PROGRAMME

DAY 2 - SUNDAY 27 JUNE 1999

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FORUM I - SCIENCE: ACHIEVEMENTS, SHORTCOMINGS AND CHALLENGES

MORNING

9.30 - 12.30

Plenary Session [with 30-min. presentations]

1. THE NATURE OF SCIENCE
Science as a unique component of modern culture. Historical considerations. Perceptions of science in different cultures. Modern science and traditional knowledge. Evolution and trends in knowledge acquisition: transdisciplinarity.
Paul Hoyningen-Huene
Head, Center for Philosophy and Ethics of Science, University of Hannover, Germany

2. THE UNIVERSAL VALUE OF FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE
Internal driving forces of science. The case for fundamental research. Improving our knowledge and understanding of nature. What are the fundamental questions for science today?
Miguel Virasoro
Director, Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy

3. THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO COMPLEX SYSTEMS
Complexity in nature: new calculational tools and theoretical approaches in astronomy, meteorology, seismology, evolution, ... What have we learnt about complex systems, what are the prospects and limits of our description.
Sir Robert May
Chief Scientists to UK Government

4. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN SCIENCE
Subjects and programmes requiring international cooperation. International cooperation in its various forms. Mega-projects and "big science". Centres and programmes of excellence. Regional and international scientific networks. Impact of communication technologies on scientific interaction.
Julia Marton-Lefèvre
Executive Director, LEAD (Leadership for Environment and Development) International

5. SCIENCE EDUCATION
What our young scientists need to know. How can science education be improved? National and international strategies for capacity building. Institutional framework for science education.
Guy Ourisson
President, French Academy of Sciences

6. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The changing linkages between science and technology and their impacts on the two. The need for new institutional arrangements: university-industry links, funding mechanisms, S&T planning, knowledge ownership and patenting. Partners in the S&T process: the role of natural and social scientists, engineers and technologists. Diversity of contexts and models of S&T development.
Hiroyuki Yoshikawa
President, Science Council of Japan

AFTERNOON

14.30 - 17.30

Concurrent thematic meetings

1. THE NATURE OF SCIENCE
Development of morning presentation.

2. THE UNIVERSAL VALUE OF FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE
Development of morning presentation.

3. SCIENCE IN RESPONSE TO BASIC HUMAN NEEDS
Development of Saturday presentation.

4. THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO COMPLEX SYSTEMS
The example of research on the climate system and climate change (interactive processes between atmosphere, oceans, land surface, biosphere, ice and snow cover). New frontiers in the study of complexity and of scientific prediction capacity.

5. SCIENCE ACROSS BORDERS
Meeting the global research challenges. International co-operative research and monitoring programmes. Megascience projects (both diffused and large-facility). Intergovernmental programmes. Space science. Co-operation in capacity-building.

6. SHARING SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
Flows of information in North and South. Access to scientific information: public versus private knowledge. Intellectual property and copyright issues. Changing practices in scientific communication. Coping with a growing wealth of information. Impact of electronic publishing.

7. SCIENCE EDUCATION
Development of morning presentation.

8. SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Current and emerging priority issues for environmental research: Freshwater resources. Coastal zones. Biodiversity. Vulnerability of ecosystems. Impacts of climate change. Impacts of land use, waste and mining. Natural hazards.

9. THE BIOLOGICAL REVOLUTION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH
Unravelling the human genome. Epidemics and infectious diseases old and new. Longevity. The brain and neurological disorders. Molecular medicine. Biotechnology.

10. SCIENCE, AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY
The achievements and shortcomings of science in meeting food needs, and the challenges ahead. Towards a second Green Revolution? The impact of modern agricultural practices. The promises of biotechnology.

11. SCIENCE, ETHICS AND RESPONSIBILITY
Development of Saturday presentation 'Science and Human Values'.

12. SCIENCE AND ENERGY
Research and development of conventional and alternative energies. Present status and prospects for: fossil fuels, nuclear energy, hydroelectric energy, solar energy, … Patterns of energy production, distribution, consumption. Challenges for scientific research.

13. SCIENCE AND NEW MATERIALS
Physics and chemistry of new materials: from basic research to technological development. Prospects for advanced materials to meet specific needs. Superconductors. Optoelectronics. Smart materials. Nanostructured materials.