Good Girl, Scientist, Yogi
Anastasiia Prytuliak on materials science, life in Japan, Ukrainian resourcefulness, and building a new data repository
The ESFRI-EOSC Task Force organized a Policy Workshop titled "Prototyping the EOSC Federation: Nodes and Linkages" on 18-19 November 2024 at the University of Milan. The workshop focused on shaping the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Federation, a model in which all components follow shared rules and are technically interconnected. The discussions brought together research infrastructures, including those featured in the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) Roadmap, that were interested in contributing as potential thematic nodes to help construct a prototype.
Thematic Nodes play a crucial role by enhancing access to and use of digital resources, facilitating research reproducibility and fostering cooperation, supporting research integrity and data sovereignty and in increasing investment potential and addressing inequalities.
Nodes are envisioned as collaborative entities formed by universities, research institutes, and stakeholders within a common geographical or thematic scope. As scientific services evolve into AI-driven solutions, robust policies and agreements must ensure trust, equity, and inclusivity, enabling seamless access to data services and advanced computational needs for all researchers.
The speakers addressed critical questions such as:
Among the participants, Czech experts shared valuable insights, including Jan Hrušák (J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry), Luděk Matyska (Masaryk University), and Petr Holub (BBMRI-ERIC).
„Research infrastructures and their thematic clusters are natural candidates for EOSC nodes. Research Infrastructures are able, by integrating knowledge and practices of the various communities, sizably increasing the value, relevance, and acceptance of EOSC services,“ pointed out Jan Hrušák from the J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry.
This workshop marked an important step in EOSC’s mission to bridge gaps and reduce inequalities in European research, ensuring that Open Science delivered its full potential in Europe and beyond.
Anastasiia Prytuliak on materials science, life in Japan, Ukrainian resourcefulness, and building a new data repository
What happens if we stop funding research data? And how can Europe connect data across scientific disciplines to better prepare for future crises? These were among the questions discussed at the ESFRI Stakeholder Forum, held in Cork, Ireland, on 22 September 2026. Research data were at the heart of the debate on the resilience of European research.