Join our sessions, meet our researchers!
Tuesday 10 July
13:30 – 14:45
Challenges and benefits of digital technologies for ageing well Looking at the EU’s aging population, growing life expectancy and decreasing fertility and birth rates, there are huge challenges to be addressed. To ensure quality healthcare as well as stable healthcare systems, public authorities and specialized organizations will need to look at the challenges and benefits of new digital technologies. Wearable sensors, robots or diagnostic tools do create opportunities, but they aren’t always tailored to specific demands or age groups. Evidence also shows these technologies can increase inequalities and isolation. The panel will address the societal questions raised, including ways to prevent ageism and older people’s social exclusion, while maintaining quality healthcare and healthy ageing.
Speakers and their COST Actions COST Action R educing Old Age Social Exclusion: Collaborations in Research and Policy (ROSEnet) Network leader & speaker: Rytis Maskeliunas (Kaunas University of Technology) By 2020, older people (over 65 y.o.) will account for 20% of the entire EU population. This pan-European network of researchers is working with policy makers to understand how older people become victims of social exclusion and what the socio-economic implications of ageism are. The group is focusing on science-based solutions to fight this phenomenon and improve EU public policies. rosenetcost.com
COST Action A geism - a multi-national, interdisciplinary perspective Network leader & speaker: Blanca Deusdad (Rovira i Virgili University) For the last four years, the network has increased awareness of ageism among policy makers and the civic society across various European countries. Researchers in the network have been looking at how old age discrimination happens and how it is promoted in the media, judicial, legal and healthcare systems, as well as in relation to workforce. notoageism.com COST Action W earable Robots for Augmentation, Assistance or Substitution of Human Motor Functions Network leader & speaker: Jan Veneman (Hocoma AG) Besides their industrial uses, wearable robots can help people overcome physical limitations due to old age and can help rehabilitation after neurological damage. Researchers, physical therapists, surgeons, and care workers taking part in the network are looking into new market applications and needs, as well as any related risks. The network is organising the Cybathlon Experience at Biorob2018, where users will talk to experts and show how they use their exoskeletons to overcome their spinal cord injuries. wearablerobots.eu COST Action A lgorithms, Architectures and Platforms for EnhanceLiving Environments Network leader & speaker: Nuno Garcia (Universidade da Beira Interior) A network of scientists and entrepreneurs is coordinating European research on technologies meant to improve the lives of the elderly and disabled. The group’s aim is ICT research leading to software and hardware architectures for marketable devices such as smartphones or mobile devices carrying medical data that can optimise living spaces, ensuring enhanced mobility, security and autonomy for the elderly. aapele.eu More speakers: Karina Marcus (COST), Paul Timmers (Oxford University, formerly EU Commission)
Tuesday 10 July
17:00 – 18:15
Why don’t governments take citizen scientists seriously? Citizen science is more than a way of doing research – it can shape our perceptions and allows virtually anyone to come up with new solutions for new problems. Social media and apps can gather enormous amounts of valuable data, but citizens’ engagement should be encouraged and maintained strategically. One key issue stopping citizen science initiatives from becoming mainstream is that policy makers and established institutions still distrust such projects. This is because impact is unclear, data collection sometimes lacks robustness and quality, and initiatives with a real effect on decision-making are only just a few. Speakers will share their experiences with citizen science initiatives, while debating recent advances and the most promising developments, all of which can help build trustful relationships between citizens, scientists and policy makers. Speakers and their COST Actions COST Action A lien Challenge Network leader & speaker: Helen Roy (NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology) Plants and animals are sometimes accidentally or intentionally introduced to regions of the world where they have not occurred before and where they may cause problems. The network has come up with a system for early warning and response to alien species, and has produced new standards for measuring the existing and potential environmental and economic impact of such species across Europe. The group has also used citizen science to help detect and gather data on existing alien species. brc.ac.uk/alien-challenge/home
