ESF launches four more Scientific Networks on topological defects; Alpine biodiversity; theatre iconography; human reasoning and decision making

The European Science Foundation has launched four more in its series of Scientific Networks to stimulate collaboration between key European scientists and research institutes in a variety of fields drawn from the physical, life and social sciences, and the humanities. The four new Networks exemplify the broad scope of the ESF’s interests, covering the role of topological defects in phase transition; alpine biodiversity; the history of iconography in European theatre; and the study of human reasoning and decision making.

The Topological Defects Network is concerned with non-equilibrium field theory in particle physics, condensed matter and cosmology. Topological defects occur in systems that have undergone a phase transition. They are small regions of space that have become trapped in the original phase, or the opposite phase from the rest of the system. An example is the process of magnetising iron, which involves polarising all the domains in the same direction. Topological defects are small areas that still run in a different direction. The thrust of the Network is to learn more about the equilibrium dynamics of the underlying quantum field theory by measuring topological defects that are detectable experimentally.

The Alpine Biodiversity Network involves the study of fauna and flora at three principal levels: at the genotype or molecular level; at the species level and then at the functional level. The latter provides the overall ecological basis for diversity and is of particular interest because within mountainous environments the rapid variations in climatic conditions over short distances mean that all possible life stages of a particular species can be found in close proximity. The Network aims to exploit recent technological developments, such as the Global Positioning System and Geographical Information Systems, and to take advantage of the removal of political barriers in eastern Europe, to build up a comprehensive picture of biodiversity on European mountains.

The European Theatre Iconography Network aims to correct a longstanding literary bias in European theatre history by exploring how the non-verbal language of images has permeated national boundaries in a similar way to music. To date theatre history has been dominated by a literary perspective focused on plays and playwrights. The important visual aspect of a theatrical performance has been almost completely ignored. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach and making use of the techniques of the art as well as the social historian, the Network will map a novel history of the dissemination of European theatre.

The Human Reasoning and Decision Making Network is concerned with combining the perspectives of social and cognitive scientists to improve our understanding of how we make decisions. Increasingly, expert opinion is shifting away from the notion that decision makers evaluate options in a rigid rational way by weighing up benefits and probabilities, towards the idea that more flexible strategies are often involved, such as creating new alternatives that may be safer, or in some cases more risky but with greater prospects of success. The Network aims to stimulate the development of common research programmes among cognitive scientists, economists, sociologists and philosophers of science.

The four new Networks, which will run for the next three years, bring the ESF’s portfolio of current Networks to 18. They all share a common aim of building bridges between relevant scientists, research institutes and universities in different European countries by making use of a variety of networking arrangements including workshops and exchange visits. This approach fits in with the ESF’s overall strategy of helping to build a common European framework for scientific research, not primarily by funding particular projects directly, but by encouraging cooperation between scientists and institutes already working in a particular field and, where possible, eliminating duplicated effort.

Another major objective of the scheme is to encourage multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to complex research problems. This is being done both by establishing communications between the people in these various fields, and by encouraging the involvement of younger scientists helping to create a new generation of researchers with a broader based perspective of the problems involved.

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For further information contact: Andrew Smith

Category: Media Centre, Press Releases 1997