Research infrastructure – the term can refer to a vast array of facilities, tools, services and resources that researchers and academics use to conduct their work, from specialised university laboratories and historical archives to biobanks, telescopes and particle accelerators. As well as underpinning top-class research, infrastructure also plays a crucial role in training new generations of researchers, in innovation, and in tackling major global challenges in areas such as health and climate change.
However, as science and technology become increasingly complex and multilayered, so does the infrastructure supporting it. This growing complexity makes it difficult to know exactly what is out there in terms of facilities and resources, and prevents research infrastructures all over Europe from being exploited to their full potential, so we risk both duplication and gaps across the continent.
In September 2013, the European Science Foundation introduced MERIL (Mapping of the European Research Infrastructure Landscape), a new public database of openly accessible research infrastructure in Europe. It aims to support informed policy making and investment and to foster collaboration among European scientific and academic communities by providing information on high quality and accessible facilities and resources.
While still in its relative infancy, if developed further MERIL could be an invaluable aid to tackling some of the challenges facing European research. The issues were discussed at a recent roundtable in Brussels, the outcomes of which have just been released in a paper, the research infrastructure information base in Europe .
Communicating with the outside world
The introduction of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) and its move to include social sciences and humanities within its scope, has meant that research infrastructures have moved up the policy agenda in recent years. Around €2.5bn of the European Union's new funding programme for research and innovation, Horizon 2020, is earmarked for support for research infrastructure.
However, the role of research infrastructures in Europe is arguably still not well understood outside their user communities. Researchers, facility managers and other intermediaries must be more active in communicating the aims, requirements and results of research activity. They must be adept at identifying angles that policy makers can understand, and take advantage of all opportunities to convey the importance of their research needs to policymakers.
This value should not be communicated in purely scientific terms; there is a wider ecosystem around infrastructure involving the jobs it creates, the companies and universities it interacts with locally, and the broader scientific community that absorbs trained alumni. Research infrastructure is an essential part of the business of science, and of converting results from science into industry and society.
What has been missing to date is a clear and accurate picture of existing facilities in Europe that would help researchers make the case for investment in new or existing equipment and facilities and, conversely, allow policy makers to make more informed decisions about investment.
Experimenting with industry
Research and innovation are cornerstones of Europe's competitiveness and growth strategy. However, the strength of science and research in Europe is let down by its ability to transform this strength into industrial advantage through the creation of new applications, products and services.
One difficulty is that research infrastructures are still almost exclusively geared to scientific objectives. We do not know how to engage with industry or even how much engagement is optimal. We have to start experimenting, especially with small to medium enterprises. In the UK, the Science and Technology Facilities Council is currently trying out new ways to support small companies, such as subsidising their exploitation of research facilities in certain cases. This will enable us to learn more about what these companies find useful and how we can make them more attractive to use.
Defining the database
Who is MERIL's audience? There is a tension between the database being comprehensive enough for policymakers and selective enough to identify only the most useful (accessible) facilities for researchers and industry. There are also conflicts within these groups, as certain domains of science already have a good overview of the internationally available resources in their field, while other disciplines such as the biomedical sciences, material science and humanitiesare likely to find it valuable .
Whoever its audience, it is imperative that MERIL does not fall into a trap of becoming simply a list of equipment. Industry would benefit from information on access conditions, for example, and the support offered by funding agencies to use these facilities. Another concern is that the database will need a lot of effort to maintain, update and enrich the data and facilitate its use by industry. This will require commitment from all stakeholders.
Facilities have a duty to provide accurate and up-to-date information, as poor data will make the database useless. At the same time, they may not feel compelled to contribute unless the portal has a sizeable user base; researchers and policymakers therefore have a responsibility to exploit the data to the best effect for their activities.
With so much at stake, the research community as a whole must recognise the potential of this shared database and contribute to developing and maintaining its quality, as part of our broader effort to promote science and innovation.
Peter Tindemans is secretary general of Euroscience – follow it on Twitter @euroscience
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