On December 11, the official kick-off event of the Marie Curie North America Chapter took place in Washington DC.
The presentation of the new Chapter and a relative panel discussion on 'Transatlantic Collaboration & Funding: Opportunities and Constraints' was given by Gerry Alons, chair of the MCAA North America Chapter, and other Marie Curie fellows and alumni currently working in the US. Gerry Alons is a Marie Curie Fellow at the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, and Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Department of Political Science at Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
The event was within the EURAXESS' 3rd Annual Meeting of European Scientific Diaspora's in North America with the aim to provide a platform for European researchers and scientific networks in North America to meet, discuss and exchange concepts about their research projects, professional and personal development, as well as efforts to connect to Europe.
Among the most inspiring talks, Tiffany Lohwater, Chief Communications Officer and Director of the Office of Public Programs at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). This association enhances communication among scientists, engineers, and the public, the so-called “public engagement” which is the set of activities carried out by universities and other institutions to explain educational, cultural and social aspects of research programmes and topics.
Some of these activities include public event, blogs and informative websites, the participation of the teaching staff in public meetings or radio and television broadcasts, management of orientation activities and interaction with high schools, young people, and adults who are part of the non-academic community.
