SCNAT Newsletter, March 2021
An den Start für den Prix Média 2021
Junge Journalistinnen und Journalisten kreieren einen Beitrag über Forschung und Wissenschaft. Die Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz unterstützen die Recherche und zeichnen die besten Arbeiten aus. Jetzt bewerben! Weiter
Impfungen gegen Covid-19 erklärt
Ein Webportal der SCNAT beantwortet die wichtigsten Fragen rund um die Impfung gegen das Coronavirus. Es stellt die aktuellen Informationen zur Wirkung, Funktionsweise, Entwicklung und Zulassung zusammen. Weiter
Sammlungen richtig verwalten
Ein Handbuch des neuen Schweizer Netzwerks Naturhistorische Sammlungen (SwissCollNet) vereint vorhandenes Wissen zum Management von Sammlungen und soll deren langfristige Erschliessung und Nutzung erleichtern. Weiter
Mit Biodiversität die globalen Nachhaltigkeitsziele erreichen
Der Erhalt der Biodiversität ist einer der stärksten Hebel, um die globalen Nachhaltigkeitsziele zu erreichen. Ein Faktenblatt des Forums Biodiversität Schweiz der SCNAT und des Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN Switzerland) erläutert die Bedeutung der Biodiversität und zeigt Handlungsoptionen für Entscheidungsträgerinnen und -träger auf, welche Ansatzpunkte für den transformativen Wandel genutzt werden können. Weiter
Webinar-Serie: Genom-Editierung mit CRISPR/Cas heute und morgen
Die CRISPR/Cas-Technologie hat die Genom-Editierung revolutioniert. Seit fast zehn Jahren setzen Forschung und Entwicklung die neue Technologie und deren Anwendungen ein. Das Forum Genforschung der SCNAT organisiert eine vierteilige Webinar-Serie in Englisch, in der verschiedene Aspekte der Technologie beleuchtet und diskutiert werden. Das erste Webinar findet am 23. März 2021 zum Thema «CRISPR as a revolutionary technology» statt. Weiter
Stellungnahme zur Verlängerung des Gentechnik-Moratorium in der Schweiz
Aus Sicht der Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz ist die geltende Gentechnikgesetzgebung nicht mehr zeitgemäss. Sie regen dazu an, möglichst rasch neue Regulierungsoptionen zu erarbeiten und breit zu diskutieren. Hauptziel sollte es sein, die Chancen neuer gentechnischer Verfahren verantwortungsvoll und inklusiv für die Schweizer Pflanzenzüchtung und Landwirtschaft nutzbar zu machen. Weiter
Kongress zur Klimakommunikation: Call for Workshops
Unter dem Motto «Unser Klima unsere Zukunft. Klimakommunikation in Krisenzeiten» zeigt der diesjährige K3-Kongress die neusten Erkenntnisse aus der Forschung auf und bringt diese in interaktiven Workshops sogleich in die Umsetzung. Sie können sich jetzt um einen der 21 Workshop-Plätze bewerben. Gesucht sind Konzepte von thematischer Relevanz und methodischer Vielfalt. Eingabefrist ist der 29. März 2021. Der Kongress wird vom Forum für Klima und globalen Wandel (ProClim) der SCNAT mitorganisiert. Weiter
Das Wissen, das aus der Kälte kam
Die Schweizerische Kommission für Polar- und Höhenforschung der Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz hat zusammen mit der Jungfraujoch-Kommission der SCNAT den diesjährigen Nachwuchs-Forschungspreis «Prix De Quervain» auf dem Gebiet der Polarforschung vergeben. Prämiert wurde die Doktorarbeit von Lea Pfäffli, die sich mit dem Wissen um die Arktis zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts beschäftigt. Weiter
Stellungnahme zur Strategie Nachhaltiger Entwicklung 2030 des Bundes
Die Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz regen an, die Strategie Nachhaltige Entwicklung 2030 als strategisches Regierungsprogramm zu präzisieren und ihre Verbindlichkeit klar darzulegen. Angesichts der Dringlichkeit und Tragweite der Herausforderungen sowie des zehnjährigen Horizonts müsste die Strategie auch deutlich ambitionierter und weitsichtiger sein. Weiter
25 Jahre Einsatz für partnerschaftliche Forschung mit Entwicklungsländern
Ihr 25-jähriges Jubiläum nahm die Kommission für Forschungspartnerschaften mit Entwicklungsländern (KFPE) zum Anlass, um zurückzuschauen und aus den Erfahrungen dieser Zeit für die Zukunft zu lernen. Der Bericht zur Geschichte der KFPE gibt einen Überblick über Aktivitäten der Kommission und beschreibt die verschiedenen Ären der Nord-Süd-Forschungsförderung der Schweiz. Er zeigt den Erfolg der verschiedenen Förderinstrumente, deckt aber auch auf, dass eine langfristige strategische Förderung partnerschaftlicher Forschung in der Schweizer Forschungspolitik bislang fehlt. Weiter
Alexandre Reymond ist neuer Präsident des Forums Genforschung
Alexandre Reymond ist Professor für Humangenetik und -genomik und seit 2015 Direktor des Zentrums für integrative Genomik (CIG) an der Universität Lausanne. Seine Forschungsgruppe untersucht, wie sich die strukturelle Organisation des menschlichen Erbguts auswirkt, zum Beispiel auf Erkrankungen des Nervensystems. Alexandre Reymond ist zudem Präsident der Europäischen Gesellschaft für Humangenetik (ESHG). Weiter
