Dissemination, Technology Transfer and Training
WP leader Anne Winding (aw @ dmu.dk)
Objectives
The objectives of the EcoFINDERS are to have impact on EU Soil Thematic Strategy with regard to reaching a better understanding of the effect of soil biodiversity on soil functions and to provide policy-relevant and cost-effective indicators of this.
Specifically the objectives of WP6 are to ensure:
- Technology transfer to stakeholders of the EU including the Commission and at national level to support and facilitate implementation of soil management strategies resulting in sustainable use of soils; prerequisite for this is a thorough understanding of the needs of the stakeholders and continuous integrated communication during the project;
- Outreach of the project results to the general public including NGOs with the objective of raising the public awareness of soil biodiversity and its functions and the importance of maintaining the environmental services of soil through sustainable use of soil;
- Training of students and scientists;
- Dissemination and discussion of the scientific results to the scientific community to increase understanding of soil ecosystems and functions of soil biodiversity
Approach
The first step to stakeholder communication is to have an honest and open two-way interactive discussion and exchange of ideas and needs of the stakeholders all along the project. Through the communication with the stakeholders, we will make sure that our products, i.e. the indicators and standard operating procedures, will be adequate for use and well received and integrated in the implementation of the EU Soil Thematic Strategy. Hence, severe attention will be paid to identifying the stakeholders and building long-lasting relationships to ensure constructive interactive communication between the stakeholders and the scientists generating data. Through this communication, the optimal conditions for transfer of knowledge both ways will be accomplished, ensuring the immediate relevance of the outcome of the EcoFINDERS project.
A major responsibility of research is to communicate the results to the general public to enlighten and to raise awareness of the significance of biodiversity. In EcoFINDERS, we will take this task very serious and a wider audience will be targeted by electronic communication means and targeted approached at the press, especially by events at LTO sites.
Training of students at all levels is a natural way of dissemination and raising awareness of soil biodiversity. This will be specifically targeted, in addition to teaching activities by the consortium members at various universities. Increased understanding of the functions of soil biodiversity will be a major step forward for the scientific community in understanding of the soil ecosystem and the significance of soil biodiversity. As all beneficiaries are skilful and trained scientists, publications of results and theories in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presentation at scientific conferences are obvious ways of dissemination to the scientific community
The workpackage is divided into several tasks:
- Task T6.1: Publicity
The general public will be approached by different means in order to reach as many as possible. These means will include:
(i) creating and maintaining a dynamic website with electronic newsletters;
(ii) producing flyers and posters in print and available as downloads;
(iii) press releases in English which may be translated to the language of the countries of the consortium members and be the basis for newspaper articles and interviews;
(iv) events at LTOs on relevant occasions which will be announced at the LTO site (http://ecofinders.dmu.dk/ltos/)
- Task T6.2: Training
A combination training course for MSc-students, PhD-students, and post-doctorate fellows on soil ecosystem services and consequences of biodiversity and function on soil ecosystem services will be organised and be announced at (http://ecofinders.dmu.dk/activities/).
- Task 6.3: Dissemination to the scientific community
The scientific community will be targeted by publishing in international peer-reviewed high ranking journals (http://ecofinders.dmu.dk/publications/) and presenting scientific results at national and international scientific workshops and conferences by all partners (http://ecofinders.dmu.dk/activities/). Results and data from sequencing on biodiversity and functions will be uploaded to freely available websites like the GenoSol platform. Follow the progress at the relevant folders of this website.
- Task 6.3 Stakeholder communication and technology transfer
Stakeholders already identified among national, European and international policy makers will participate in two-way discussion and exchange of ideas with the partners of the project to ensure the results will be useful and of need to the Soil Thematic Strategy. - Table - Stakeholder forum of EcoFINDERS
- A Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) will meet with the consortium several times along the project, preferable back-to-back with scientific meetings and/or consortium meetings. At the meetings interactive debate of the research, accomplished results and obstacles will be debated for the benefit of the project.
- Table - Scientific Advisory Board of EcoFINDERS
- Technology transfer of the selected recommended indicators will be accomplished by the draft production of ISO standards and OECD guidelines.