Welcome to today’s Morning Brief. The Morning Brief newsletter is available to INESC staff and affiliated researchers upon subscription (weekly or daily), 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.
In this Morning Brief, we open with a a captivating article by the European Commission regarding employment in the EU’s renewable energy sector, a webinar on Lump Sum Funding in Horizon Europe explaining how it works and how to write a proposal, a virtual brokerage event on EU Missions calls for this year, a plan by the European Commission for achieving gender equality in the R&I system, and more!
Any comments or suggestions, hit me up with an email on teresa.carvalho@inesc.pt.
In today's Morning Brief:
In today’s Morning Brief:
In focus: Employment in EU’s renewable energy sector
The production and use of energy account for more than 75% of EU’s greenhouse gas emissions. Decarbonising the energy system is therefore critical to reach the EU’s long-term aim to become climate-neutral by 2050.
Energy coming from renewable sources is essential for “cleaning” the EU’s energy system. At the same time, an increased share of renewables in the energy mix will also benefit citizens by creating new job opportunities across various sectors, steering dialogues between communities and presenting opportunities for more equal and inclusive standards in the energy sector.
Currently, most of the jobs in the EU energy sector are linked to conventional energy technologies such as oil, gas, coal and nuclear. But clean energy technologies are becoming a dynamic area for investment and employment, leading to new jobs also in related sectors, such as construction and manufacturing.
Some sectors and regions in the EU will need time to convert to new renewable energy sources and try, where possible, to transfer skills. This is already happening in EU coal regions. The European Commission has initiatives in place to help and support a just transition for coal regions, both in the EU and in the Western Balkans and Ukraine, on their path towards decarbonisation.
Read more here.
Webinar: Lump Sum Funding in Horizon Europe: How does it work? How to write a proposal?
Taking place in two days, don’t miss this European Commission webinar with Peter Härtwich and Ulrich Genschel on how to write a lump sum proposal an the main novelties of lump sum grants.
Click here for more information.
Horizon Europe – EU Missions calls 2022: Virtual brokerage event
Network of Horizon Europe National Contact Points, Bridge2HE, invites you to participate in the virtual networking event in order to find project partners for the forthcoming calls 2022 in Horizon Europe – Missions!
EU Missions are an additional part of the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme for 2021-2027 which tackle big societal challenges and aim to achieve ambitious goals in health, climate and the environment by 2030. This additional funding will bring the implementation of EU Missions one step forward, paving the way to delivering their full potential.
This event will help you to build your consortium for the upcoming 2022 calls of the Missions Work Programme, which will be open from May 2022 to September 2022.
Click here for more information.
BAM and BTU team up to close Germany’s skills gap in hydrogen technologies
The Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) and the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) have jointly founded the Graduate School “Trustworthy Hydrogen”. It aims to ensure the development and establishment of hydrogen technology in the long term by qualifying excellent young academics. The Graduate School, which is unique in its kind in Germany, is intended to enable doctoral students in a three-year programme to actively shape the development and expansion of the hydrogen economy in Germany and Europe as future leaders in industry, research and the public sector.
Hydrogen is a key element for the transformation of the economy and society towards climate neutrality. The transformation of the energy system to a hydrogen economy will require a large number of highly qualified specialists in the coming years. Up to now, there has been a lack of suitable qualification programmes.
The “Trustworthy Hydrogen” Graduate School of BAM and BTU closes this gap. Both institutions, which cooperate in research and teaching, are leaders in Germany in research on modern hydrogen technologies. In 2020, BAM has bundled its long-standing activities in the field into the Competence Centre H2Safety@BAM.
Click here for more information.
A plan for achieving gender equality in the research and innovation system
Women have long contributed to scientific research and breakthroughs. Ada Lovelace developed the first computer algorithm back in the mid 1800s, and anyone who has received an X-ray has Marie Curie to thank. Then there’s mathematician Katherine Johnson, whose work on orbital mechanics for NASA’s Apollo programme was retold in the movie ‘Hidden Figures’. And many COVID-19 vaccines owe their existence to biochemist Katalin Karikó.
Yet, despite this myriad of achievements, science continues to suffer deeply rooted gender inequalities, stereotypes and discrimination. According to the recent She Figures report commissioned by the European Commission, women outnumber men as students and graduates, yet they represent only one third of researchers, and only a quarter of full professorship positions are held by women.
This discrimination affects everyone. “Only when academia and research include scholars with different backgrounds and identities will we be able to achieve results that are meaningful to everyone,” says María Bustelo, a researcher at the Complutense University of Madrid.
With the support of the EU-funded SUPERA project, Bustelo is leading an effort to improve the way scientific research is performed at four universities and two research funding organisations. “By increasing equality, diversity and inclusiveness, we can create better work and study places, a greater capacity to retain talent, and provide opportunities to all community members, irrespective of their gender, and enhance an institution’s potential for innovative research,” adds Bustelo.
Find out more here.
SymbNET PhD Summer school on host-microbe symbioses
This Summer School is designed for PhD students interested in host-microbe symbioses to acquire an in depth understanding of the field from diverse perspectives through the interaction with experts in this research area. These include researchers using different model systems, and levels of analysis from molecular biology, to ecology and evolution. The Summer School will have an emphasis on functionally understanding these symbioses, with approaches including genomics and metabolomics. The students will acquire critical knowledge for their future choice of research direction.
The Summer School is two weeks long, with 20 lecturers, and 35 PhD students. These conditions foster a continuous and strong interaction between faculty and students. The programme includes lectures and the development of a short written research project. The development of the written research project promotes thinking deeply about the questions and future directions in the field.
Up to ten PhD students from SymbNET will have registration and travel fully sponsored. Fellowships available for students who need financial aid for travel and/or registration.
