BUILDING BRIDGES 2019

(The 31st AE Annual Conference)

Barcelona, 23-25 October, 2019

Scientific Programme

On 23 and 25 October, Building Bridges 2019 will offer a series of lectures delivered by scholars of different countries and expertise, including winners of the prestigious Erasmus Medal and of the Balzan Prizes, in addition to two COST lectures, and the AE Distinguished Lecture that closes the meeting. Together with these AE lectures, there will be other activities offered by both the AE itself and by the Young Academy of Europe (YAE).

Download Scientific Programme PDF

Tuesday, 22 October. Afternoon and evening. Pre-conference meetings.

11.30-onwards Young Academy of Europe (*Sala d’Actes, CSIC Residència d’Investigadors, c/Hospital, 64)

Programme available at: http://yacadeuro.org/register-for-our-agm-2019/

15.00-onwards Closed meeting of the Academia Europaea (AE) Board of Trustees

(*Restaurant L’Antic Forn, c/Pintor Fortuny, 28. Followed by dinner )

Wednesday, 23 October. Pre-conference meetings and Day 1 of Building Bridges 2019

09.00-12.00 Registration for Building Bridges 2019 opens (*Institute for Catalan Studies (IEC), c/Carme, 47)

Delegates may also collect their badges and materials at the Ateneu Barcelonès starting at 14:30, if they are unable to stop by the registration desk in the morning at the IEC.

09.15-onwards Young Academy of Europe (*Sala d’Actes, CSIC Residència d’Investigadors)

Programme available at: http://yacadeuro.org/register-for-our-agm-2019/

09.30-13.30 Parallel Academia Europaea Class sessions, to involve new members (IEC).

Coordinated by Alexander Fidora MAE, ICREA – Autonomous University of Barcelona

Class A1, chaired by Poul Holm MAE, Trinity College Dublin (Corominas Room)

Class A2, chaired by Björn Wittrock MAE, Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (Sunyer Room)

Class B, chaired by Donald B. Dingwell MAE, University of Munich (Prat de la Riba Hall)

Class C, chaired by Alexei Verkhratsky MAE, University of Manchester (Nicolau d’Olwer Room)

After a welcome by the Class chairs and introductory remarks by the respective Section chairs, new members will have the opportunity to briefly introduce themselves and their work.

11.00-11.30 Coffee break

11.30-13.00 Joint Round Table session, combining Class A1 and A2. (Coromines Room)

Classes B and C continue their sessions in the same rooms as before, until 13:30

Dame Marilyn Strathern MAE, University of Cambridge

“Counting people”

Chaired by Poul Holm MAE and Björn Wittrock MAE

Response by Kirsten Drotner MAE, University of Southern Denmark

13.30-14.30 Lunch break

Delegates are on their own for lunch on this day, as it is NOT included in the conference fees.

14.30-18.30 Registration for Building Bridges 2019 re-opens (*Ateneu Barcelonès, c/ Canuda 6)

For those delegates who were unable to collect their badges and materials in the morning at the IEC.

15.30-18.30 Building Bridges 2019 (Oriol Bohigas conference room, Ateneu Barcelonès)

15.30 Welcome to new Academia Europaea members elected in 2018 and in 2019

16.30 Erasmus Medal and 2019 Heinz-Nixdorf Foundation Erasmus Lecture 1

Aleida Assmann MAE, Universität Konstanz (Literature)

“Re-imagining the Nation: Memory, Identity and the Emotions”

Laudator: Vladimir Biti MAE, University of Vienna (Comparative literature)

17.30 Erasmus Medal and 2019 Heinz-Nixdorf Foundation Erasmus Lecture 2

Sonia Livingstone MAE, London School of Economics

“Realising children’s rights in relation to the digital environment”

Laudator: Kirsten Drotner MAE, University of Southern Denmark

18.30-19.30 Reception (*next door at Hotel SERHS Rivoli Rambla, La Rambla, 128)

Drinks will be served, weather permitting, on the terrace of the hotel, accessible through the patio of the Ateneu Barcelonès; signage and staff will direct delegates to the reception.

20.30 President’s Dinner (*Norai Raval restaurant, near the royal shipyards at Avinguda Drassanes, 1)

Only those guests who have previously registered for the dinner and have received confirmation of payment of its separate, corresponding fee will be granted admission. Drinks available at the cash bar.

