Temporary ESF expert committee on Materials Science and Engineering (MatSEEC)

1. Temporary ESF expert committee on Materials Science and Engineering (MatSEEC) 31st PESC Standing Committee Meeting, 15-16 April 2010, Helsinki, Finland Anne-Christine Ritschkoff, Prof. Vice-President, Applied Materials

2. Motivation of MatSEEC • Materials Science and Engineering (MS&E) are the principle drivers of materials-based innovation. • New materials with tailored properties leads to new functionalities and their application to new products. • MS&E are multidisciplinary: they cover a wide spectrum of fields from physics, chemistry, biology, medical engineering, computer sciences, applied sciences to materials technologies and other emerging areas of scientific enterprise. • New and better materials have an enormous economic value. • Global technological challenges, for example, providing clean and sustainable energy supply or stopping man-made causes of global warming. • MS&E play strategic roles in the exploitation of European research facilities in natural sciences and engineering, such as synchrotron light sources, neutron sources, nuclear accelerators, and bio-medical facilities • By providing the topics for research • By providing materials to solve scientific-technical problems in other fields of research. • New skills are needed to transfer research to technology more effectively.

3. Mission and objectives of MatSEEC • Foresight of the various fields of materials science and engineering at medium and long-rang time scales. • Forward Look reports and roadmaps for the different fields of materials sciences covering a future of typically +15 years will be delivered • These documents will lead to Science Policy Briefings of the Committee, issued by PESC and/or issued by ESF • Provide dependent expert opinions and policy advice upon request on the use and cost-effectiveness of future Research Infrastructures of relevance to Materials Sciences and Engineering, in particular, for European National Agencies and Ministries, and the European Strategic Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI). • Scientific assessment (short and medium term ) • To provide substantiated scientific advice and assessments on the strategic ramifications of recent research results and current scientific- technological developments, best practices for technology transfer, potentials for commercial innovation, development of entrepreneurship in academic and industrial education for ESF-PESC, EMF member institutions, academic institutions and research facilities. • Consulting and advice (short and medium term) • To act as a consultant body for the community through PESC providing information and advice to National Funding Agencies, the European Parliament, the European Commission, and Governmental Agencies on issues of relevance to Materials Science and Engineering. • To monitor and report the evolution of research and development in all fields of materials to inform European decision makers in Europe. • Annual reports on status and trends of Materials Science and Engineering.

4. Current status of MatSEEC (1) • MatSEEC is an ESF Temporary Expert Committee in the remit of and associated with the ESF Standing Committee for Physical and Engineering Sciences (PESC) • term of 5 years starting on the date of its inauguration meeting on 29-30 October 2009. • Professor Günther Bauer from Linz University, Austria has been appointed as Chair of MatSEEC. • First MatSEEC Committee meeting on 29-30 October • brought together MatSEEC Members, Observers and Member Institutions’ representatives • Established seven Working Groups covering the following topics considered as priorities for MatSEEC future actions • Education and Training • What kind of Materials and Challenges • What kind of Tools, Facilities and Infrastructures • Computational techniques, Methods and Materials Design • Technology and Knowledge Transfer • What kind of Funding • Public Outreach and Visibility

5. Current status of MatSEEC (2) • Second MatSEEC Committee meeting on 10-11 March 2010 • the outcome of the analysis with particular emphasis on topics related to foresight of the various fields, scientific assessment, consulting and advice according to the mission of MatSEEC was presented  • Further actions of the working groups on the short (3-6 months) and medium (1-2 years) term are defined. • Recommendation reports on computational techniques in materials science, trans-national funding of collaborative research, technology transfer and mid-size research infrastructures have been initiated. • Forward looking activities concerning the challenges in material sciences are also in preparation. • The Committee has established a link with the ESFRI and will continue raising awareness about its work with the relevant organizations and activities in Europe namely the EMRS, ERC, ITRE, EuMAT, EUROHORCs, MO Fora etc. by initiating contacts and exchange of information. • The next meeting is planned for October 2010 in Brussels.

6. Contact informations • Chair: Günther Bauer, Institut für Halbleiter- und Festkörperphysik, Universität Linz, Austria(October 2009-October 2014), Scientific Secretariat: Mr. Neil Williams, PESC Standing Committee Secretary and Head of Unit and Dr. Ana Helman, PESC Science OfficerNo. of meetings per year: 2Website: www.esf.org/matseec

7. THANK YOU !