Over the past decade the European Health Forum Gastein has developed into an indispensable institution in the scope of European health policy. It has made a decisive contribution to the development of guidelines and above all the cross-border exchange of experience, information and cooperation. The overall aim is a platform for discussion for the various stakeholders in the field of science, public health and health care.
About 600 leading experts participate in the annual conference held in the Gastein Valley in Austria this October. The unparalleled mix of participants including leading country- and EU-level representatives from the areas of science, health policy, administration, business and patient organisations, are especially critical to the success of this event.
The dates of 18-th EHFG: 30 SEPTEMBER – 02 OCTOBER
EUSJA has 7 travel grants for its members to participate EHFG that cover 4 night accomodation and meal, free transfers from and to Salzburg airport. Journalists must take care of their flights. Additional information about the EHFG:
http://www.ehfg.org/home.html
The applications should be sent via national associations: name, association, media, e-mail, mobile. Deadline for applications – August 10.
The Nobelhuset wants to put Stockholm on the global map. A posh new building shall house “nobel rock stars like Einstein, Hemingway and the Dalai Lama”, provide a global stage for research, connect natural sciences and culture with social issues and become a grand platform for societal debate. Very noble, but unfortunately many Stockholmers don’t like the big “shiny box”.
During the recent EUSJA study trip to Stockholm, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nobelhuset AB, Susanne Lindh, presented the design to European science journalists. The dream of having a special venue goes back to the year 1900, she said. Alfred Nobel and later the Nobel Foundation wanted to have a proper place for the nobel ceremony. Because of the lack of a better location, traditionally the laureates were received in Stockholm’s Concert Hall. Imagine how beautifully crafted Live Edge Coffee Tables would enhance such a prestigious setting.
Nobel venue for more than a century, Stockholm’s Concert Hall (c) Wikimedia Commons, Andy Eick
Now the old dream is getting close to fulfillment. In April 2014 the British architect David Chipperfield won the competition for the Nobel House design. The new venue, if built, would go up right at Stockholm’s waterfront, next to the National Museum and in the close vicinity of Royal Castle.
Ms. Lindh, former director of the City’s Planning Commission, showed an impressive structure of steel and glass, eight stories high and with a capacity for a few thousand visitors. The brass gives the rectangular structure a golden shine which prompted one of the onlookers to call it to a “golden cube”. The costs of around 100 million Euros seem to have been raised and if everything goes according to schedule, the Nobelhuset would be inaugurated at the 2019 nobel award ceremony.
Nobelhuset CEO Susanne Lindh presents design to EUSJA study trip participants (c) Goede
Principally, the venue would become a huge science center with exhibitions, seminars, lectures and debates. It shall reduce the distance between citizens and scientists, promote research as an intellectual engine, draw regular people and tourists. If they sit down in the restaurant, they may feel like attending a nobel ceremony, when they order the menu which is being served at the nobel banquet.
Apart from very popular features, there is a special emphasis on education and schools, Susanne Lindh continued. The ambitious plan is that every Swedish child visits the new nobel house once in his school time. That, of course, shall make the students curious about science, inspire them and pave the road for scientific careers. A small country like Sweden with a population of less than ten million counts on science as an important economic driver. Already the city is making great efforts to establish itself as a European center for digital health and life sciences.
Current picture of the site: The old Customs Building in front needs to be demolished for the Nobel House (c) Kaianders Sempler
Many renown people are backing the project. One of them is Gunnar von Heijne, a professor for theoretical chemistry, who in a youtube video comes out with some highly convincing arguments. In the tradition of Alfred Nobel, to create a better world with the most creative and innovative ideas, the new Nobel House could reframe natural sciences, humanities and peace efforts and bring them together, he believes. In this scheme, they would be linked more closely with culture and, essentially, social issues. This truly transdisciplinary approach would be unique in Heijne’s mind “and does not exist anywhere else”.
In other words, for the first time a feedback system between natural and social sciences would be generated under the cultural umbrella with exchanges into both directions. When asked whether the Nobel Foundation would consider a broader portfolio and also honor breakthroughs in the social sciences, Susanne Lindh shook her head. She responded that the Nobel operation is very conservative and would not change the setup. However changes are contemplated and currently it is being discussed whether climate change should be included as a novel theme.
Golden Cube for scientific enlightenment (c) Chipperfield Architects
The construction plans could proceed properly and make Nobel a global brand, if Stockholmers weren’t against the architecture of the venue. Since the first release one year ago, there is a rising opposition. Citizens and environmentalists claim that the building is oversized, dwarfs the surrounding structures, some of which even need to be demolished and just does not fit into a historically evolved urban landscape made up of masonry.