SCS Annual Report 2020
With pleasure we look back on a very interesting and active year. The Swiss Chemical Society not only continued and developed its well-established activities but again pushed new initiatives to face todays challenges. We also implemented new sections and networks to incorporate community members whose interest were not covered so far. In addition, the SCS took over the responsibility for existing programs that run now under the umbrella of the SCS and complete its activity portfolio.
2020 was one of the most difficult and challenging years that we have lived through at the personal and professional level and the outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic restricted our life in ways we could never have imagined. From March 2020, meetings with larger groups were prohibited and collaboration was therefore limited to virtual meetings. Many of our events had to be cancelled, postponed or conducted virtually and it seems that this situation will continue at least until summer 2021.
The most important, new initiatives in 2020:
- Establish the Section Chemistry and the Environment, incl. CHIMIA issue 3/2020 and a new parallel session at the SCS Fall Meeting on that topic.
- New strategic orientation of SusChem Switzerland and merge the network with the SCS community of Green and Sustainable Chemistry.
- Launch three new networks in the fields of Chemical Ecology, Flow Chemistry and Materials Chemistry and define the mission statements as well as first activities for 2021.
- Develop and promote the two social networks Women in Chemistry and youngSCS, which reinforce and enrich our strong thematic communities.
- Develop the new SCS webpage including the portals for our thematic and social communities as well as a new website template for the efficient handling of our numerous events.
- Furthermore, we stayed actively connected to our partners and co-operated for many projects.
Please enjoy reading through the 2020 annual report that shows again a very active and lively society.
Dr. Alain De Mesmaeker David Spichiger
President Executive Director
The SCS Annual Report is also published in CHIMIA Volume 75, No 1-2/2021
Céline Wittwer, SCS
02.03.2021
SCS Spring Meeting 2021, Online Symposium, April 15, 2021
The Swiss Chemical Society Spring Meeting is a one day symposium and provides a high quality program with national and international speakers of a certain topic.
It is also the platform for the Werner Prize Ceremony and the Werner Award Lecture.
SCS Spring Meeting 2021: «Chemistry and the Environment»
online symposium
Thu, April 15, 2021, 09.00-16.50h
The organizers, invite you to join the event and are looking forward to welcoming you online in April 2021.
SCS Spring Meeting 2021, Flyer
Registration
Please register until before April 1st, 20121 for invoice payment on the Symposium Website
Participation is free for SCS mebers and costs CHF 50.00 for non-members.
Program
| 09.00 | Opening the virutal conference room |
| 09.30 | Opening of the symposium, welcome message Prof. Kathrin Fenner, Eawag Dübendrof and University of Zurich, Chair of the SCS section Chemistry and the Environment Prof. Ioannis Katsogiannis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR, President EuChemS Section Chemistry & Environment |
| 09.50 | Prof. Lucy Carpenter, University of York, UK «Atmospheric Chemistry On and Over the Ocean» |
| 10.30 | Short Break |
| 10.40 | Prof. Tamara Galloway, University of Exeter, UK «Microplastic and Global Boundary Threads» |
| 11.20 | Dr. Michael Sander, ETH Zürich, CH «From Persistence to Desistance: on the Environmental Fate of Biodegradable Polymers» |
| 12.00 | Lunch Break |
| 13.15 | SCS General Assembly |
| 14.00 | Prof. Wendy Queen, EPFL Lausanne, CH «The Design of Highly Stable MOF/Polymer Composites for the Extraction of Metal Ions from Complex Aqueous Mixtures» |
| 14.40 | Dr. Claudio Screpanti, Syngenta, CH «Crop Protection 2.0: Chemical Innovation to Support Sustainable Agriculture» |
| 15.20 | Short Break |
| 15.30 | Dr. Bettina Hitzfeld, Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) «Environmental Chemistry: Future Challenges» |
| 16.30 | Prof. Arturo Keller, UC Santa Barbara, USA «Elucidating Crop Plant Response to Engineered Nanomaterials Using Metabolomics and Proteomics» |
| 16.50 | Closing remarks |
Sponsors
Exhibitors
Céline Wittwer, SCS
23.02.2021
Chemistry in Europe 2021-1 (EuChemS Newsletter)
Hello and welcome to the first edition of the 2021 Chemistry in Europe - the newsletter mainly intended for an audience of chemists, but everyone is welcome to subscribe. The Chemistry in Europe newsletter includes contributions from our team, Members, Professional Networks and more. It informs you about research in Europe, provides updates from EuChemS Member Organisations, and looks into policy-related developments.
