CommNet project launches at ESOF2012 in Dublin, Thursday 12th July 2012
CommNet, the EC funded support action project, is helping teams across Europe tell their research stories and disseminate the results of their work in theBio economy to the public, professionals, parliamentarians and industry. CommNet partners are youris.com, Minerva UK, British Nutrition Foundation, PRACSIS and ttz Bremerhaven.
Mario Martinoli, Co-ordinator of CommNet, says: “Research results from EC fundedBio economy projects have the potential to impact positively on the daily lives of all European citizens. However, the work of and results from the hundreds of projects working on inter-connected but diverse topics across food & well-being, agribusiness, fisheries, forestry and biotechnologycan easily be overlooked if information and knowledge is not communicated effectively to those who need to know.”
The three year CommNet project is providing communications & media training, audiovisual production, articles, education materials, industry &policy forums for projects and individuals who join the CommNet network. These services are being provided free of charge to members of CommNet.
Rhonda Smith, Chair of the CommNet network and a partner in the project, says: “The CommNet project builds on the original informal communicator network CommNet, founded in 2005, that successfully provided joint training,communication and dissemination activities to food related projects. Driven by a need to raise awareness of the importance of effective knowledge transfer and of raising standards in communications delivery, the original CommNet fulfilled an important need which still exists today. I am delighted that we can offer support and expertise so that many more projects and individuals involved inBio economy research can benefit from the network we are building and the complimentary services we are able to provide.”
CommNet Coordinator Mario Martinoli concludes: “Our mission is to improve significantly the information flow from research projects to key target groups, the users and consumers of research results. Better awareness, understanding and utilization of research results will inevitably lead to the generation of innovative and sustainable products and policies that will improve our daily lives.”
Individuals can register themselves and their EC funded projects for free at www.commnet.eu where they will learn more about CommNet’s services. A Webinar is being held in July for registered members to hear more about CommNet's services and activities, the first being communication training for scientists and dissemination leaders in Brussels (week commencing 24 September 2012) and CommNet's first FAB forum for industry and policy makers also in Brussels (11-12 October 2012). CommNet members will be alerted directly by email to the Webinar and to CommNet's first events.
CommNet is exhibiting at ESOF (11-15 July 2012, Dublin www.esof2012.com) to promote CommNet and its support services to the Bioeconomy research community (Stand 51 - with speaker slots in the Exhibition Hall on Thursday 12 and Saturday 14 at 10.30am.)