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11-13 February 2019
24-27 February 2019
27-29 March 2019
3-5 April, 2019
21-23 May 2019
5-7 June, 2019
19-20 September 2019
14-16 October, 2019
17-18 October 2019
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INGSA Thematic Workshop, Muscat, Oman
International Brain Stimulation Conference, Vancouver, CA
EARMA Conference, Bologna, IT
AESIS 'Implementing a National Impact Strategy', Bilbao, ES
ASTP PROTON annual conference, Dublin, UK
AESIS 'Impact of Science' (IOS) Conference, Berlin, DE
Research Evaluation in the SSH Conference(RESSH 2019), Valencia, ES
Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy, Atlanta, US
AESIS 'Impact of Social Sciences and Humanities on Society' Conference, Washington DC, US
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Connecting Scientists to Policy Around the World
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) performed a landscape analysis of Mechanisms Around the World Engaging Scientists and Engineers in Policy. Information of nearly 200 science policy stakeholders in academia, government, nonprofit and international organizations, and the private sector, provided acknowledgement of the global demand to strengthen collaboration between science and policy. The analysis revealed important factors for effective engagement of scientists in policy making, identified more than 150 science-policy linkage mechanisms, and clarified criteria to support their success.
Click here to read more or read the executive summary.
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Universities, Policy Makers and Stakeholders fostering Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) nested systems for Societal Impact
There has been a transition of systems in Science, Technology and Innovation. In this crossroad there are Universities who have been operating in an evolving and complex context. Is it possible for researchers to work in an efficient way to address societal challenges, through ambitious research projects, yet having limited funding? Is there anyone who can truly ensure that the local reaches the global or vice-versa? Can we find a way to best understand and implement societal impact? Should this be limited to anything that connects with social actors? The recurring question is of what knowledge is needed for social impact and how to best design it. How can we measure or even monitor research projects for social impact?
International experts at the University of Deusto have gathered in order to consider appropriate responses to this challenge. Click here to read the published article.
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Art the Science
Recently an artist immersed in Dr. Kevin Mumford’s environmental engineering lab at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Art the Science, a non-profit organization enabling cross disciplinary relationships between artists and scientists in Canada, facilitates the project as part of their residency program. The program adds value for both the scientist and artists. Scientists are provided with an innovative way to share their research with the society and the program allows artists to broaden their practice.
An article on Art the Science was recently published in Canadian Science Publishing and can be found here. The full Phase I evaluation report can be found here and for more information on Phase II of the project please click here.
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Canada Foundation for Innovation’s 2018 Report on results
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) contributes financially to universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research organizations in Canada with the aim to increase high-quality research. CFI helps to build communities by providing tools for innovation to researchers, which translates into jobs and new enterprises, better health, cleaner environments and, ultimately, vibrant communities. The CFI’s 2018 Report on results provides a summary of data on the status and use of CFI-funded infrastructure as well as resulting outputs and outcomes from funded projects. The data is collected through project progress reports submitted by institutions covering the fiscal year 2017-2018. A copy of the report can be found here.
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Mastercard and The Rockefeller Foundation announce 'Data Science for Social Impact'
Last week The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and The Rockefeller Foundation announced the collaborative initiative ‘Data Science for Social Impact’ during the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. With an initial commitment of $50 million over five years, the aim is to accelerate the use of data science. Non-profit, civic and governmental organizations will be supported with the tools and expertise to accelerate the application of big data to pressing challenges in the society. Other companies and philanthropies are invited to join the collaborative.
Click here to read more.
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New models for evaluating societal impact in strategic research programmes in Finland
Dr. Milja Saari (Division of strategic research, Acadamy of Finland)
The first programmes funded by the Finnish Strategic Research Council (SRC) will end in August 2019 and their evaluation will be carried out in the spring of 2020 – also for the first time. The characteristics of SRC funding set new requirements for the evaluation. Compared to other Finnish research funding instruments, the SRC-programme evaluation should address new types of questions:
- How can societal impact be measured?
- When can societal impact be expected to arise?
- How are the interaction and impact of SRC projects assessed?
- Who is the evaluator, that is, who performs the evaluation, and how can it be carried out so as to cover the entire field of strategic research in terms of both research and interaction activities?
- From whom is information collected when also both stakeholders and interaction partners occupy a key position from the point of view of the impact of SRC projects?
