On the occasion of the 2021 ALLEA General Assembly, ALLEA and the Council of Finnish Academies are organising the scientific symposium ‘Across Boundaries in Sciences’ on 5 May. The online event is open to all upon registration and will consist of a full-day of thought-provoking discussions on today’s science boundaries with leading academics, policymakers, and civil society.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the boundaries of science have been increasingly pushed and pulled. These tensions have shaken our understanding of science not only within the scientific system, but in relation to politics and society in general. In this evolving scenario, leading academics, policymakers and civil society will join to reflect upon three guiding questions:

  • How can interdisciplinary research increase the impact of science in society?
  • Are the boundaries between science and politics changing?
  • Do we need to strengthen the boundaries of science to tackle science disinformation?

The event will open with the keynote “Fostering Convergence Across Disciplines” from Prof. Riitta Hari (Aalto University). Questions regarding action-focused interdisciplinary research and the boundaries of science across regions, disciplines and generations will be discussed in the following panels, including a breakout session where participants will be able to interact within smaller groups.

In the afternoon part of the event, “Rethinking Boundaries Between Politics and Science”, participants will attend a speech by Ms Adrienn Király, Head of Cabinet of European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, followed by the contributions of ALLEA President Antonio Loprieno and the Finnish Minister of Education and Culture Annika Saarikko.

Science Disinformation on Focus

The final panel discussion will tackle the topic of science disinformation and focus on the role of policy, science, and civil society in fighting this multi-dimension phenomenon in the context of the blurring boundaries of science and society.

The line of speakers will include Prof. Dan Larhammar (President of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences), Permanent Secretary Anita Lehikoinen (Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland), Prof. Jane Suiter (Director Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society, Royal Irish Academy), and Roman Adamczyk (Research Coordinator at EU DisinfoLab).

The debate will also delve into the upcoming work of the ALLEA project Fact or Fake? Tackling Science Disinformation, which deals with the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying ‘infodemic’.

The symposium is free and open to all, but registration is mandatory.

Learn more about the programme, concept, and speakers on this dedicated conference website, and join the discussion on social media at #ScienceXBoundaries.