The session is organised in partnership with Johnson and Johnson PRD a Division of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Bioindustry Park Bi.P.Ca, the Innovation Cluster bioPmed, 2i3T the University of Turin incubator, the Biotecnology Foundation Turin, the Molecular biotechnology Center – University of Turin and Farmindustria.

Goal of the session is to discuss the importance of the value chain of biotech and pharma industry in order to discuss the roles for all actors and to explain why it is so important for society that the value chain works, underlining which is the role and importance of scientists, particularly young scientists. All actors involved share similar problems that can influence their activity and development. The panel will represent different actors that compose the value chain of biotech and pharma in the following fields: Research; Start-ups; Venture Capitalists; Pharma Industry; Cluster.

Eastern European countries have a low success rate of applications for research support from European organisations, such as the European Research Council or the European Science Foundation. However, it should not to be seen as an “East vs. West” issue. Is it possible that young and brilliant scientists – either from “Eastern” or “Western” countries – who are rejected are victims of the lack of funding of research institutions in their home countries? European research organisations are far from perfect and they need more resources. The resources in turn come from Member States, which requests priority support from its heads of government, and the wheel turns... The aim with this session is to trigger a discussion on the sources leading to the unbalanced situation of grants distribution.

How do the cultural activities of practicing scientists affect their scientific thought? In particular, do scientists read literary texts in different ways from non-scientists? And do their literary experiences, tastes and preferences influence the construction and presentation of their own work? In order to understand how science and literature interact today, we need to examine their relationships in the period in which both fields were forming mature identities as professional disciplines. Accordingly, this session will discuss the influence of literature in science through four case-studies of major nineteenth-century scientists who were also prolific and enthusiastic readers: Alexander von Humboldt, Michael Faraday, James Clerk Maxwell and Darwin's rival naturalist, Richard Owen.

Each of the four panel speakers is an expert in the interdisciplinary field of literature and science studies. Each is also an experienced and talented speaker. In this session front-line interdisciplinary research that is accessible and engaging for general audiences will be presented. The map of literature and science that emerges will give us a basis for wideranging discussion of nineteenth-century as well as contemporary issues of science in culture.

The most mysterious particles in our current model of the universe are the neutrinos. They pass through space and the Earth with almost no interaction. They are difficult to detect and yet they are thought to play a fundamental role in the formation of the Universe. This makes attempts to understand their nature of crucial importance to our understanding of where we came from. Over time there has been improvements in techniques to understand their nature which have revealed surprising results. Neutrinos can change their type! Theories predict only three types of neutrinos and do not predict neutrinos can change from one type to another. The result that they can change type has profound implications on our understanding of the Universe.

In this session we will introduce these mysterious particles and explain their importance in physics which attempts to describe the Universe. We will also survey the current findings including the latest hot-off-the-press news in the continuing effort to uncover these elusive, but critical little neutral ones.

The most mysterious particles in our current model of the universe are the neutrinos. They pass through space and the Earth with almost no interaction. They are difficult to detect and yet they are thought to play a fundamental role in the formation of the Universe. This makes attempts to understand their nature of crucial importance to our understanding of where we came from. Over time there has been improvements in techniques to understand their nature which have revealed surprising results. Neutrinos can change their type! Theories predict only three types of neutrinos and do not predict neutrinos can change from one type to another. The result that they can change type has profound implications on our understanding of the Universe.

In this session we will introduce these mysterious particles and explain their importance in physics which attempts to describe the Universe. We will also survey the current findings including the latest hot-off-the-press news in the continuing effort to uncover these elusive, but critical little neutral ones.

Delegates are invited to take part in an interactive workshop on direct communication between scientists and members of the public, to discover new ways to communicate research topics and engage with audiences of all kinds. A professional facilitator will animate a lively workshop with practical examples and demonstrations of what works and what doesn’t work when speaking directly to the public.

Areas covered will include tips and techniques for:

• Handling hot topics

Participants will experiment with techniques designed to engage people in discussion about controversial issues, in particular using drama. In this process, they will learn how promote discussion, facilitate debate, handle controversy in the public and answer difficult questions.

 

• How to get your message across

The facilitator presents an example of dialogue between a scientist and a non-expert (journalist or public in a scientific event) and discusses important points and possible pitfalls with the group. Volunteer participants will be interviewed and given feedback on their performance.

 

The workshop will also integrate contributions from scientists who have gained a great deal of experience of communication with the public by working in scientific labs inside science museums through the EU project “Nano to touch”. Participants will hear real life experiences of questions asked by museum visitors, situations that can arise when speaking to non-experts and how best to handle them without losing track of the main point – the accuracy of the concept described.

The experience gained in the work