COST Action F ostering knowledge about the relationship between Information and Communication Technologies and Public Spaces supported by strategies to improve their use and attractiveness (CYBERPARKS) Network leader & speaker: Diogo Mateus (Universidade Lusófona) Europeans can now use mobile apps to share new ways of using and interacting with public spaces (parks, gardens, streets or squares). Web developers, urban designers, landscape architects and social and behavioural scientists have teamed up to better understand and boost the potential of ITC to improve urban open spaces. cyberparks-project.eu COST Action C itizen Science to promote creativity, scientific literacy, and innovation throughout Europe Network leader & speaker: Katrin Vohland (Museum für Naturkunde Berlin/ European Citizen Science Association) This network is coordinating efforts to support and promote citizen science across Europe. They are organising a hackathon for students, developers, UX designers and researchers, where they can pitch their ideas for web and mobile applications supporting citizen science projects. Such initiatives can help boost creativity, scientific literacy and innovation in Europe. cs-eu.net More speakers: Mafalda Quintas (COST), Ana Cristina Cardoso (EU Commission), Philippe Galiay (EU Commission), Stuart Roberts (volunteer in citizen science), Sven Schade (EU Commission), Cristina Silva Ferreira (Lisbon City Council)
Thursday 12 July
13:30 – 14:45
Quantum Technologies: a chance for women to take their place in science? Quantum technologies could change the world as we know it, and Europe risks lagging behind if all of its best brains do not contribute to this change. Leading quantum physics researcher Dr Ruth Oulton will be sharing the latest research and an outlook on upcoming technologies. She will also address the obstacles that women are still facing as they build a career in this frontier research area. Some problems are practical (a lack of childcare facilities at conferences, a lack of maternity leave early in the career), or can relate to unconscious bias and a lack of mentorship by the leaders in the field. This will be followed by a panel debate that will explore best practices and strategies to overcome current hurdles in women’s participation in this fascinating research endeavour. Speakers and their COST Actions COST Action N anoscale Quantum Optics Network leader & speaker: Ruth Oulton (University of Bristol), Mario Agio (University of Siegen) Miniature lasers for ultrafast, energy efficient Internet connections, better solar cells, longer-lasting smartphone batteries chargeable in 30 seconds, and extremely precise anti-cancer drug delivery: Nano and quantum-based technologies hold huge promise for the future. This network has connected experts in nanophotonics, quantum optics, quantum physics and materials science so they can explore the full potential of nanoscale quantum optics. cost-nqo.eu
COST Action Q uantum Structure of Spacetime (QSPACE) Network leader and speaker: Mairi Sakellariadou (King’s College London) This is an international network of experts in quantum physics working on noncommutative geometry, a mathematics branch that could help researchers achieve a better understanding of the concepts of space and time. qspace-cost.eu More speakers: Ralph Stübner (COST), Ralph Thomas Berghöfer (EU project GENERA), Curt Rice (Rector of Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences/GenderSTE network), Maria Chiara Carrozza (Italian MP/Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies)
Thursday 12 July
15:15 – 16:30
One Health, for systems-based, integrative approach to sustainable public health ‘One health’ is all about better, fairer and sustainable health for humans, animals, and the environment. This can be achieved by getting sciences, various sectors, and society to work together. This panel will give examples of ‘one health’ initiatives to prove that fair and sustainable public health needs a systems-based, holistic approach. The debate will also feature the various ways of thinking, planning, and working distinguishing between ‘One Health’ initiatives in different socio-economic and ecological contexts across both developing and developed countries. Discussions will shed light on how ‘one health’ could help public health systems manage resources more effectively and sustainably, so these systems become fairer, inclusive, transparent and democratic. Speakers and their COST Actions COST Action N etwork for Evaluation of One Health (NEOH) Network leader & speaker: Massimo Canali (University of Bologna), Maurizio Aragrande (University of Bologna) Although researchers have proposed a ‘one health’ approach to challenges like malnutrition, climate change or antibiotic resistance, there is no common methodology to assess ‘one health’ activities. The experts involved in this COST Action are trying to fill in that gap – their network activities will help them provide more evidence for more holistic public policies based on ‘one health’. neoh.onehealthglobal.net
COST Action U nderstanding and combating African swine fever in Europe (ASF-STOP) Network leader & speaker: Dolores Gavier-Widen (National Veterinary Institute, Sweden) The network has connected biologists, epidemiologists, wildlife experts and virologists, who have found new ways in which African swine fever is transmitted and have come up with better ways of preventing contamination in pig farms all across the European Union. asf-stop.com COST Action C ontrol of Human Pathogenic Mico-organisms in plant production systems (COREMI) Network leader & speaker: Rita Grosch (Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops) Researchers across 33 countries worldwide are connecting public health authorities with plant growers, producers, suppliers, processing and the retail industry to better understand the potential negative impact of plant microbes on human health and to come up with new sanitary measures and agricultural management practices. huplantcontrol.igzev.de COST Action I mproving understanding of and research on the poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae Network leader & speaker: Olivier Sparagano (Coventry University) Researchers in this network are working towards a common way of improving the health, welfare and productivity of the EU’s 350 million laying hens. In search of alternatives to chemical treatments for red mite infections, the experts in this network have tested a new neem oil (vegetable oil) mixture that significantly reduces mite numbers in a heavily infested hen farm. This is the first study on the efficacy of such oil in treating red mite infested hen farms. coremi.eu
