Almedalen 4 July: How can Sweden take on a leading role as a research country?
European Spallation Source, MAX IV Laboratory and Science Village Scandinavia invite you to a seminar during the Almedalen week, under the theme "From Wheat Field to Big Science":
Time: Thursday 4 July, 09.00 – 10.00
Breakfast is served from 08.45. Welcome!
Place: Lilla salen, Högskolan Gotland/Kårhuset Rindi, Tage Cervins gata 1, Visby
How can Sweden take on a leading role as a research country, in an
increasing global competition? How can we support the best scientists
and also attract top scientists and students? Can ESS and MAX IV help
strengthening Sweden’s position within the global research community?
The global competition for the sharpest brains is increasing, but how competitive is Swedish
research? Over the years we have seen a large outsourcing of R&D from Sweden. The interest
for science and technology among young Swedes is declining, and the new tuition fees makes it
harder to attract international top students. Is Swedish research loosing out in the international
competition? In a seminar, we will discuss:
• How can we strengthen Swedish research in the increasing global competition?
• How can we support our top scientists, and also attract top scientists and students?
• What are the obstacles? What are the strengths, and how do we make the most out of
the opportunities?
• Sweden is hosting the research facilities ESS and MAX IV. Can this help strengthening
Sweden’s position within the global research community?
• And can ESS and MAX IV contribute to the attractiveness of Sweden as a research hub
and meeting place for scientists?
PARTICIPANTS:
Eva Åkesson, Vice Chancellor, Uppsala University
Per Eriksson, Vice Chancellor, Lund University
Annette Granéli, Chairperson, the Young Academy of Sweden
Lars Börjesson, Chairman of the ESS Steering Committee and Chairman of the Board at MAX IV Laboratory
Christoph Quitmann, Director, MAX IV Laboratory
Allen Weeks, Head of Communications & External Relations, ESS
Moderator: Thomas Frostberg, Senior Business Columnist, Sydsvenskan
For more information, please contact:
Marianne Ekdahl, Communications Officer Press & Politics, ESS. E-mail marianne.ekdahl@esss.se. Tel. 46 (0)46 888 30 66
BG Svensson, CEO, Science Village Scandinavia AB. E-mail: bg.svensson@sciencevillage.com. Tel: +46 (0)706 98 20 21
Tutti Johansson Falk, Head of Communications, MAX IV Laboratory. E-mail: tutti.johansson_falk@maxlab.lu.se. Tel: +46 (0) 766 32 33 26
ESS IN SHORT:
The European Spallation Source – the next generation facility for materials research and life science
The European Spallation Source (ESS) will be a multi-disciplinary research laboratory based on the world’s most powerful neutron source. ESS can be likened to a large microscope, where neutrons are used instead of light to study materials – ranging from polymers and pharmaceuticals to membranes and molecules – to gain knowledge about their structure and function. ESS will be around 30 times brighter than existing facilities, opening up new possibilities for researchers in for example health, chemistry, fundamental physics, environment, climate, energy, transport sciences and cultural heritage.
ESS is an intergovernmental research infrastructure project, and it will be built in Lund in southern Scandinavia. Currently 17 European countries are Partners in the ESS project, and will take part in the construction, financing and operation of the ESS. The Partner Countries are: Sweden, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
The European Spallation Source ESS AB is a state-owned limited liability company, today owned by the host countries Sweden and Denmark. ESS AB is currently working on finalizing the ESS technical design, planning the future research at ESS, preparing for construction, and planning the future international ESS organisation. This is done in collaboration with a large number of Partner Laboratories, research institutes, and universities around the world. The ground-break is planned for 2014, the first neutrons will be produced in 2019 and the facility will be fully operational around 2025.
ESS is expected to support a user community of at least 5000 European researchers and will have great strategic importance for the development of the European Research Area. Near by there will be complementary laboratories, such as the synchrotron MAX IV in Lund and XFEL and PETRAIII in Hamburg.