Science Breakfast upon invitation only - Supported by Mars, Inc. - Every young researcher will receive an invitation for one of the breakfasts throughout this week.

Tuesday, 3 July 2012
07:00 - 08:45 hrs CEST

Abstract

Science Breakfast supported by Mars, Incorporated
Extending the possible through novel ideas and collaborative partnerships

Can partnerships and collaboration extend the range of the possible? Adam Smith (Editorial Director of Nobel Media) will moderate a panel discussion that addresses this central question and features the views of Dudley Herschbach (Chemistry 1986), Chris Nagel (Founding Scientist of Continuum Energy Technologies), and a selected young researcher.

Continuum Energy Technologies (CET) is a research company and partner of Mars, Incorporated that is dedicated to applying physics to shift the properties of materials via changes in their electronic structure. Working with Dudley Herschbach, CET has initiated a project to engineer the properties of materials in novel ways, including creating long-range ordering of atoms in bulk metals to allow a shift in certain properties. The motivation for this research comes from the Grand Challenges posed by the need for clean and sustainable energy sources, as well as the other numerous requirements for new materials.

Set against this backdrop, the panel will examine whether cross-sector collaboration between government, academia, and industry can provide a catalyst for true innovation and drive the translation of scientific discoveries into global solutions. If so, can a best practice model be applied in order to fully utilise each partner’s expertise, share knowledge, maximise resources, and achieve goals? What are the potential pitfalls in pursuing an across-the-board recommendation on collaboration? Does a difficult budget climate put too much of a primacy on partnerships outside of the governmental sphere?

The Mars, Incorporated science breakfast aims to bring together the views and experiences of Laureates, industry scientists, and – most importantly – young researchers to trigger robust discussion on how and why partnerships succeed, and fail, in extending the possible.

References:
• Schmitz, H.H. Science and society: what is the role and responsibility of corporations in this context? Nature Vol. 467, No. 7317_supp ppS1-S23 (2010). http://www.nature.com/nature/outlook/masterclass/pdf/mars.pdf
• Nagel, C.J. and Herschbach, D.R. Unique properties of thermally tailored copper; magnetically active regions and anomalous x-ray fluorescence emissions. J. Phys. Chem. C, Nanomater Interfaces. 113(51): 21428-21440 (2009). http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jp908299q