New Research Infrastructures portal launched
Research Infrastructures (RIs) are playing an ever increasing role in advancing knowledge and technology throughout Europe. More however could be done to increase their profile, which is precisely what the creation of the European Research Infrastructure Web Portal intends to do. Not only will it increase awareness of RIs but it will also provide a complete picture of the RI landscape in Europe. This information is not only vital to scientists but to policy makers as well. Policy makers, researchers and scientists will now be able to access information through the web portal on a great number of major European facilities, by discipline, by country and or by type of infrastructure. Research Infrastructures are facilities, resources and related services that are used by the scientific community to conduct top-level research in their respective fields. These can range from social sciences to astronomy, genomics to nanotechnologies. Some high profile RIs include the world's largest particle physics laboratory at CERN, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and the European Southern Observatory. Other RIs include lesser known singular large-scale research installations, special habitats, libraries, databases, biological archives, integrated arrays of small research installations, research vessels, and satellite and aircraft observation facilities to name but a few. RIs may be 'single-sited', in other words a single resource at a single location, 'distributed' - a network of distributed resources, or 'virtual' with the service provided electronically. The web portal also includes listings of RI networks, which are sorted by scientific domain. These networks include Nuclear and particle physics, astronomy, astrophysics (NPPAA); Environment, marine and earth sciences (EMES); Humanities; Engineering; Social sciences; Computer and data treatment; Material sciences; Biomedical and life sciences (BMLS) and e-Infrastructure projects. RIs are helping to create a new research environment in Europe. An environment where all researchers - whether working in their home institutions or in multinational scientific initiatives - have shared access to unique or distributed scientific facilities. Some of these RIs have played a role in some of the greatest scientific discoveries and technological developments the world has seen. But perhaps more importantly is that they are influential in attracting the best researchers from around the world and in building bridges between national research communities and across scientific disciplines.