- How should we assess the programme directors’ activities that aim to establish links between researchers and knowledge users and to support co-creation between projects within programmes and between different programmes?
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Data Matters: Ethics, Data, and international Research Collaboration in a Changing World
Susan Sauer Sloan (Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable GUIRR)
A workshop held on March 14-16, 2018, in Washington, DC explored the changing opportunities and risks of data management and use across disciplinary domains. The third workshop in a series, participants gathered to examine advisory principles for consideration when developing international research agreements, in the pursuit of highlighting promising practices for sustaining and enabling international research collaborations at the highest ethical level possible. The intent of the workshop was to explore, through an ethical lens, the changing opportunities and risks associated with data management and use across disciplinary domains—all within the context of international research agreements. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.
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Every day's newspaper reminds us how important data is and the ethical or not so ethical uses thereof. And what is research but the judicious generation and analysis of data to lead to useful insights? GUIRR provided the unique venue in which it was possible to bring together diverse sectors and disciplines to fashion a multi-stakeholder conversation. - Dr. Barbara Mittleman, co-chair GUIRR
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Insights from the Data4Impact project: The analytical model of societal impact assessment (AMOSIA)
Alexander Feidenheimer (Fraunhofer Institute)
Assessing the societal impact of research projects is crucial for the evaluation of re-search policies. However, this is notoriously difficult to do. Data4Impact is a Horizon2020-funded research project dedicated to exploring whether approaches based on big data can be used to assess the impacts of EU funded projects (FP7 and H2020) in the health sector. As a first major working step, our team has developed a conceptual framework that builds on insights from the current research on R&I impacts, and con-siders their applicability to conventional R&I assessment approaches. The result is an analytical heuristic, which we call the AMOSIA model.
The model is divided into four analytical stages: the well-known input, throughput and output/ outcome stage as well as a new impact stage. Each stage is represented by characteristic data categories/clusters (e.g. scientific / economic / societal impact data). Applying big data techniques enables us to operationalize the whole model. Further-more, the model clearly indicates direct/documented as well as indirect/topical connec-tions between different R&I activities along the entire pathway towards societal impact. Tracking indirect connections is particularly important when investigating the possible impacts of research projects. Our model is applicable to the current understanding of R&I and the underlying processes as well as being open to new data and data genera-tion techniques. Moreover, it provides a standardized approach to impact assessment that is still widely underresearched so far.
More information about the project and our progress can be found on our website.
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Strengthening science and industry co-operations while driving developments for an electronic standard
Sabine Jaemlich (DESY)
Developed for science, now as well implemented for industrial applications: MicroTCA.4 is an open electronics standard, used as a control and communication unit. The standard was mainly developed at DESY, one of the world’s leading research centres for accelerator physics. The developments and partnerships between industrial and scientific partners are an example for successful technology transfer, aiming for a positive impact of economic growth via a product, which serves a wide range of needs.
One of the most reliable tools for the acceptance of this electronics standard, is an annual conference, where experts from science and industry meet. In December 2018, the 7th MicroTCA workshop with about 200 participants from more than 20 research facilities and 30 companies took place at DESY. It is one of the truly unique events, where industry and science talk and work together as partners. Keynote speeches on the same level from industry and science underscore this aspiration, for example Saeed Karamooz, CEO of Vadatech Inc., talked about the market for MicroTCA, while Timo Korhonen, Chief Engineer at the European Spallation Source (ESS), reported on the status of MTCA.4 installations at this European research institution.
The MicroTCA Workshop was hosted by the (Helmholtz Innovation Lab) MicroTCA Technology Lab. The workshop attracts around 30% of new interested people from science and industry every year and should solidify the positive impact, of open co-operations between science and industry.
On the sidelines of the 7th Micro TCA Workshop, Yves-Marie Abiven (Synchrotron Soleil) and Vollrath Dirksen (N.A.T.) discuss applications of the MicroTCA.4 electronic standard (Photo: DESY / Maike Bierbaum).
