The members of the Swiss Young Academy elected their new Executive Board on 21 June 2024. Sabrina Heike Kessler was appointed as the new speaker for the 2024/25 term of office. Nawal Kinany will serve as the vice-speaker. An important project next year will be to organize the European Young Academies Meeting 2025 in Bern. Furthermore, Sofie Behluli as speaker and Silvia Maier as vice-speaker were thanked for their great commitment during the previous term of office.
The National Prize for Open Research Data (ORD Prize) is in line with Switzerland's National ORD Strategy and promotes best practices and innovative methods in the field of Open Research Data. This year, there are two focus areas: Collaborative and/or interdisciplinary reuse of research data and educational and/or public outreach related to the reuse of research data. Applications for the are still possible until 31 July 2024, 5:00 PM. New this year, nominations for the ORD Prize can be submitted via an online-form.
Parwiz Mosamim, doctoral researcher from Afghanistan at USI Università della Svizzera italiana since 2021, featured in the panel “Courage to Think”, moderated by Roger Pfister from the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences and former Chair of SAR Switzerland. Discussing the situation of the research and higher education sector in Afghanistan, that of women and journalism in particular, as well as Parwiz’ research project on women’s representation barriers and opportunities in the public administration of the Afghan government.
swissuniversities und der SNF präsentieren eine aktualisierte nationale Open-Access Strategie für einen freien und sofortigen Zugang zu öffentlich finanzierten wissenschaftlichen Publikationen. Die Strategie fokussiert darauf, wissenschaftliches Wissen sofort und maschinenlesbar, ohne Kosten und ohne Embargo bereitzustellen. Ein solch offener Zugang zu Forschungsergebnissen bringt einen Mehrwert für Gesellschaft und Wissenschaft. Die Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz begrüssen die Veröffentlichung dieser Strategie und waren durch Mitglieder aus dem Netzwerk an deren Erarbeitung beteiligt.
Nach zwei Jahren mit wenig Schnee und sehr heissen Sommern bleibt der Permafrost in der Schweiz im Herbst 2023 warm und der Eisgehalt des Bodens nahm vielerorts weiter ab. Die Blockgletscher bewegten sich zudem schnell talwärts. Dies geht aus den neuesten Messungen des Schweizer Permafrost-Messnetzes hervor.
Ein Mineral, das ein Wissenschaftler vor zwanzig Jahren im Glarnerland gesammelt hat, entpuppte sich nicht nur als bislang unbekannte Art. Der Heimit kann unter gewissen Bedingungen auch die Farbe wechseln. Dank eines Digitalisierungsprojekts am Naturéum in Lausanne werden die Funde für die Forschung und Öffentlichkeit nun einfacher zugänglich.
The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences are publishing a Data Literacy Charter for Switzerland. This Charter is intended to initiate a broad-based cultural change in the way society handles general and personal data. One aim is for each person to be in a position to determine how personal data is handled. A further aim of the Charter is that people should be able to critically evaluate data and statements based on it.
The hay fever situation in Switzerland is deteriorating because of climate change: the hay fever season is becoming longer, pollen concentrations are increasing, and highly allergenic invasive plants are becoming widespread. Researchers at the Swiss Commission for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP) of the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT) and the Swiss Federal Office for Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss) have issued a new fact sheet that summarises the latest findings about the hay fever and pollen situation, and how it is being impacted by climate change.
The Members’ Assembly of the Swiss Young Academy (SYA) has elected five new members. The new members were able to convince the Election Committee with their interest in promoting the dialogue between science and society and with their ideas for shaping the science system. The scientists and scholars newly-admitted to the Young Academy, together with the other 39 members, will be able to implement these ideas in inter- and transdisciplinary projects over the next five years.
The ORD unit of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences is inviting tenders for up to four codes of conduct for open research data with a total value of CHF 120,000. The codes of conduct are intended to serve as guidelines and reference frameworks for specific disciplines and data communities in the field of open research data. Applications can be submitted until 31 May 2024.
Die Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz haben gemeinsam mit Fachleuten Kriterien entwickelt, um geeignete Gebiete zum Bau von Energieanlagen ausserhalb von Bauzonen zu finden, die Biodiversität und Landschaft möglichst wenig beeinträchtigen. Die Kriterien können Kantone bei der Richtplanung und Energieversorger bei der Planung von Solar-, Wind- und Wasserkraftanlagen unterstützen.
The ORD Prize 2024 of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences is now open for applications. The second edition of this new prize as part of the national ORD strategy honours research projects that demonstrate best practices in the field of Open Research Data.
This year there are two focus areas: Collaborative and/or interdisciplinary reuse of research data and Educational and/or outreach activities related to the reuse of research data. The Call is open until 31 July 2024.
Since January 2023, the academies have been members of the Coalition for Reforming Research Assessment (CoARA). In accordance with the commitments of this membership, the academies have developed an action plan with specific milestones, outlining the implementation of the agreed core commitments by the end of 2027. This 5-year action plan was published by the academies on 18 April 2024.
A new European institute for Artificial Intelligence in science and technologies of the future must be driven by people and communities, not only by profit: these are two key messages of renowned scientists. Nominated by the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences (a+), Andrea Emilio Rizzoli from the Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Lugano co-chaired the group of scientists that drafted these messages.
Per un giornalismo scientifico avvincente: è questo l'obiettivo che le Accademie svizzere delle scienze si prefiggono assegnando dei premi per i contributi eccellenti del giornalismo scientifico. Quest'anno, per la prima volta, il Prix MultiMédia sarà assegnato a forme innovative di narrazione. I giovani talenti con idee per contributi giornalistici sui temi della ricerca e della scienza possono candidarsi al Prix Média Newcomer per realizzare i loro progetti. Il Prix Média, invece, è rivolto a professionisti esperti.
Aus der heute publizierten Botschaft zur Förderung von Bildung, Forschung und Innovation (BFI) 2025 bis 2028 geht eine beträchtliche Finanzierungslücke für die Grundaufgaben der Akademien der Wissenschaften Schweiz hervor. Damit sind nicht nur die ambitionierten Ziele des Bundesrats für den Wissenschaftsstandort Schweiz in Gefahr. Darüber hinaus wird ein Netzwerk von über 100’000 ehrenamtlich engagierten Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlern spürbar und nachhaltig beeinträchtigt.