PATH2DEA Webinar series on digital tools for sustainable farming

PATH2DEA Webinar

Online

The PATH2DEA project aims to enhance the potential of agroecological farming systems, by supporting the adoption of digital tools and technologies. Farmers’ competence and views, matched with the rich repertoire of digital solutions already available in agriculture, can help tailor technologies to the end users’ needs.

The project involves multiple actors, including early adopters of digital agroecological farming, represented by six Showcase farms located in different pedo-climatic regions to validate the project’s conclusions.

As part of its ongoing activities, PATH2DEA has also established a Digital Agroecology Cluster and is now organising a webinar series with two key projects within the Cluster: D4AgEcol and REFOREST. This series consists of two webinars focused on the role of digitalisation in sustainable agricultural practices, and in particular agroecology and agroforestry.

The first appointment, on 18 March, will present tools currently available on the market for sustainable agriculture, and their practical applications. The second one, scheduled on 15 April, will dive into farmers’ perceptions of the tools, and barriers to adoption.

Visit this page for the detailed agenda and registration: https://www.path2dea.eu/agroecology-cluster/webinar-series.html

BioDT Webinar on digital modelling for nature protection

BioDT Webinar

Online

The Biodiversity Digital Twin (BioDT) project offers advanced simulation and prediction models to tackle critical global biodiversity challenges, addressing complex biodiversity dynamics through practical use cases. LifeWatch ERIC is part of this impressive consortium of 22 partners, all working together to drive evidence-based solutions for biodiversity protection and restoration across Europe.

On 27 February, the project members will host a webinar dedicated to the role of Digital Twins in environmental protection: experts from leading Digital Twins initiatives will gather together to discuss how technologies such as real-time monitoring and advanced simulations can be leveraged to support environmental protection and disaster response. Moreover, a cross-collaboration between these digital tools will enhance their impact, and this is the main aspect the webinar is focused on, with examples of practical applications for research institutes, environmental agencies and emergency responders.

The one-hour webinar will feature speakers from InterTwin, DT-GEO, TerraDT, ClimateDT and DestinE, and a round of interactive discussions.

Agenda and registration here: https://biodt.eu/events/biodt-webinar-how-can-cross-use-digital-modelling-tools-help-nature-protection

BEeS 2025: LifeWatch ERIC Annual Conference

Heraklion, Greece

The BEeS (Biodiversity and Ecosystem eScience) Conference 2025 will gather researchers, policymakers, and experts to tackle the Triple Planetary Crisis (climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution) through eScience and European Research Infrastructures (RIs).
This year’s conference will explore synergies between LifeWatch ERIC services and emerging technologies to drive innovation for a sustainable future. The program features plenary sessions, thematic services, research presentations, and hands-on demonstrations, highlighting the crucial role of technology, data, and collaboration in
addressing global environmental challenges.
Participants will engage in discussions on biological diversity and conservation, ecological responses to climate change, biogeography, taxonomy, biodiversity monitoring, and habitat mapping. The event will also include interactive booth activities, poster presentations, and training sessions, offering insights into Virtual Research
Environments (VREs), Virtual Laboratories (vLabs), and other digital tools.
The conference welcomes researchers in biodiversity, ecosystems, and eScience, with a special focus on early-career scientists, including PhD and Master’s students. The BEeS 2025 Conference will be hosted by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology, and Aquaculture (IMBBC), in
Heraklion, Greece, from June 30 to July 3, 2025.

For more information visit: https://www.lifewatch.eu/bees-2025/

LifeWatch Italy Conference 2025

LifeWatch Italy conference

Rome, Italy

Held in the seat of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR), the LifeWatch Italy annual conference will take place in Rome on 29 and 30 January 2025: an important gathering where researchers can learn about the state-of-the-art in research and technological innovation on biodiversity and ecosystems.

The conference features sessions dedicated to the future strategy of the LifeWatch Italy research infrastructure, and interactive discussions to promote synergies with other research infrastructures and relevant projects at the national level.

More information on LifeWatch Italy website: https://www.lifewatchitaly.eu/conferenza-lifewatch-italia-2025/

Launch of EVERSE Network of Research Software Quality

EVERSE Network launch

Online

The EVERSE Network aims to develop a quality framework for research software. The EVERSE (EU-funded project) vision is to establish a Community of Practice to provide standard and documented practices around tools and training for software developers, researchers who code, research software engineers and service providers.

The project announces the EVERSE Network for Research Software Quality Launch Event, taking place online at 10:00 CET on Tuesday 18 February.

The overall goal is to improve policy and practice of research software in Europe and beyond, with opportunities for participants to contribute with their own inputs into the objectives and activities of the network.

They will benefit of practical support in writing better code and by learning the meaning and principles of software quality for the research domain.

Registrations are open at https://indico.cern.ch/e/eversenetworklaunch.

