Welcome to today’s Morning Brief. The Morning Brief newsletter is available to INESC staff and affiliated researchers upon subscription, after creating an account in the Private Area of the HUB website, or those who wish to subscribe. To do so, click the log-in icon on the top-right corner of this website or go to the Morning Brief page and click the subscribe button.
Contact us:
Mariana Santos, Communications Officer
mariana.f.santos@inesctec.pt
In today's Morning Brief:
Editorial: AI’s role in science and the future of leadership in research performing institutions
We are all using it, we are increasingly surrounded by its effects and consequences and we seem to be asking all the same questions and thinking under the same old frameworks. But at least we are thinking about it and by “it” I mean the impact of AI on science. It’s crucial to distinguish between two intertwined yet distinct themes: AI’s impact on science, and the influence of science on AI development. This distinction lays the foundation for understanding AI’s transformative role, particularly within scientific research and leadership of research performing institutions.
Understanding AI’s impact on science vs. science in AI
AI’s integration into scientific processes marks a significant leap towards accelerated discovery and innovation. AI aids scientists in deciphering complex data, enhancing predictions, and automating labor-intensive tasks, thus propelling the frontiers of knowledge across diverse domains, from healthcare to environmental sciences. This form of AI application—where tools and systems are developed to support and extend the capabilities of human researchers—is what we commonly refer to as AI’s impact on science.
Conversely, the development of these AI systems themselves falls under the banner of science in AI. This involves rigorous scientific methodologies to innovate and refine AI technologies, ensuring they are not only effective but also ethical and reliable. The exploration into neural networks, algorithmic improvements, and machine learning models are intrinsic to enhancing AI’s functionalities and safety, a pursuit rooted deeply in scientific principles.
Find the full editorial here.
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INESC Highlights
Unveiling the groundbreaking advancements and initiatives from INESC institutes:
- A year in review: 2023 INESC-ID Annual Report now available
- The world needs more girls and women in tech and INESC-ID is helping to achieve that goal
- Tokyo within reach of an internship: opportunity for INESC-ID PhD students
- INESC TEC researchers complete a PhD with a Cum Laude award
- José Manuel Mendonça was invited to TEDxPorto to explain how Science is “vital” to our legacy – but “requires investment”
- INESC TEC was created 39 years ago
Fostering innovation and excellence within our community.
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We invite you to engage, to reflect, and to join us in shaping the discourse that will define the future of research and innovation in Europe.
Check the full version of the newsletter below or directly on our website and do not hesitate to contact us:
Mariana Santos, Communications Officer – mariana.f.santos@inesctec.pt
Ricardo Migueis, Head of INESC Brussels HUB – ricardo.migueis@inesctec.pt
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Deep Dive: How can an underwater cable save your life and expand your knowledge?
Underwater cables can help to detect earthquakes earlier, monitor biodiversity and expand our knowledge of the ocean. Thin fiber optic cables run for thousands of miles along the seabed and connect continents, but are mainly used for communication purposes – they basically keep the internet running.
A Portuguese-American consortium set out to take advantage of the already existing widespread infrastructure of submarine communications to develop a network for continuous, real-time detection of vital signals from the earth and, in particular, the oceans, developing analysis models based on geoinformatics and Artificial Intelligence.
Find the article in AlphaGalileo.
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Thematic Areas
Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
Capital markets union needed to unleash artificial intelligence, says AI Act rapporteur
Viewpoint: How Europe can show leadership for AI in science
Microsoft goes from bad boy to top cop in the age of AI
Bioengineering and Health Technologies
EIT Health moves to improve access to biobanks and health data registries
Funding spotlight: €213M Horizon Europe partnership call for bio-based innovation
Power and Energy Systems
Horizon Europe batteries partnership sets out new vision for research funding
EIB and EU Innovation Fund support Eavor’s innovative geothermal technology in Bavaria
Call launched for energy infrastructure projects worth €850 million
Commission approves State aid to support construction of nuclear power plant in Czechia
European Hydrogen Bank auction provides €720 million for renewable hydrogen production in Europe
Other Areas
Research foundations announce $300M health partnership
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Transversal Areas
EU R&I Policy & EU elections 2024
Ten graphs show how the research landscape in EU 2004 members has changed
Teaming participants call for greater national support and easier rules
How to assess directionality in EU Member States R&I policy
Horizon Europe
Commission to publish long-awaited explainer of its grant terms
Here’s how much Horizon Europe money was handed out in lump sums by the end of 2023
Latvian government calls for EIT to be ‘discontinued’
Funding
Complete Annotated Grant Agreement published
Regional innovation scheme looks for greater commercial success
A deep dive into how Gates, Wellcome and Novo Nordisk spend their millions
New project to replace the European City of Science
The Ecosystem: inside ETH Zurich’s spin-off factory
Science Business has launched a research funding newsletter
How to design inclusive research funding schemes
Open Science
Call for incoming Parliament not to raise barriers to open scientific cooperation
Defence
Commission proposals for funding defence R&D get mixed reviews from universities
Thales, Leonardo, Airbus lead rankings in European Defence Fund grants, Science|Business finds
FP10
Viewpoint: How Widening measures could be improved in the next framework research programme
International Cooperation
The challenges facing South Korean academics in Horizon Europe
New Zealand science minister assumes country will join next framework programme
Knowledge for policy
Understanding values for policymaking: the challenges
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Job Opportunities at INESC
– INESC TEC has 28 vacancies in different work areas, such as Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science, and more. Find more at INESCTEC website and via LinkedIn
– INESC-ID has 2 open positions (Research Grants). Know more here.