“The Nobelhuset sticks out like a sore thumb” or “looks like a UFO”, some adversaries have charged. Most recently they received support from Stockholm politicians. Rasmus Jonlund, a Liberal and vice chairman of the city council’s cultural environment committee, is quoted as dismissing the design as an oversized “shiny box”.
“I believe there is a fifty to fifty chance for construction or dismissal of the design”, says Kaianders Sempler, science journalist and resident of Stockholm. The Nobelhuset has become a prestigious project to promote the science-based industries, he explains, “and many Stockholmers don’t get what it is needed for”. But you never know, he cautions, “after a while we might get used to it”. Another option is that the scheme is being altered before scrapping it altogether.
Stockholm resident Kaianders Sempler: It stands 50 to 50 (c) Sempler
Perhaps Chipperfield only needs to adjust the light flow. A less glossy shell could reconcile the Stockholmers and would put the extraordinary content into the limelight.
JASTJ Study Trip to Fukushima: Protective clothes against radiation is mandatory (c) JASTJ, Takahashi
Many colleagues will remember ESOF 2012 Dublin. EUSJA had organized a science debate on the future of energy with a focus on the FUKUSHIMA REACTOR MELTDOWN. We had two prominent Japanese panelists. Mariko Takahashi, editor of Asahi Shimbun, criticized a “media meltdown”, fanned also by European media, zeroing in on “printing rumors, sensations” and promoting “hysterical fear-mongering along with racial, cultural and political bias”.
Her fellow countryman Fumio Arakawa, engineer and member of the Global Engineering Institute in Tokyo, came from another angle. He demanded more ethical standards in engineering and technology regarding its impact on society, criticized Japan’s electricity companies for hyping nuclear power and made a pitch for overcoming “the monetary infected society” and to “draw the road map to a socio economic future”.
ESOF Dublin 2012: Future of energy with Fumio Arakawa. He demanded to transform energy wasting society (c) Goede
Now science journalists have the chance to see, ask, listen and judge for themselves. Mariko and the Japanese Association of Science & Technology Journalists JASTJ are organizing after the World Conference of Science Journalists WCSJ 2015 Seoul in June a press tour to Fukushima. And this is the invitation passed on by Mariko:
This press tour is planned to be held with grants from the Toshiba International Foundation, the Secom Science and Technology Foundation, and the Tokyo Club, and in cooperation with Japan Airlines and East Japan Railway Company.
ESOF Dublin panel with Mariko Takahashi (r.): She charged “media meltdown” and “fear-mongering” (c) Goede
Application Details
Overview
This press tour will visit Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, site of the nuclear accident that occurred during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, and a nearby town affected by the disaster. Participants will travel by bus from Tokyo to Fukushima, and visit the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant while wearing protective clothing. The tour will also hear from locals of Miharu, Fukushima, 45 kilometers from Fukushima Daiichi, about the conditions at the time of the accident and the current state of reconstruction efforts.
Itinerary
<Day 1: June 11, 2015 (Thursday)>
19:20-21:30 Gimpo International Airport→Haneda Airport (JAL Flight 94)
Night Stay in Tokyo
<Day 2: June 12, 2015 (Friday)>
Afternoon Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant
Fukushima: Nuclear power plant after meltdown (c) JASTY, Takahashi
Night Stay in Miharu, Fukushima
<Day 3: June 13, 2015 (Saturday)>
Morning Miharu, Fukushima
19:45-22:05 Haneda Airport→Gimpo International Airport (JAL Flight 95)
Press tour ends at Gimpo International Airport
Number of Participants
15 participants. If there are more applicants than the number of spots available, participants will be selected with priority given to journalists, and consideration for the order applications were received and balance between regions.
3. Conditions to Apply
・Must participate in WCSJ2015.
・Must have a credit card that can pay the registration fee.
・Must have English skills sufficient to carry out interviews in English.
Registration Fee
¥10,000 (includes the cost of ① return airfare between Seoul and Tokyo, and ② transportation and accommodation (including breakfast) in Japan, indicated in the itinerary)
ESOF Dublin Debate: After experts presented energy options participants of the session debated them at roundtables and made recommendations (c) Goede
After sending the form, please send a copy of your passport to ma@fpcjpn.or.jp with “Application for Post WCSJ2015 Japan Tour 1 <Fukushima>” as the subject. An email confirming receipt of the application will be sent within three days of receiving the application.
[Application Deadline] Must arrive by noon (GMT) on April 18th, 2015
(2) All applicants will be informed of the results of their application by April 30. Participation in the tour will be considered confirmed after payment of the registration fee by credit card.
