Merħba. Welcome.
NUCLEUS Conference 2018 – Living RRI: opening research to the needs and values of society
On behalf of the NUCLEUS Consortium it is with great pleasure that I invite you to our 4th International Conference: “Living RRI: opening research to the needs and values of society”.
We are delighted to share our findings from the third phase of our project which has seen the embedding of Responsible Research and Innovation into institutions on three continents. In this phase novel approaches to meet local circumstances resulted in RRI taking equally novel shapes and outcomes. This experience, combined with invited contributions from other RRI projects, will make this the single largest conference on the social appropriation of science in Europe.
Keynotes and programme highlights
Among our keynote speakers we are honoured to have:
Giulia Bubbolini, from the Center for Innovation and Sustainable Economy in Italy, sharing her vast experience in policy making and entrepreneurship;
Paul Manners, director of the National Centre for Coordination of Public Engagement in the UK presenting insights into meaningful collaborations.
And Maria Acaso, bringing creative visions from the arts as a disruptive intervention into how we think about education and governance.
Experience of embedding RRI in 10 research institutions:
At the heart of our project are the 10 “Embedded Nuclei” which act as test beds for making RRI an every day part of the governance and practice of research institutions. From Europe, China and South Africa these Nuclei will bring their insights into the practical implementation of RRI.
Multifaced trainings and discussions:
Fostering cultural change needs tools and arguments, cases and examples. The conference offers a variety of sessions with diverse formats. This range is enhanced by having representatives from some of the major Horizon2020 RRI projects – each in its own way working towards a research environment that is more open and engaging.
NUCLEUS next steps:
Perhaps most importantly this conference also marks the start of the final phase of the project. The goal is a living network of open science and responsible innovation experts. Each of us has a part to play and the conference will give a voice to those who want to play their part. Together we can shape the open science we want.
The island of Malta:
Malta is not just a beautiful backdrop for the conference. It is also a particularly appropriate setting for NUCLEUS. For centuries the island has been the hub of Mediterranean trade and civilisation, drawing on influences from North, South, East and West to produce a rich and diverse culture. It is the perfect location for the NUCLEUS project which embeds Nucleus in the centre of the interactions from all points of the stakeholders’ compass producing a rich, vibrant RRI.
Our conference will take place in the Aula Magna of the University of Malta, in the heart of Valletta and includes a reception at the Esplora Science Centre, Malta´s interactive space where science, creativity and arts meet.
See you soon in Valletta!
Professor Alexander Gerber,
NUCLEUS Project Leader
Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences
