SEB Bulletin March 2008
Strengthening European plant science
The European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO) has become an important voice of the European plant science community and has been instrumental in shaping the vision for future plant research in Europe.
As its core mission, EPSO works on behalf of its members to increase the impact and visibility of plant science in Europe by informing policy-makers about the importance of plants, boosting funding for plant research, and coordinating research activities at national and European levels - and beyond.
EPSO provides recommendations on European science policy to the European Commission, members of the European Parliament and national politicians. EPSO ensured that funding was available for plant research in FP6 and has increased in FP7. It facilitated and supported the European Research Area Network on Plant Genomics (ERA-PG). EPSO also helped to define and establish the European Research Council (ERC) as a member of the Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE) and of the European Life Sciences Forum (ELSF). Moreover, EPSO contributes to the coordination of the European Technology Platform 'Plants for the Future', which is building a strategic research plan for European plant science.
EPSO regularly publishes position papers to give plant scientists an important voice and to demonstrate how plant research can address current societal challenges. For example, the EPSO position paper on bioenergy and renewable materials was released in September 2007 and shows how plant research can contribute to energy security and alleviating global climate change.
Strength in numbers
EPSO is an independent non-profit organisation that currently represents more than 150 research institutes, departments and universities from 25 European countries. EPSO was founded in 2000 by 22 European institutes and universities to influence European science policy in support of plant science. Since then, EPSO focuses its work on two key areas: science policy and support for plant scientists. Since 2007, EPSO has institutional and personal membership options.
Institutional membership is available to European universities, research institutions and departments in the field of plant science, and since 2008 also to selected plant science institutions worldwide. Representatives of the institutional members actively participate in EPSO's science policy work at the European and national levels. EPSO representatives are key to forging EPSO's position on future European plant research policy and recommendations to important decision makers, for example in the development of the Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7). Only EPSO institutional members can organise and participate in EPSO workshops. Moreover, they will soon have the opportunity to present their institute and activities in EPSOpedia, a wikipedia to be launched in March 2008.
EPSO has seven institutional members in the UK:
John Innes Centre, Norwich
The Plants and Environment Research Group, Lancaster University
Rothamsted Research, Harpenden
The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich
The Scottish Crop Research Institute, SCRI, Dundee
Warwick HRI, the University of Warwick
The Centre for Plant Sciences (CPS), Faculty of Biological Sciences, the University of Leeds
Until now, EPSO institutional members are mainly large plant research institutions. However, EPSO encourages plant research units from up to five universities to form a 'university cluster' and join EPSO together as a single institutional member. This is an important instrument and opportunity for plant scientists from several universities to join the growing EPSO network and to make sure that their voice is also heard in the European science policy debate.
Support to plant scientists
Over the years, EPSO has built a strong reputation among plant scientists in Europe and has become the preferred European contact for scientists and companies worldwide interested in plant-related issues.
Every two years, EPSO organises a conference that attracts top-level scientists and speakers. This major event brings together plant scientists from Europe and around the world to present and discuss cutting-edge science and, uniquely, plant science policy and its societal relevance. Together with scientists in other disciplines, they venture across new frontiers of knowledge. The next EPSO conference will take place in France, from 22 to 26 June 2008, and registration is now open. SEB will organise two careers workshops during the conference: 'How to make the most of your present post' and 'Identifying and selling your skills'. Please go to www.epsoweb.org/catalog/conf2008.htm for more information on the 2008 EPSO Conference.
Equally important, EPSO workshops have established a reputation for being visionary and high-quality 'think-tanks' in emerging areas of plant science. These workshops bring together different disciplines to break down barriers and facilitate collaboration. Workshop participants typically compile a white paper with prioritised objectives that are communicated to the European Commission and national policy-markers. The next workshop on biofuels will be held from 28 to 29 May 2008 in London (UK).
In July 2007, EPSO opened its membership to individuals interested in plant science, regardless of their nationality, profession, seniority or age (personal membership). People working at EPSO member institutions or universities can automatically become members free of charge. For others, the annual fee depends on their career stage. By the end of 2007, nearly 1000 EPSO personal members had already signed up.
EPSO personal members have full access to information collected by EPSO and specifically tailored to plant scientists (such as EU and national funding opportunities, structural funds). They can also use the FP7 partner search tool, browse the database of plant scientists and the EPSO online portal; and read EPSO News, the organisation's bimonthly e-newsletter. This publication presents the latest developments in plant research and provides EPSO personal members with information on the various international, European and national funding programmes. Moreover, personal members can apply for an EPSO conference support grant.
From left to right: Wilhelm Gruissem (president)
Dirk Inzé (vice-president), Ulrich Schurr (treasurer)
and Karin Metzlaff (executive director)
EPSO, the European voice of plant science, is looking forward to welcoming you as a member.
For more information: www.epsoweb.org
Membership information available at: www.epsoweb.org/about/membership.htm
Contact at: epso@epsomail.org
