Fostering collaboration across disciplines and generations

The ESF Research Conferences Scheme provides the opportunity for leading scientists and young researchers to meet for discussions on the most recent developments in their fields of research. It acts as a catalyst for creating new synergistic contacts throughout Europe and the rest of the world. It develops principally through the establishment of long-term partnerships between the ESF and national and international organisations, including universities.

Profile

Conferences generally last for four or five days and up to 150 participants and invited speakers may attend. Chairs select participants from applications received as a result of publicising the Conferences. A conference fee is charged to participants. A certain number of grants - to cover the conference fee and possibly part of the travel expenses - are available for each event. Application forms are to be submitted via the ESF Research Conferences website. Closing date for applications: 3-4 months prior to the Conference. 

The core activities of the Conferences are based on lectures by invited scientists, who are leaders in their respective fields, followed by extensive discussion periods. An informal exchange of ideas, both inside and outside the lecture room is encouraged, and the number of sessions in the daily timetable is limited in order to allow sufficient time for interaction between the participants. In addition to the 5-6 hours per day of lecture room activities, poster sessions, round-table discussions or discussion groups are organised. Either one afternoon or extended lunch periods are usually kept free of lectures in order to allow time for free time activities.

In order to encourage speakers to present their latest results and ideas, which may not yet be fully explored and ripe for publication, no written papers are requested. The publication, as proceedings, of selected papers prepared after the Conferences may be approved by the Chair, subject to the agreement of the speakers concerned.

Research Areas

ESF Conferences cover the following fields:

• Physics, Biophysics and Environmental Sciences;
• Biology+: Biology at the Interface with Other Science Disciplines (Chemistry, Physics, Computing Science, Mathematics and Modelling, Space Science, Clinical Medicine, Engineering, Environmental Science, Humanities and Social Sciences);
• Animal and Human Sciences;
• Social Sciences and Humanities;
• Biomedicine;
• Global Health Economy;
• Global Environmental Change;
• Chemistry;
• Mathematics.

Several other initiatives are under discussion.

Partnerships

ESF Research Conferences, which are the major activity of the Conferences Unit, are sponsored through partnerships established between ESF and other organisations:

• European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO): ESF-EMBO Symposia (interdisciplinary with focus on Biology)
• Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung in Österreich (FWF) & Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck (LFUI): ESF-FWF Conferences in Partnership with LFUI (Physics, Biophysics & Environmental Sciences)
• Linköping University (LiU): ESF-LiU Conferences (Social Sciences and Humanities)
• University of Barcelona (UB): ESF-UB Conferences (Biomedicine)
• Vetenskaprådet (VR) & Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (FORMAS): ESF-VR-FORMAS Conferences (Global Environmental Change)
• European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST): ESF-COST High-Level Research Conferences (Chemistry)
• International Council for Science (ICSU), European Academies and Network of African Science Academies (NASAC): Europe-Africa Frontier Research Conference Series
• Foundation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme (FMSH) & Association Entre-Sciences: ESF-FMSH Entre-Sciences Conferences in Interdisciplinary Environmental Sciences
• Bielefeld University and Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF): ESF-ZiF-Bielefeld Conferences (Humanities and Social Sciences)
• European Mathematical Society (EMS) and European Research Centres on Mathematics (ERCOM): ESF-EMS-ERCOM Mathematics Conferences
  

The Scheme has recently been extended to include World Conferences under its umbrella (eg ESF-JSPS Frontier Science Conferences for Young Researchers and Follow-up Workshops) as well as a series of advanced scientific training Summer and Winter Schools in High Energy Physics & Astrophysics, Physics & Astronomy, and Theoretical Physics.

The ESF Conferences Unit, located in Brussels, also acts as service provider for conferences arising from other ESF instruments.