European Science Foundation
The Research Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering takes part in and contributes financially to the activities of the ESF’s Standing Committee for Physical and Engineering Sciences (PESC). The scope of PESC covers fields such as chemistry, mathematics, informatics and computer science and material sciences and technologies. PESC makes proposals for new programmes and networks to be launched by ESF and provides expert advice on issues of the ESF’s and thereby European research policy.
The work of PESC is supported by four ESF expert committees operating in specific fields (CRAF, NuPECC, ESSC, MatSEEC). The aim of these expert committees is to influence European science policy and to promote European research. The Research Council covers the Finnish membership fees of these committees and works in close cooperation with the Finnish committee members. The Committee on Radio Astronomy Frequencies (CRAF) coordinates European activities to keep the frequency bands used by radio astronomers free from interference. The aim of the Nuclear Physics European Collaboration Committee (NuPECC) is to strengthen European collaboration in nuclear physics and promote the optimal usage of facilities and instrumentation. The mission of the European Space Science Committee (ESSC) is to provide an independent scientific input on the forming and implementation of European space science policy. Temporary Expert Committee in Materials Science and Engineering (MatSEEC) is delivering foresight reports and scientific advice to PESC and ESF on issues related to Materials Science and Engineering.
The Research Council participates in several ESF Research Networking Programmes by paying annual participation fees and by nominating its representatives on the steering committees of these programmes. In the fields of earth sciences and meteorology, the Research Council takes part in certain programmes administered by the Standing Committee for Life and Environmental Sciences (LESC). These à la carte-based programmes are intended for increasing networking among researchers and research teams.
The EUROCORES programmes provide funding for actual research work so that each member organisation funds research teams of its own country. The Research Council is participating in two EUROCORES programmes.