COST Action E uropean Network for Foodborne Parasites (Euro-FBP) Network leaders & speakers: Lucy Robertson (Norwegian University of Life Sciences), Chiara Trevisan (Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp) According to the WHO, 33 million otherwise healthy people die of foodborne infections every year. Although foodborne parasites are a common cause, studies have so far focussed on viruses and bacteria. Network experts are helping decrease the impact of foodborne parasites on human health by coordinating research and suggesting potential interventions, while mapping global trends, alongside organisations like EFSA. This network has also got scientists and economists to work together and study how much Europeans are ready to pay for parasite-free food. euro-fbp.org COST Action E uropean network on the factors affecting the gastro-intestinal microbial balance and the impact on the health status of pigs (PiGutNet) Network leader & speaker: Paolo Trevisi (University of Bologna) Antibiotics resistance in humans, farm animals and food in many European countries remains high, according to a 2017 study by the European Food Safety Authority and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. This multidisciplinary network of specialists is striving to reduce the misuse of antibiotics in pig farming by finding ways to develop and maintain a balance in the pig’s intestinal micro-organisms. pigutnet.eu More speakers: Ioanna Stavridou (COST)
Thursday 12 July
17:00 – 18:15
Big data: uncovering new mobility patterns and redefining planning Digital visualisations and big data can help paint a clear picture of what is happening where and when in cities, and can reveal new mobility trends. If properly analysed, big data on urban mobility can radically improve how we evaluate public and sustainable transport. This session will discuss how big data reveals new travel behaviours, leading to new transport planning methods. The panel will also touch on how the EU’s urban dwellers (especially millennials) use social media and how that influences their travel behaviour. Speakers will show how urban planners have used smart data to respond to changing mobility patterns and commuters’ needs. Still, statistical validity, bias, incorrect causality relations and liability are issues that need addressing. Speakers will explain how big data affects travel behaviour and transport planning, at a time when ensuring data quality and European standards is a must.
Speakers and their COST Actions COST Action S ocial Networks and Travel Behaviour Network leaders & speakers: Pnina Plaut (Technion Israel Institute of Technology) The network has proposed a new way of achieving smarter, more inclusive public transport planning, by studying social networks and big data coming from social media use across the EU. tu1305.eu
COST Action T ransport Equity Analysis: assessment and integration of equity criteria in transportation planning (TEA) Network leader & speaker: Floridea di Ciommo (cambiaMO) Researchers in this network have proposed measures for a fairer urban transport system, by monitoring and analysing the needs of people who don’t normally benefit from urban transport solutions. teacost.eu COST Action Wider Impacts and Scenario Evaluation of Autonomous and Connected Transport Network leaders & speakers: Nikolas Thomopoulos (University of Greenwich), Federico Costantini (University of Udine) Although driverless cars seem to be the future, it is not clear how their deployment will affect today’s existing EU road infrastructure. This network is observing and planning to anticipate how autonomous vehicles will lead to future mobility trends and implications on travel behaviour, such as car sharing, travel time use or residential location choices. wise-act.eu More speakers: Mickael Pero (COST), Tatiana Kovacikova (University of Žilina), Payal Arora (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
ABOUT US
COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a EU-funded programme that enables researchers to set up their interdisciplinary research networks in Europe and beyond. We provide funds for organising conferences, meetings, training schools, short scientific exchanges and other networking activities in a wide range of scientific topics. By creating open spaces where people and ideas can grow, we are unlocking the full potential of science. www.cost.eu
Key figures of 2017
233
339
Training schools
Running Actions
2,339
45,000 Researchers involved in COST Actions
Short-term scientific missions
1
â‚Ź134,000 Average annual budget of a COST Action
7
â‚Ź300 million COST budget (from Horizon 2020 for a 7 year period)
Come visit us at stand 7A, learn about our networks and get your free notebook!
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#ESOF2018 @COSTprogramme www.cost.eu COST is supported by the EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020