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Events & Training
MAY
– Additive Manufacturing Village 2024, 13-17 May 2024, Tournai, Belgium. More info here.
– Assessing national current FAIR-enabling capabilities. 14 May 2024, 14:00 – 16:00, CEST. More info here.
– European Committee of the Regions: Seminars on AI in research and on knowledge valorisation. 14 May 2024, 10:30 – 17:30, Brussels. More info here.
– EARTO Annual Conference 2024, 14-16 May 2024, Warsaw, Poland. More info here.
– 12th European Conference on Rare Diseases & Orphan Products, 15-16 May 2024, Brussels. More info here.
– The interTwing Digital Twin Engine: Discover the Environment Use Cases, 15 May 2024, 14:00 – 16:00 CET. More info here.
– High-level Event Threads of Change: Systematic Transformation of the Textile Sector, 16 May 2024. Online event. More info here.
– Competitiveness Council (Research and innovation), 23 May 2024. Brussels. More info here.
– Instruct-ERIC Biennial Structural Biology Conference, 23-24 May 2024, Cascais, Portugal. More info here.
– Seminar/Conferece: Restricted Dialogue on the EU Digital Education Policy, 28 May 2024, Ghent, Belgium. More info here.
– Incubation Forum: Circular Economy in European Defence, 28-29 May 2024, Brussels. More info here.
– The convergence of technologies enabling R&I for the healthcare of the future, 28-29 May 2024, Brussels. More info here.
– Table Top Exercise on Critical Maritime Infrastructure Protection (TTX CMIP), 28-30 May 2024, Brussels. More info here.
JUNE
– 8th World Conference on Research Integrity, 2-5 June 2024, Megaron Athens International Conference Centre (MAICC), Athens. More info here
– INDTECH 2024 Conference on Industrial Technologies, 3-5 June, Namur, Belgium. More info here
– Conference on research infrastructures, 4-5 June 2024, Brussels. More info here.
– ESPON seminar, 5-6 June 2024, Mons, Belgium. More info here.
– INESC Brussels HUB Summer School on Leadershio in R&I. Focus 2024: The Impact of AI in Research and Innovation, 5-6 June 2024, Brussels. By invitation only.
– Workshop: Enhancing SME Access to European Research and Technology Infrastructures: A Pathway to Innovation & Growth. 7 June 2024, Brussels. By invitation only.
– ESFRI Forum, 6 June 2024, Brussels. More info here.
– European Sustainable Energy Week 2024, 11-13 June 2024, Brussels. More info here.
– Accelerated development: A new era for health and life science cooperation with the Global South?, 18 June 2024, Brussels. More info here.
– EACR Early-Career Researchers’ Conference, 25-26 June 2024. Online event. More info here.
– Global approach: Is the EU’s international cooperation strategy working? Private Science Business Network workshop, 25 June 2024. More info here.
JULY
– 5th Internation ESS Conference, 8-10 July 2024, Lisbon. More info here.
– Conference: IAMOT – International Association for Management of Technology 2024, 8-11 July 2024. Porto, Portugal. Organised by INESC TEC and FEUP. More info
– Horizon Europe: The road ahead for the European Innovation Council?, 9 July 2024, 2:30-3:30 PM CET, Online event. More info here.
– Annual Network Planning Science Business, 9 July 2024, Brussels, Hybrid event. More info here.
– Summer Reception & Meet the new Parliament, 9 July 2024, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM CET, Brussels. More info here.
-14th International Symposium on Communication Systems, Networks and Digital Signal Processing – CSNDSP 2024, 17-19 July 2024, 9:00 – 17:30, Rome, Italy. Register here.
SEPTEMBER
– Valorise this: How to speed and scale up tech transfer?, 12 September 2024, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Brussels. Hybrid event. More info here.
OCTOBER
– Hot prospects: When will quantum tech reach the industrial mainstream?, 17 October 2024, 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM, Brussels. More info here.
NOVEMBER
– Horizon Europe: New priorities for the European Research Area policy agenda?, 19 November 2024, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM. More info here.
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