each session will be available from early March.

Tickets are still available at discounted rates, and registrations completed before 1 May will also receive a complimentary annual digital and print subscription to Nature Magazine. You can register to attend ESOF here.

Media delegates can take the opportunity to apply for the Nature media travel grant and early career researchers can apply for the Early Career Researcher Grant, which will help towards the cost of travel and accommodation when attending ESOF in the summer, as well as complimentary tickets to the conference itself.

With so much world-class science happening in the conference venue, it stands to reason that it should be brought outside too; Manchester will come alive with science with the Science in the City Festival taking to the streets for a week long science extravaganza from 22-29 July. Experiments, activities and conversations will engage diverse audiences in the excitement of discovering new perspectives and solving new challenges. Innovation in the region’s business, arts, cultural, science and engineering communities will be celebrated. Ambitious partnerships and collaborations will create new opportunities to explore how science connects to our daily lives and to imagine the possibilities for the future.

2016 will be a fantastic year for science in Europe, we can't wait for you to celebrate with us in Manchester this July. Professor Brian Cox, celebrated presenter and author from The University of Manchester sums it up:

“Manchester in some sense was the very first scientific city; it was where the industrial world began. To see cutting edge science and innovation return to the city’s beating heart seems to me to be very fitting. Most importantly of all I think, will be the opportunity for young people to see up close those scientific innovators at the very forefront of discovery who are changing our world for the better.” 

 
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