EU-US FRONTIERS OF ENGINEERING SYMPOSIUM

The first EU-US Frontiers of Engineering took place at Jesus College, Cambridge. 60 of the most promising engineers under the age of 40 from the EU and the US met for an intensive three day symposium on developments at the cutting edge of engineering technology. The event was intended to facilitate international and cross-disciplinary research collaboration, promote the transfer of new techniques and approaches across disparate engineering fields, and encourage the creation of a transatlantic network of world-class engineers. Four key engineering areas were selected for discussion: Bio-Inspired Engineering, Materials Ecology, Augmented Reality and Signal Processing. Web site

NORDIC TECHNOLOGY ACADEMIES HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF COOPERATION
   IN ENERGY REFORMS

Nordic cooperation would result in greater opportunities to influence the European Union’s energy policy as well. The Swedish Academy of Engineering in Finland (STV) and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) organised a joint Energy Day in Mariehamn, Åland, on 27 August 2010, during which the energy projects of the academies were discussed, as well as renewing the energy systems in the Nordic countries. The event included representatives from Norway and Denmark in addition to STV and IVA members. According to STV, Finland’s energy future will be prone to failure and vulnerable unless decisive steps are taken soon to renew the system. The improvement work should recognise the threat from climate change, prepare for a new, warmer climate and start constructing the system on a sustainable basis. “The biggest challenge is to make the key individuals understand that work must start on the changes as soon as possible. The additional costs from delays have in some studies been estimated to be considerable, although whoever initiates the changes first of all will gain a great advantage, because there is huge demand for know-how and technology in the market,” stresses Alec Estlander, who chairs the steering group for STV’s energy project. THE NEED FOR CHANGE IS CONSIDERABLE IN ALL THE NORDIC COUNTRIES Perhaps the most important observation from STV’s perspective was that similar conclusions have been reached in energy projects by IVA and STV. It is also essential to get Norway and Denmark involved in any follow-up. “The basic structure of energy production is quite different in all the Nordic countries, but the need for change is considerable in all of them. Denmark needs to take care of its old coal-fired power stations, Norway to install equipment to capture and store carbon dioxide in new gas power plants, Sweden needs to take a decision on its stance towards nuclear power and renewable energy sources, while Finland needs to develop appropriate support and other measures needed for the improvements,” says Estlander. Nordic cooperation has a lot to offer: as a result of similar cultural and social backgrounds, Nordic cooperation is easy and the Nordic countries have similar perspectives on the European and global development. One possible form of cooperation would be to combine R&D resources. “The challenge is to see the differences as a strength and to achieve a consensus for external action. A common Nordic perspective would result in greater opportunities to influence the European Union’s energy policy as well,” says Estlander. MANY TECHNOLOGICAL OPPORTUNITIES Energy can be used considerably more efficiently than today using existing technologies. These possibilities should be introduced rapidly and likewise the importance of saving energy should be disseminated. “There are a number of promising technologies but they all have their own problems. Efforts are being made to find solutions that could better meet sustainability objectives set for energy systems by investing in research and development as well as demonstration plants. The objective would be to create renewable forms of energy that could compete effectively with fossil forms of energy without government support,” says Björn Wahlström, manager of STV’s energy project. In development work it is important to invest extensively in various technologies because at present it is difficult to predict which solutions are here to stay. “The economic efficiency of new solutions should be examined from the perspective of the overall system and its lifecycle so that it can be ensured that future systems are cost effective and their environmental impacts are small,” Wahlström emphasises. GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN ENERGY WORK The most important action in Finland’s energy reforms is to influence decision-makers on the necessity of the change. The energy industry has already drawn up its own carbon neutral vision for the year 2050, but it also needs support in the form of policy instruments. “I am pleased that through the seminar STV was able to engage with Parliament’s Committee for the Future, which was represented at the event by Chair Marja Tiura and members Marjo Matikainen-Kallström, Mats Nylund and Kyösti Karjula,” states Henrik Wolff, STV’s President. Many sustainable energy solutions will come to fruition only after years of research and development, but we can already take action to get the reform work underway. “The support for renewable energy production must be improved, for example the support for biogas excludes smaller projects. Likewise, support for low-emission cars, that is, electric and hybrid cards and new engines, should be clear and motivating. Furthermore R&D financing as well as funding for demonstrations should be significantly increased,” says Wolff. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Björn Wahlström, Project Manager (STV), tel. +358 400 448 710, bjorn@bewas.fi Alec Estlander, Chair of the steering group (STV), tel. + 358 40 740 1728, alec.estlander@ymparisto.fi Henrik Wolff, President (STV), tel. +358 50 64936, henrik.wolff@arcada.fi Staffan Eriksson, Project Director (IVA), tel. +46 70 551 0707, staffan.eriksson@iva.se STV’s project “Will, Vision and Truth”: www.stvif.fi/energi IVA’s project “Energy Crossroads”: www.iva.se/energi STV’s and IVA’s joint statement: www.stvif.fi/energidag ORGANISERS OF THE ENERGY DAY: Swedish Academy of Engineering in Finland (STV): www.stvif.fi Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA): www.iva.se Technology Academy Finland (TAF): www.technologyacademy.fi Åland International Institute of Comparative Island Studies AICIS: www.aicis.ax

EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA

Launch of the new European Reasearch Area (ERA) ec.europa.eu ERAB, June 2010 At the ERAB Conference in Seville the Commissioner of Research and Innovation, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, laid down the challenge to bring forward 10 key recommendations to improve the European Reaserch Area (ERA) 10 key recommendations

IEEE FORUM ON INTEGRATED AND SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

IEEE Forum on Integrated and Sustainable Transportation Systems (FISTS) Vienna, 29 June to 1 July 2011 FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT Experience the first IEEE FISTS Forum - an international forum addressing the latest development in sustainable transportation. Download file ieee-fists.org

SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS | FOOD FOR ALL FOREVER

		CAETS International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences Sustainable Food Systems – Toward Food for All A CAETS Symposium Statement Copenhagen, Denmark, June 29-30, 2010 The 31st Annual Meeting of the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS) took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, June 29-30, 2010. A symposium held June 29 focused on how to achieve a sustainable global food system, which allows increased food production while reducing poverty and hunger and over-exploitation of natural resources. It was noted that past advances in food production, obtained in part by over-exploitation of natural resources, as more land was brought into agriculture and new fish stocks were exploited, must be avoided. Achieving sustainable management of natural resources while meeting increasing future food demands was recognized as the key to success... Statement
		It is with great pleasure that the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences, ATV, and the International Council of Acad­emies of Engineering and Technological Sciences, CAETS, invite you to Copenhagen to participate in an international conference on 29 June 2010. Interactivity report and presentations “Sustainable Food Systems – Food for All Forever” Report and presentations Conference Programme Speakers bio atv.dk

MILLENNIUM TECHNOLOGY PRIZE

TECHNOLOGY FOR HUMANITY

Three scientists have been shortlisted for the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize, the world’s largest award for technological innovation. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Helsinki, Finland on 9 June 2010. Next

EIT European Institute of Innovation & technology

“Launching the KICs - Delivering new solutions to the European innovation landscape” Barcelona, 2-3 June 2010 eit-conference.teamwork.fr

TOWARD A POST CARBON CITY WORKSHOP ORGANISED BY NATF

Belfort, 29 April 2010 To learn and download the documents

Synthetic Bio(techno)logy in Frankfurt

Acatech and DECHEMA e.V. - Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology - are jointly organising the "Synthetic Bio(techno)logy" conference. Besides presenting research from the US and Europe, the conference will focus on potential applications of synthetic biology, and special sessions will be devoted to related communicative, ethical, safety and legal aspects.

http://dechema.de/synbio

 

 

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  The 2009 Euro-CASE Annual Conference in Stockholm
  "Increasing Interest for Higher Education in Mathematics, Science & Technology"

   

  See the program

  The registration web-page is now open www.iva.se/euro-case

   

Euro-CASE Board meeting in Stockholm

Smart technology for healthy longevity.
Workshop in Paris
Download the programm

NTVA Technology Forum 2009 in Trondheim

Internet: Global Market - National Opportunities

Website

Euro-CASE Executive Committee meeting in Paris

• Internationall Transport Forum in Leipzig
• see the presentations of Jean-Claude Raoul (FR), Chairman of the Euro-CASE Platform on Transport and Mobility
• Abstracts
• Conclusions

Euro-CASE Board meeting

Second International Seminar on Prediction of Earthquakes

On behalf of the Portuguese Academics we invite you to attend the 2nd International Seminar on Earthquake Prediction to be held in Lisbon, April 23-24, 2009.

This International Seminar will be an excellent opportunity to bring together international research and development to share the knowledge and the latest achievements and practices in Earthquake Prediction.

EIT Seminar on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation organised in Madrid

Millenium technology prize 2010- call for nominations

Go to the website

 

Round Table : "Energetical efficiency" organised by the Real Academia de Ingeniera (Spain)

www.real-academia-de-ingenieria.org

 

European Institute of innovation & technology -EIT seminar : Shaping the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) – Sustainable Energy : http://ec.europa.eu/eit/seminars_en.htm#energy_seminar .

Registration for participants, including practical information, will be available from 27 January on the following website : http://eit.teamwork.fr.

Euro-CASE Executive Committee meeting