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Collaborative Problem Solving to Advance Scientific Impact
Stephen M. Fiore (University of Central Florida)
Scientific teamwork is one of the most challenging forms of collaborative problem solving. In order to advance the impact of science, we need to ensure that scientists are adequately trained in this form of complex problem solving. Although traditional education and training emphasizes problem solving, what is missing is development of pedagogy in support of collaboration and teamwork. Community member Stephen M. Fiore, and colleagues, recently published a review article on this very important competency that significantly aligns with the mission of AESIS. Noting the global deficit in collaborative problem solving skills, Fiore and colleagues point to advances in the learning sciences that can be adapted to support science. This helps to ensure that science is more effective and increases the likelihood for a broader and more substantive societal impact of this science. An example of this would be recent research in the USA on improving graduate education in environmental sustainability. The National Science Foundation awarded funding to the Virginia Sea Grant, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), and the University of Virginia, to design and test team science training. The goal is to build teamwork capacity among graduate students studying coastal ocean and estuarine systems. Such research can help to develop competencies for developing solutions that have significant societal and scientific impact in service of community-based coastal resilience issues.
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What happened at Church House, Westminster, back in November?
Researchfish (Michael Francis)
The short answer is the second international Strategy of Impact Conference! 200 Research professionals (funders, charities, research organisations, researchers, consultants and partners) travelled from all corners of the globe to discuss the strategy of research impact assessment, data sharing, and collaboration. Keynote speakers included Professor Graeme Reid, Chair of Science & Research Policy, University College London; Rebecca Endean, Strategy Director of UK Research and Innovation; and Dr Kathryn Graham of Alberta Innovates. Afternoon breakout sessions followed covering Tools & Methods; Impact Frameworks; Data, Interoperability and Customer Use Cases; and Best Practice and Collaboration. A complete round-up of the event including slides can be found here.
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Join us at the National Symposium on Continuing Education!
Matthew Smith (Colleges and Institutes Canada)
In a world of rapid technological and economic change, workers now expect to switch jobs throughout their lifetimes, see sectors disrupted, and continuously develop new skills. With this in mind, CICan, together with the Fédération des cégeps, is pleased to be hosting “Training and the Labour Market – Always Evolving,” in Montreal, QC, from February 28 to March 1st, 2019!
This National Symposium on Continuing Education will engage participants on how to better respond to changes in the labour market and to the needs of a diversified student body, including new immigrants, international students, Indigenous populations, and other under-represented groups. Meet and exchange with experts and leaders from colleges and institutes, the labour market, and governments, regarding issues and best practices for continuing education and training in the workplace. Don’t miss this event! Be sure to book your travel and accommodation soon as rooms at the Hotel Omni Mont-Royal are quickly filling up! For more information, click here.
Pour en savoir plus en français, cliquez ici.
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New book: Selling Science – How to use business skills to win support for scientific research
Steven Judge and Richard Lucas
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The idea of this book is that impactful research does not normally happen by accident – it should be planned in advance, but this is easier said than done. As scientists facing this problem, the authors turned to techniques from professional marketing and programme management to help, stripping away the business jargon to provide real practical advice.
This book summarises a proven approach to gathering information on societal and customer needs, analysing the data to identify the most promising fields of work and then implementing an effective strategy to address those needs. The approach can be adapted for all types of scientific research and development, from launching new products to identifying and communicating the benefits from academic research.
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Justifying scientific research will always be part of a scientist’s job – this book aims to make this part of the work easy, enjoyable and rewarding. The book is available from the publisher or from all major on-line retailers.
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AESIS Spring Course "Implementing a National Research Impact Strategy"
3-5 April in Bilbao, Spain
This year’s edition of our “Implementing a National Research Impact Strategy” interactive training seminar will take place in Bilbao, Spain. Experts from multiple countries who are leading the innovation in research funding approaches will be present. They will discuss their experiences and provide insights on how you can organise a national research impact strategy. This seminar brings together experiences of organisations, insights in the dynamics of research impact, as well as a hands on case study. Find more information about speakers, registrations and the programme here.
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AESIS international annual conference on
'Impact of Science'
5-7 June in Berlin, Germany
The seventh edition of our annual 'Impact of Science' conference will revolve around ' Understanding causalities, correlations and pre-conditions for the different dimensions of societal impact of science’. The conference will bring together evaluators, university managers, research councils, policy makers, funders, and other stakeholders of impact. Find more information about the conference, speakers, registrations and the programme here. For an impression of the annual conference, visit the webpage of our last ‘Impact of Science’ Conference. |
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