Tracking agricultural-related deforestation
The global trade in agricultural commodities provides food, fuel and fibre to consumers around the world. Commodity production, however, is also linked with negative environmental impacts, including the loss and degradation of forested land.
Approximately 90% of global deforestation is driven by agricultural expansion – a phenomenon which has roots in the global demand for products such as palm oil, soy and beef. New research reveals how satellites can be used to map and monitor forest-cover changes and help implement effective zero deforestation commitments.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that 23% of total human driven greenhouse gas emissions result from agriculture, forestry and other land uses. Therefore, protecting forests is essential to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
At the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, 10 of the world’s largest commodity traders published a ‘shared commitment’ to halting forest loss, and the European Union published proposed legislation imposing a legal responsibility for trading companies to ensure their sourcing is not linked to deforestation.
While many companies recognise the central role forest ecosystems play in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss and have made zero-deforestation commitments, progress in implementing deforestation-free supply chains remains slow.
In a new study published in Science Advances, a team of scientists from Europe and the US, combined detailed shipping data from Trase with corporate disclosures, farm-level production and remote sensing data to better understand how commodity traders source products on the ground, and how this affects the implementation of corporate zero-deforestation commitments.
An ‘agora’ session will be dedicated to the topic of sustainability along industrial value chains in delivering Green Deal and EU sustainability objectives. The ‘Sustainable products and supply chain due diligence – how to enhance the use of Copernicus and big data session’ will take place on Tuesday 24 May from 10:20-11:20.
More information and registration details can be found at the Living Planet Symposium website.
More Articles
01/11/2023 – Lisbon crowned European Capital of Innovation, Canada´s association to Horizon Europe, €75.35B boost to the ERA, new energy projects for the Green Deal & much more
In today’s Morning Brief:
Funding
Calls open for 2023 Innovation Fund proposals with record €4B budget
Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
Utilizing Artificial Intelligence to develop the Smart Specialization Observatory
Fighting extreme weather with extreme computing power
Energy
Commission proposes 166 cross-border energy projects for EU support to help deliver the European Green Deal
Commission sets out actions to accelerate the roll-out of electricity grids
Microelectronics
EU and India sign semiconductor memorandum of understanding
Research & Innovation
Canada to sign Horizon Europe association deal next year
No more New European Bauhaus Mission
Nature-inspired flying robots: advancements in environmental monitoring
Over €75B of the recovery funds will go to European Research Area objectives
Lisbon crowned European capital of innovation for 2023
Maria Leptin’s perspectives on university challenges and innovation
EU’s Industrial R&D Scoreboard updates
INESC News
RTP3 features INOV’s AI-integrated inspection system in RiaStone production
APPRAISE system: INOV contributes to enhancing security in public spaces through innovative technology
INESC TEC collaborates on a European project that promotes the use of algae in sustainable aquaculture
INESC TEC’s podcast among the nominees for a national award
Job Opportunities
Events & Training workshops
24/11/2023 – EU’s decarbonization push, INESC participates in Portugal’s Blockchain initiative, Horizon Europe budget boost for R&I & much more
In today’s Morning Brief:
Funding
EU Commission to spend €186 million promoting agri-food products in and outside EU in 2024
Commission opens search for technology infrastructure expert group
Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
Call for Contributions: EU-U.S. Trade & Technology Council’s first edition of AI terminology and taxonomy
Belgium to focus on a public sector European blockchain during its EU presidency
Europe still working with China on military and surveillance uses of artificial intelligence, report finds
EU launches new competition to give AI companies access to supercomputers
Energy
Plans to boost Europe’s Net-Zero technology production
Microelectronics
As microscopic materials proliferate, ensuring they are safe is a priority
Research & Innovation
European Parliament Approves 2024 EU Budget with Boost for Research and Innovation
Council approves UK’s inclusion in Horizon Europe and Copernicus Programmes
EU lagging behind on antimicrobial resistance research
Opinion article in Science Business: The European Research Area needs a reboot
EIT lauds impact of Regional Innovation Scheme in latest report
INESC News
INESC participates at BLOCKCHAIN.PT initiative
INESC MN partners up in semiconductor consortium
INESC TEC advances autonomous vehicle perception in THEIA project
The HUB hosts EARTO meeting on EU RD&I Programmes
HUB contributes at the INESC TEC Autumn Forum
Job Opportunities
Events & Training workshops
17/11/2023 – Horizon Europe latest calls, the €85M boost next year to reach €12.9B, the approval of the Critical Raw Materials Act & much more
In today’s Morning Brief:
Funding
Horizon: €290M in funding for digital, industry and space
ERC sees rise in Starting Grant applications
Artificial Intelligence
OECD updates definition of Artificial Intelligence ‘to inform EU’s AI Act’
Study highlights AI’s economic potential amid EU regulatory focus
Energy
EU Atlantic strategy: what’s next?
Bioengineering
How can regenerative agriculture help the food system survive?
Regional Innovation Valleys for Bioeconomy and Food Systems” launch event conclusions
Research & Innovation
Horizon Europe: €12.9 Billion Boost in 2024 Budget
Commission welcomes political agreement on the Critical Raw Materials Act
Paper: How regional innovation ecosystems can improve participation in the European Framework Programme for R&I
European Space Agency looks to private sector to stay competitive
Technology readiness levels are getting a reality check to ensure innovations are socially acceptable
Research Management initiative advances strategic capacities in European research organisations
INESC News
Carla Gonçalves of INESC TEC recognized among Portugal’s green visionaries
Bactometer project secures runner-up position in EIT Health
Artificial Intelligence and humans collaborate to enhance critical infrastructure security
Job Opportunities
Events & Training workshops