In today’s Morning Brief:

Data cubes: Enabling and facilitating Earth Observation applications

We live in an era of data, it is all around us. Thanks to the Copernicus programme’s data and products, SMEs around the world can make commercial use of satellite data and derived products for diverse services and applications.

However, SMEs often lack the technical or scientific skills needed to process and integrate Copernicus data and products and thus not make the most out of the opportunities it offers.

Data cubes can be a game-changer in the use of Earth Observation data as the volumes of data it produces are significant. Data cubes not only allow to view data in a multidimensional way, but also pre-processing and fast access to summarised data.

Several data cube projects are underway. They are dedicated to increasing the availability of Copernicus data and encouraging a broader group of users to take advantage of the many opportunities it offers.

To read more of this Observer and learn more about data cubes and their application post-COVID-19, click here.

EPAA Annual Conference 2021: registration is open!

Don’t miss this year’s EPAA conference on 27 October on how can EPAA help the successful implementation of the EU chemical strategy for sustainability.

At this event participants will be given an insight into the agency’s achievements in 2021, announce the EPAA Refinement Prize winner, and discuss our role in the EU chemical strategy for sustainability.

The conference will take place online from 14:00 to 17:00 CEST and is open to EPAA members, representatives of European and international institutions, academics, NGOS and national regulatory authorities.

Registration is only open until today so click here to sign up!

European Cancer Summit 2021

Every year, at the European Cancer Summit, the European Cancer Organisation brings together leading oncology experts, movers and shakers to discuss key issues in reducing the burden of cancer, saving, and improving the lives of patients and the public.

This year’s summit from the 17 to the 18 of November will focus on the implementation of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the EU Cancer Mission’s recommendations.

This will be a hybrid event with some speakers and attendees joining from Brussels and some joining virtually so if you’re interested in attending register here!

Joining the dots in EU forestry research

Forests cover 40% of EU land. They prevent soil erosion, purify the air, filter water, prevent erosion, and absorb carbon dioxide. They are also important economic resources. They would benefit from better knowledge translation and closer links between wood production and biodiversity research and innovation.

There are European level networks of the scientists who carry out forestry research but none connecting the practitioners who apply it. The barrier to facilitating this exchange is that national funding agencies do not want to give money outside their countries.

Industry echoes the concerns about knowledge translation. When it comes to R&D, the EU forest strategy does not recognise the realities on the ground.

In July, the EC presented a new strategy, aiming to make forest management more sustainable while boosting the forest-based bio-economy. It aims to bring different regional practices and policies under one umbrella. But doubts remain whether this is the right approach as forests are very much linked to the local economy.

EFI‘s latest project RESONATE is looking for ways to make forests more resilient.

If you want to learn more about RESONATE click here, and if you want to read more on this issue click here.

European Commission says Research and Innovation will play a “key role” in its 2022 policy plan

The EC has adopted its 2022 work program, a document that lists its policy priorities for the next year.

According to the document, research and innovation will play a key role in responding to the challenges facing us today.

The Commission hopes investments in R&I will help the EU to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and boost the development of technologies needed in a green and digital economy.

Make sure to read the work program here.

The Guild calls for enhanced support in ensuring the role of universities as central innovation actors

As the EU reforms its Guiding Principles for Knowledge Valorization, The Guild calls for dedicated funding streams for knowledge transfer activities, and capacity-building measures to enhance the capacities of researchers and technology transfer offices to innovate.

One of the priorities set for the revamped European Research Area (ERA) is to translate R&I results into economy and society. Through this, researchers are challenged to change how they do research, how they publish it, and whom they engage through it.

Within this context, universities are increasingly engaging with their local innovation systems, from participating in Open Innovation processes to stimulating entrepreneurship among their researchers to providing knowledge services to local companies.

The Guild highlights the importance of involving research and innovation stakeholders, including higher education institutions, in co-designing the Guiding Principles.

While the endorsement and buy-in of the EU member states is crucial for their adoption, universities are best placed to identify the challenges related to knowledge valorization and to define realistic, ambitious, and feasible solutions, while ensuring their concrete implementation.

Make sure to read the full statement here!

Click here to read more.