European Science Foundation launches expert services division – Science Connect

Strasbourg-based European Science Foundation (ESF) today announced the launch of its new, expert services division, Science Connect, which will be dedicated to providing practical and interdisciplinary support services to the science community and science stakeholders in Europe.
 
Building on ESF’s extensive network and experience, Science Connect will deliver expert resources, tools and metrics to support the effective administration of science projects in both the private and public research sector. Science Connect’s website is at www.scienceconnect.eu
 
Speaking about the launch, Chief Executive of ESF, Jean-Claude Worms said: “We have an acute sense of the needs of the science community at this critical time. Our deep connections in the European Research Area, pre-eminent project management skills and insight into the funding environment have enabled us to create Science Connect, a model science partner that offers our technical expertise, insight and resources to the scientific community.”
 
With 42 years’ experience in all areas of research, the European Science Foundation (ESF) was originally set up to act as a coordinating body for Europe’s main research funding and research performing organisations. But as the research landscape has evolved, so has ESF’s role in supporting scientific endeavours. With its new division Science Connect, ESF remains committed to providing valued and effective services to its Member Organisations and science stakeholders in Europe and beyond.
 
Raphaël Gusdorf, Head of Selection at the AXA Research Fund, confirmed the quality and robustness of the support provided by ESF in the context of the collaboration started in 2013 between both organisations. “ESF’s multi-disciplinary expertise and robust processes have proven instrumental in designing and managing competitive calls and evaluations for our research programmes, in particular our AXA Post-Doctoral Fellowships. ESF has also supported an impact assessment of AXA’s philanthropic research programmes including a Career Tracking Pilot”, said M. Gusdorf, and added that “We are looking forward to expanding our strategic partnership with ESF in order to increase the effectiveness of our funding towards academic institutions and researchers in Europe as well as in other Regions such as Asia, Africa and Latin-America”.
 
Jari Kinaret, Director of the EU-funded Graphene Flagship, said: “ESF administered the competitive call of the Graphene Flagship, which is one of the largest collaborative research programmes launched by the European Commission…ESF ran the whole process from setting up the application system, identifying and recruiting global experts, organising and supervising the review meetings, to compiling and communicating the review results and responding to questions the applicant had during and after the process. The Graphene Flagship is very satisfied with how the ESF handled our competitive call, and we are impressed by the organisation’s professionalism in managing large international research calls”.
 
Science Connect’s services will include:
 

• Peer Review
• Programme/Project Management and Administration
• Career Tracking
• Evaluation
• Expert Board and Virtual Institute Hosting

 
Further information on ESF-Science Connect can be found at www.scienceconnect.eu

Issued by:
MKC Communications, 00 353 1 703 8600.  Email: tim[at]mkc[dot]ie