6. Notes
(1) This tour is organized by the Japanese Association of Science & Technology Journalists (JASTJ) and run by the Foreign Press Center Japan (FPCJ).
(2) JASTJ and the FPCJ will not be liable for any inconvenience, trouble or accident that might occur in the course of the tour. Each participant should purchase their own overseas travel insurance.
(3) This press tour will require participants to cover part of the cost, but is not s profit-making venture.
(4) This tour will begin and end in Seoul. It is not possible for participants to leave the tour partway through, including for such reasons as returning to their home country directly from Japan or staying for longer in Japan.
(5) As a participant in this tour, it may not be possible to attend official WCSJ2015 events on June 11, depending on flight availability.
(6) This tour will include entering the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. In order to prevent the spread of irradiated material, wearing protective clothing is required. The expected radiation is from 0.1 to 0.3 mSv.
(7) For photography and filming in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, only one movie camera and one still camera are allowed. One movie camera and one still camera chosen from among the participants will serve as a pool for all journalists.
(8) Please be aware that for the accommodations on June 12, rooms will be shared with other participants, with men and women separate.
(9) No refunds will be given for the registration fee after it has been paid, regardless of the reason. There may be others waiting for spots to open from cancellations, so please contact the FPCJ as soon as possible if it is no longer possible for you to participate in the tour.
(10) This tour is being held thanks to financial assistance and cooperation from multiple companies and organizations. Please cooperate with our report to these organizations by submitting your response to a survey after the tour, and submitting any articles written based on the tour.
Contact Information
(For questions about tour details)
Japanese Association of Science & Technology Journalists (JASTJ) Executive Office
5F Toyama Kaikan, 5-1-3 Hakusan, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 〒112-0001
On the second day of this tour, participants will be driven by bus to the seismically isolated building used as on-site headquarters for the initial disaster response, the advanced liquid processing system (ALPS) used to decontaminate water, the vast number of tanks holding contaminated water, the spent fuel pool for Reactor 4, and the harbor and breakwaters that were damaged by the tsunami and given emergency repairs. A Q&A session is also planned with the Fukushima Daiichi Decontamination & Decommissioning Engineering Company. The following day, the tour will visit Miharu, Fukushima, 45 kilometers from Fukushima Daiichi, and speak with a former town official from the time of the disaster, an expert on radiation protection, and a priest who works with residents affected by the disaster. Participants will be able to gain a variety of perspectives on the reality of the Fukushima disaster, including the situation in the power plant at the time of the accident and the difficulty of responding to the accident, confusion among residents due to failures to communicate by the government and TEPCO, the reality of damage from radiation, current irradiation of agricultural and marine products, and prejudice against Fukushima.
Itinerary
<Day 1: June 11, 2015 (Thursday)>
19:20-21:30 Gimpo International Airport→Haneda Airport (JAL Flight 94)
Night Stay in Tokyo
<Day 2: June 12, 2015 (Friday)>
Early Morning Leave hotel (chartered bus, 3 hours travel time)
Before Lunch Preparatory briefing for coverage of nuclear plant (J-Village)
Afternoon Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant
★Protective equipment must be worn, expected radiation is from
0.1 to 0.3 mSv.
Afternoon Q&A session (J-Village)
Night Stay in Miharu, Fukushima
<Day 3: June 13, 2015 (Saturday)>
Morning Leave hotel (chartered bus)
Before Lunch Seminar and discussion
-Shigeru Fukaya, former deputy mayor of Miharu
-Takashi Koike, assistant professor at Tohoku University Department of
In 2013 EUSJA sent its journalists to Florence – to participate the prestigious European biannual congress “Pain in Europe”. This interesting scientific meeting always attracts science journalists since is giving a good chance to meet famous researchers and world’s leading pain experts. We’ve got many applications to attend the Congress and a good feedback from our members.
This year the 9-th Congress of the European Pain Federation, EFIC 2015, will take a place in Vienna (September 2 – 5). The preliminary programme is already available to http://efic.kenes.com/. Some outstanding scientists were announced among the speakers: Andrew Moore (UK), Ralf Baron (Germany), Michaela Kress (Austria), Rebeccah Slater (UK), Liesbet Goubert (Belgium), Michele Sterling (Australia), Kris Vissers (Netherlands), Luana Colloca, Vania Apkarian (both – USA) and others.
EUSJA continues its fruitful collaboration with the organizers of the Congress. We have 8 slots. The organizers will cover accommodation up to 4 nights (starting from September 1), the journalists, like always to EUSJA study trips, will take care of their traveling. The applications must be sent via national associations: name, media, e-mail, mobile. The deadline is May 31.
