The EU has named a seven-person Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) that will assist the European Commission (EC) with science-related policies and decisions. The panel replaces the position of the chief scientific advisor, the last of whom resigned in 2014. Allocated €6 million ($6 million) and its own staff, the SAM is designed to be an independent and transparent body. According to EU Commissioner Carlos Moedas, the SAM will address different issues than the Joint Research Center, which also advises the EC. The group’s first meeting will take place in January 2016. SAM members serve two-and-half years and may be appointed for one additional term. The members include bioinformatics and protein engineering researcher Janusz Bujnicki of Poland’s International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology; materials science professor Elvira Fortunato of Spain’s NOVA University; Rolf-Dieter Heuer of the European Organization for Nuclear Research; and Cédric Villani of France’s Henri Poincaré Institute.

Source: ScienceBusiness