Access the full online newsletter by clicking here.
What to expect in this issue:
Editorial
Light at the end of the tunnel
Focus
EuChemS at #GWB2021
Together for more Chemistry
Year Book 2020
Policy
Prosciutto pizza for vegans: haute cuisine?
How can plants become sensors of toxic chemicals?
Research
Recovering non-conventional water sources to combat water scarcity
Members' Perspectives
GDCh and ACS panel discussion about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
News from the Hungarian Chemical Society
Bridging Christmas Traditions
Meet...
Welcome in your new role at EuChemS!
Pilar Goya awarded the HonFRSC designation
Networks
EYCN Podcast – Chemistry to your ears
Chemistry Talks NEW
A European Chemist, If Not A World Citizen
Happy Reading,
CiE Editorial Board
Brussels News Update, February 2021
European Highlights, Research, Innovation, Education, Entrepreneurship
First EuChemS @Global Women's Breakfast 2021
On the occasion of the Global Women’s Breakfast 2021 #GWB2021, an IUPAC initiative, the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) organised its first own event on Tuesday, 9 February 2021, from 10:00 to 11:00 CET.
An impressive line-up of speakers from the European Chemistry community engaged with more than 150 attendees on various inclusion-related topics, including work-life balance, building professional networks and STEM education for school-age kids. The recording of the online breakfast is now available on the EuChemS YouTube channel.
Read our full debrief here.
2020: a year to remember or a year to forget?
The EuChemS Year Book 2020 is now available online!
The 2020 Yearbook is a form of a EuChemS annual report which looks back at the activities and achievements carried out by the European Chemical Society and its community over the year. It also offers an insightful overview of EuChemS Professional Networks and their work. Divided between chapters, the Yearbook explores the 2020 initiatives and actions in policy areas, meetings, events and webinars, as well as awards and the activities related to the 50thanniversary celebration of the European Chemical Society.
Read more about it here.
The launch of 'Horizon Europe' strengthens EU R&I goals
On 2 February 2021, the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Commission hosted the launch event of ‘Horizon Europe’, the European Union’s most ambitious Research and Innovation framework programme for the 2021-2027 period.
During this online event, the European Commission reaffirmed the important role of ‘Horizon Europe’ for Research and Innovation: the next seven-year framework programme will focus on societal challenges, including public health, population aging, security and defence, as well as pollution and climate change.
Read the full article here.
New ERA Forum for Transition
On 4 February 2021, the European Commission launched the new European Research Area (ERA) Forum for Transition. It is composed of EU Member States’ representatives, and it also includes one representative from each EEA/EFTA country.
The main goal of the ERA Forum for Transition is to provide recommendations to the Directorate-General Research and Innovation (DG-RTD) on the governance structure of the ERA, and on the development of the first ERA policy agenda.
Read the full article here.
Delays to ERC 2021 Work programme and first calls
With the transition from ‘Horizon 2020’ to ‘Horizon Europe’, the new seven-year framework programme for Research and Innovation, the European Research Council (ERC) postponed the publication of the first ‘Horizon Europe’ calls, until the programme is adopted by the European Commission.
Read our full debrief here.
EIC Innovation Launchpad call: €3.5 million awarded to 35 projects
On 5 February, the European Innovation Council (EIC) announced that 35 projects from 10 European countries were selected in its last Innovation Launchpad call. In total, 118 proposals were submitted for this Innovation Launchpad call.
The selected projects include innovations in various sectors, such as railways, artificial intelligence, energy, and much more.