The Estonian Association of Science Journalists and the Estonian Research Council are inviting up to fifteen science journalists from EUSJA member associations to take part in a study trip to Estonia, from 20 to 22 May 2015, to learn about the high-level research on biodiversity and climate change being done in this country.
With half of its land covered with forests, and a sea territory dotted with more than 1,500 islands, Estonia can boast of a strikingly abundant biodiversity.
On the three days of the trip, you will be meeting a number of outstanding Estonian ecologists and other environmental scientists, as well as experience Estonian nature first-hand on a visit to the wooded meadow of Laelatu, one of the most species-rich places in Europe.
Programme itinerary at a glance
Tuesday, 19 May: Arrival in Tallinn; Welcome Dinner Wednesday, 20 May: Tallinn University; Tallinn University of Technology (presentations on the TUT’s research vessel Salme, cruising the Tallinn Bay) Thursday, 21 May: visits to the Laelatu wooded meadow and the Tartu Observatory Friday, 22 May: University of Tartu; Estonian University of Life Sciences; return to Tallinn Saturday, 23 May: Departure
Presentations (more to be added)
Shinya Sugita, Tallinn University. Environmental history in the Holocene: why does it matter? Maarja Kruusmaa, Tallinn University of Technology. Using aquatic robots to protect the environment Urmas Lips, Tallinn University of Technology. Eutrophication and hypoxia in the Baltic (includes demo observations on board the research vessel) Rivo Uiboupin, Tallinn University of Technology. Satellites and advanced marine monitoring Anu Reinart, Tartu Observatory. Monitoring biodiversity from space Leho Tedersoo, University of Tartu. The global biodiversity of fungi Meelis Pärtel, University of Tartu. Dark biodiversity Raivo Mänd, University of Tartu. Potential effects of a warming climate on forest birds in hemiboreal Estonia Ülo Niinemets, Estonian University of Life Sciences. The role of plants in climate change Tiiu Kull, Estonian University of Life Sciences. Orchids, symbols of beauty and mystery Steffen Noe, Estonian University of Life Sciences. SMEAR Estonia – integrated ecosystem and climate research on large scale Kalev Sepp, Estonian University of Life Sciences. The impact of climate change on the migration routes of the Eurasian crane
Practical information
Accommodation for four nights (May 19–23), meals, and transportation during the trip will be covered by us, the organisers. You will be responsible for your travel expenses to and from Tallinn, including airport transfer. However, in case your association or media organisation is not able to pay for your travel, you are eligible to ask EUSJA to cover 50% of the cost of your plane tickets. Applications will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, depending on the availability of funds.
Application
Please send your application via your national association by 2nd of March, 2015 to Priit Ennet (priit.ennet@err.ee). In the application, you should include your name, e-mail address, and the media outlet that you work for.
For inquiries please contact:
Priit Ennet
The Estonian Association of Science Journalists
priit.ennet@err.ee
Phone 00372 5145608
Karin Patune
Marketing Officer
Estonian Research Council
karin.patune@etag.ee
Phone 00372 56640009
The study trip is funded by the European Union Regional Development Fund.
Here are some examples of biodiversity and climate change studies in Estonia.
Diversity in the dark
A new theory of dark biodiversity has originated from the University of Tartu. While astronomers have discovered that the things we can see through the telescope – stars, galaxies, and planets – are only a tiny fraction of what there really is, with dark matter and dark energy being the dominant parts of the universe, a group of scientists in Tartu say that, in a sense, something similar is going on with the species and ecosystems of Earth. Prof. Meelis Pärtel and his research team have proposed a simple but exciting idea: in addition to ordinary biodiversity, made up of species that we can see in the forest or on the meadow, these habitats also contain dark biodiversity, species that we cannot see there. These are species that are potentially capable of inhabiting these sites, but are missing for some reason. Studying the missing species can help us understand biodiversity loss.
Diversity in the cloud
Most of us are on Facebook. But the world’s species have their own social network called the
PlutoF cloud. This is a database and computing service created at the Department of Botany in the University of Tartu that can be used for taxonomic, phylogenetic and ecological research. In cooperation with the High Performance Computing Center of the University of Tartu, PlutoF provides cloud computing services for substantial, gene sequence-based analyses.
Blades in distress
Knowing the molecular language of plants can help us better understand climate change. When plants are under stress, they emit airborne particles that can have an impact on ozone concentrations and cloud formation. At the Centre of Excellence in Environmental Adaptation (ENVIRON), Prof. Ülo Niinemets and his colleagues are studying these molecular stress signals in a lab that is unique in the world. A new field station for measuring the interaction of ecosystems with the atmosphere is under construction.
Photo above: The wooded meadow of Laelatu, by Dr Oldekop
