Workshop eResearch2020
e-Infrastructure plays a pivotal role in the research landscape of today and fosters the creation of global virtual research communities. eResearch2020 is a study commissioned by the European Commission, DG Information Society in 2009/2010 that has for the first time researched a broad variety of types of e-infrastructure, their state of development and their role in supporting productive research in Europe and beyond.
The field of e-Infrastructure is a very heterogeneous one. It ranges from the physical supply of research networks (a prominent example being the operating and development of the backbone as supplied by GEANT) to providing access to data for virtual research communities in single academic fields. e-Infrastructures include organisations and services as diverse as national and international multi-purpose grids, supercomputer infrastructure, data grids and repositories, tools for visualization, simulation, data management, storage, analysis and collection, tools for support with regard to methods or analysis as well as remote access to research instruments and very large research facilities.
The eResearch2020 study set out to research the impact that eInfrastructures have on global virtual research communities. Taking the diversity of the field into account it is our aim to understand each infrastructure and to point to similarities and dissimilarities in their approach and outcome rather than compare in an evaluative sense. The workshop will for the first time present and discuss the main results of this study focussing both on the current situation and on likely future developments of the eInfrastructures in Europe and beyond. Scenarios of possible futures until 2020 will be presented, complemented by an analysis of statistical data from a uniquely broad survey of users of eInfrastructures and by case study based evidence from interviews with representatives of the eInfrastructures and the research communities they serve.
The workshop is organised by the study consortium of Empirica Communication and Technology Research, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Oxford Internet Institute and National Opinion Research Center of the University of Chicago on behalf of the European Commission's DG Information Society and Media and brings together key stakeholders, policy makers and government representatives, researchers and professionals who face these issues in their work Registration Participation is free and open to all interested parties, but prior registration is required. Please note that travel and other expenses cannot be reimbursed except for invited speakers.
For further information and requests, please contact
research2020 a t empirica d o t com.