Science Organizations Organize

Seven of Europe’s largest research organizations have formed EIROFORUM, a formalized collaboration to advise the European Commission, share research resources, and combine outreach activities. The biannual forum meetings will bring together the director generals of CERN, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, the European Space Agency, the European Southern Observatory, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, the Institut Laue–Langevin, and the European Fusion Development Agreement. Started last year, EIROFORUM is initially focusing on the Sixth Framework Programme, Europe’s research guidelines for the next four years. “They wanted to make sure that they had a channel into the European Commission’s decision making process,” says ESO’s Peter Quinn. Growing common interests among the organizations, such as computational grid development and increased public outreach, also fueled the collaboration, he adds.