PATH2DEA Consortium meeting

Seville, Spain

PATH2DEA is a project co-funded by the European Union and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). Its objective is to enhance the potential of agroecological farming systems by promoting the use of digital tools and technologies to cope with environmental, economical and health challenges.

Building on farmers’ competences, PATH2DEA matches them with the rich repertoire of already existing digital solutions for agriculture, with the objective to tailor them to users’ needs and fostering wide-range adoption of digital agroecology farming in EU and associated countries.

Started in November 2022, the project has already launched some important achievements as the Digital Agroecology Cluster, and a a Virtual Research Environment (VRE) to support knowledge sharing, collaboration, and innovation in the field of digital agroecology (read PATH2DEA’s December newsletter for more insights into these results).

Next Monday 27th of January, the consortium members will meet in Seville, Spain, for a two-day workshop organised by LifeWatch ERIC and hosted at the Facultad de Comunicación of the Universidad de Sevilla (FCom-US)

LifeWatch ERIC contributes to the project by leading the establishment and implementation of the PATH2DEA Open Repository (OR) of digital agroecology tools, where all the data generated in the project will be integrated. It also leads the co-creation of the PATH2DEA Virtual Research Environment (VRE), a secured and trusted environment for data management and exchange for R&I in agroecology and digitalisation, and the operationalisation of the Digital Agroecology Cluster. Moreover, it contributes to the mapping and integration of project assets.

The meeting, gathering more than 20 participants and additional online attendees, will be a chance to assess current progress and discuss the next steps and key goals for 2025: an important opportunity for collaboration, alignment, and planning, helping to ensure the successful continuation of the PATH2DEA project.

22nd Italian Ornithology Conference

Lecce, Italy

CISO (Centro Italiano Studi Ornitologici), University of Salento and the Institute of Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems of the National Research Council (CNR-IRET), LifeWatch Italy and Or.Me. organise the 22nd Italian Ornithology Conference. The conference will gather ornithologists and natural science enthusiasts together in Lecce, a first edition for the Apulia region in more than 40-year history of ornithology conferences.

Participants are invited to submit proposals for congress, which will take place from 8 to 12 September 2025.

The conference offers a selected range of topics for which abstracts for oral presentations and posters can be submitted. We aim at collecting contributions exploring the avifauna of the arid-steppe environments of the Mediterranean, global changes and emerging trends, bird migration, conservation, ecology and behaviour of birds, etc.
For further information, please have a look at their detailed description before submitting an abstract (SESSION TOPICS & SYMPOSIA TOPICS)

More details here: https://www.lifewatchitaly.eu/en/22-convegno-italiano-di-ornitologia

The European Data Conference on Reference Data and Semantics

ENDORSE 2025

Brussels, Belgium

ENDORSE 2025 is the third edition of the European Data Conference on Reference Data and Semantics, taking place in Brussels on 8 and 9 October. The conference brings together experts, researchers and professionals, acting as a platform for sharing knowledge, experience and best practices on the management of interoperable reference data and semantic technologies.

The Publication Office of the European Union and Interoperable Europe, as organisers of the event supported by the Digital Europe Programme, have opened the possibility to participants to share their insights and research on reference data, semantic technologies and artificial intelligence.

Proposals are accepted by 29 January 2025, on four different topics aimed at “Transforming Data into Action across Borders”.

For details on the event and call for proposals, please visit: https://op.europa.eu/it/web/endorse

EGU General Assembly 2025

EGU 2025

Vienna, Austria

The European Geosciences Union (EGU) is the leading organisation for Earth, planetary and space science research in Europe, fostering geoscience research, alongside applied research that addresses key societal and environmental challenges. The EGU’s vision is to realise a sustainable and just future for humanity and for the planet.

Every year, the EGU organises its General Assembly: a large event, attracting geoscientists from all over the world (in 2004, over 21,000 attended the meeting). The sessions cover a wide range of topics, including volcanology, planetary exploration, the Earth’s internal structure and atmosphere, climate, as well as energy and resources.

The EGU General Assembly aims to provide a forum for scientists and early career researchers to present their work and discuss their idea with experts.

In 2025, the GA will take place in Vienna, Austria, from 27 April to 2 May 2025, and LifeWatch ERIC is proud to attend, joining the ENVRI-Hub NEXT team in the ENVRI Community Booth.

Here’s an overview of the sessions where members of the vLab & Innovations Centre Jacco Konijn and Gabriel Pelouze will be present:

Moreover, come join members of the ENVRI Community in the booths exhibition area: booths 64 and 65!

For more information on the conference, see: https://www.egu25.eu/

FAIR Training second edition

FAIR Data Training

Ostend, Belgium

EMBRC Belgian partners (VLIZ and the University of Ghent) are organising the second edition of a three-day training course on FAIR data. The course is especially relevant for marine scientists, biodiversity scientists and laboratory technicians that are interested in enhancing their skills in managing research data and applying FAIR principles to them.

The course details are available here: https://www.embrc.eu/newsroom/events/fair-training-2nd-edition-how-embrc-helping-researchers-make-most-their-data