Read the full article here.
ISE’s report on the Precarity of Academic Careers
Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE) released a report on the precarity of academic careers in Europe. As ISE considers that precarity of academic careers is one of the most pressing issues of the research system, the ISE Researchers’ Careers Task Force focused its reflection on the causes for precarity in the academic sector:
- Funding of academic careers;
- Research assessment practices;
- Research grant evaluation.
Read our full debrief here.
2021 IUPAC Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering Awards
On 11 February 2021, on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) announced the 12 awardees of the IUPAC 2021 Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering.
EuChemS is proud to see Dr Rachel Mamlok-Naaman, the Chair of the EuChemS Division of Chemical Education, as one of the awardees. On behalf of all of us at EuChemS, we congratulate Rachel Mamlok-Naaman on her award!
Read the full article here.
Consultations & Roadmap
European Commission Public Consultations and Roadmaps
A number of consultations and roadmaps put forward by the European Commission are currently open:
- Industrial emissions – EU rules updated
Public Consultation
Deadline: 23 March 2021 - Pesticides – sustainable use (updated EU rules)
Public Consultation
Deadline: 12 April 2021 - Healthy soils – new EU soil strategy
Public Consultation
Deadline: 27 April 2021 - Climate change – new rules to prevent methane leakage in the energy sector
Public Consultation
Deadline:1 May 2021
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) public consultations
A number of consultations put forward by ECHA are currently open.
You can take a look at them here.
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) public consultations
A number of consultations put forward by EFSA are currently open.
You can take a look at them here.
Public consultation on the active substance Limestone
17 March 2021
Public consultation on the active substance Hydrolysed proteins
31 March 2021
Fundings, Nominations & Awards
EURAMET Call for Needs 2021
The European Association of National Metrology Institutes (EURAMET) announced the launch of the 2021 Call for Needs for several topic areas, within the potential European Partnership on Metrology.
Deadline: 22 February 2021, 23:59 CET
Website: https://bit.ly/3jBEtvT
RawMaterials Accelerator
RawMaterials Accelerator introduces start-up teams to potential customers from the EIT RawMaterials partner networks willing to adopt innovations. The programme connects local and national ecosystems to the pan-European network of a pilot and test infrastructure facilities, as well as potential customers.
Deadline (phase 1): 1 March 2021
Website: https://bit.ly/3qhofe1
Call for applications for the ISC3 Innovation Challenge 2021 on Sustainable Chemistry and Renewable Energies
The International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3) Innovation Challenge 2020/2021 addresses innovators from around the world which are active in developing sustainable chemistry solutions linked to renewable energies.
Deadline: 1 April 2021, 12:00 am CEST
Website: https://bit.ly/373FgAG
EuChemS Events
In the current environment and status of COVID-19, some events recognised by EuChemS are being postponed or cancelled.
EuChemS Events calendar is being updated on a regular basis.
If you planned to attend an event, you can check more about it here.
Sustainable Chemistry Lecture Series - SCLS
2 March 2021
Online
Visit the website!
EuSamplePrep Conference
11-12 March 2021
Online event
Visit the website!
Eurovariety 2021
7-9 July 2021
Ljublijana, Slovenia & online
Visit the website!
OTHER EVENTS
18th Hellenic Symposium on Medicinal Chemistry
25 – 27 February 2021
Online
Website: https://bit.ly/3pnQZjQ
Research assessment practices – Precarity in academia webinar series
4 March 2021, 14:00 – 15:30 CET
Online
Website : https://bit.ly/3rThJdR
Research grant evaluation– Precarity in academia webinar series
18 March 2021, 14:00 – 15:30 CET
Online
Website: https://bit.ly/3qm5zKh
ONE – Health, Environment, Society – Conference 2022
21 – 24 June 2022
Hybrid: Brussels, Belgium & online
Website: https://bit.ly/2N6MCga
Read the full BNU newsletter here
EuChemS aisbl - Rue du Trône 62, 1050, Brussels, Belgium; www.euchems.eu. Produced for EuChemS by Nineta Hrastelj, Laura Jousset and Jelena Lazić. This newsletter has been carefully prepared and only contains correct information to the best of EuChemS´ knowledge, however this does not exclude the possibility of existence of incorrect information. EuChemS cannot be liable for the use or misuse of any information, whether correct or incorrect, present at this newsletter. Intellectual property belongs to its rightful owners, always explicitly traceable on each article. Compilation Copyright © 2020 EuChemS
Céline Wittwer, SCS
18.02.2021
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