Thursday, 24 October. All day. Day 2 of Building Bridges 2019

08.30-11.00 Registration for Building Bridges 2019 re-opens (*Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB), c/Doctor Aiguader, 88)

For those delegates who were unable to collect their badges and materials the previous day.

09.25-17.00 Building Bridges 2019 (PRBB Auditorium)

09.25 Opening welcome by:

Sierd Cloetingh MAE, President of the Academia Europaea

Ricard Guerrero MAE, Academic Director of the Barcelona Knowledge Hub

Mangala Srinivas, FYAE, Chair of the Young Academy of Europe

09.30 Balzan Lecture 1

Detlef Lohse,University of Twente, 2018 prize winner

“Bubble puzzles”

Chair: Eva Kondorosi MAE, Hungarian Academy of Sciences

10.00 Balzan Lecture 2

Marilyn Strathern MAE, University of Cambridge, 2018 prize winner

“New and old worlds: A perspective from Social Anthropology”

Chair: Eva Kondorosi MAE, Hungarian Academy of Sciences

10.30-11.00 Cofee Break

11.00 COST Lecture 1

Anca Nemuc, National Institute for Research and Development for Optoelectronics

“inDust: International network to encourage the use of monitoring and forecasting Dust products”

Chair: Sierd Cloetingh, President of the Academia Europaea

11.30 COST Lecture 2

Ralph Koebnik, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement – Cirad – University of Montpellier

“Integrating science on Xanthomonadaceae for integrated plant disease management in Europe”

Chair: Sierd Cloetingh, President of the Academia Europaea

12.00 Adam Kondorosi Academia Europaea Prize for Advanced Research 2019 Lecture

Ray Dixon, John Innes Centre

“Engineering Biological Nitrogen Fixation for Agricultural Benefit”

Laudator: Jens Stougaard MAE, Aarhus University

12.45-14.00 Lunch

14.00 Academia Europaea 2019 Distinguished Lecture

Konstantin Novoselov MAE, University of Manchester (Nobel Laureate 2010)

“Physics and Applications of graphene and 2D materials”

Chair: Alexej Verkhratsky MAE, University of Manchester

14.30 Discussion panel organised by the YAE

“The future for young scholars”

Rolf Tarrach, President, European University Association (EUA)

Johannes Klumpers, Head of Scientific Advice Mechanism Unit (SAM), European Commission

Graham Caie, Vice-President, European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA)

Mangala Srinivas, FYAE, Chair of the Young Academy of Europe (YAE)

Toma Susi, Vice-Chair, Young Academy of Europe (YAE)

Chair: Gemma Modinos, FYAE, King’s College London

15.30 Break

15.45 2019 Young Academy of Europe Andre Mischke Prize

Janusz Bujnicki, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw

“Science and policy in a complex world”

Laudator: Marcel Swart MAE, ICREA-University of Girona

16.15 The Building Bridges 2019 Distinguished Lecture

Luc Steels MAE, ICREA – Pompeu Fabra University

“Why superintelligent AI will never exist”

Chair: Andreu Mas-Colell MAE, Pompeu Fabra University

16.45-18.00 Close and departing drinks

Friday, 25 October. Post-conference Field Trip to Montblanc and Poblet. Optional

Requires a separate registration fee, which includes transportation, cultural visits and lunch. Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes and rain gear as needed. The outing features the walled ducal city of Montblanc, an important trading centre in medieval times, and the 12th-century Cistercian monastery of Poblet.

08.15 Departure of coach buses from Plaça Universitat, Barcelona

10.30 Tour of Montblanc on foot

Visit to Gothic architectural gems including Saint Francis’ convent, Saint Michael’s church, the city’s main street, Jewish quarter (or call, which was well-known in the Middle Ages all over the Iberian Peninsula), main square, Cal Malet medieval quarters for measuring grain, Saint Mary’s main church, Saint George’s portal, walled enclave and medieval bridge.

12.30 Departure for restaurant

13.00 Traditional Catalan lunch

15.00 Guided tour of the monastery of Poblet

17.00 Departure of coach buses for Barcelona

19.00 Approximate arrival time at Plaça Universitat, Barcelona