What is science diplomacy and why does it matters?
ERC scientific seminar, 27 June 2025
We are glad to invite you to the next ERC Scientific Seminar ” What is science diplomacy and why does it matters?”, which will take place on Friday 27th June 2025, from 11:00 until 12:30 on-site at the Helga Nowotny auditorium (25th floor, COV2), with the possibility to follow remotely in Webex.
The speakers are Dr Jan Marco Müller from DG Research and Innovationand Dr Angela Liberatore from the European Research Council Executive Agency.
In addition, an ERC grantee, Dr. Maria Rentetzi, will share her view on the prospects of science diplomacy.
Seminar’s abstract
The speakers will offer some personal as well as institutional perspectives on how engagement in science diplomacy takes place (often without calling it that way) and how science diplomacy has emerged in the EU – including with events such as the ERC workshop on the topic and many more, and -especially- the recently published European Framework for Science Diplomacy.
Speakers
Jan Marco Müller, PhD
Team Leader Global Approach, Multilateral Dialogue and Science Diplomacy
European Commission (DG Research and Innovation)
Following his PhD in Geography at the University of Marburg (Germany), Jan Marco Müller’s career included positions in research management at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) In Leipzig (Germany), the former JRC Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) in Ispra (Italy) and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) in Wallingford (UK). After being an Assistant to the Director-General of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre JRC in Brussels (2009-2012), he managed the office of the first Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission (2012-2015) and then helped setting up the Commission’s current Scientific Advice Mechanism. 2017-2020 he worked for the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Vienna (Austria) as Coordinator for Science Diplomacy, Head of the Directorate Office and Acting Chief Operations Officer. 2020-2022 he served as the first Science & Technology Advisor of the European External Action Service (EEAS), before joining DG Research and Innovation as Coordinator for Science Diplomacy and Multilateral Relations, where he currently oversees the development of a European Framework for Science Diplomacy.
Angela Liberatore, PhD
Head of the Scientific Department
European Research Council Executive Agency
Angela Liberatore holds a PhD in Political and Social Sciences from the European University Institute. She was also a Fulbright Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Among her publications, the book “The Management of Uncertainty: Learning from Chernobyl”. Currently, she is the Head of the Scientific Department at the European Research Council Executive Agency, that implements the ERC strategy as defined by the Scientific Council. In her function, Angela oversees the evaluation and monitoring of research projects across all scientific fields, as well as ex-ante and ex-post analyses of ERC-funded research and the provision of feedback to policy. Previously, she worked at the Directorate-General for Research of the European Commission, focusing on environmental and climate research programs, as well as social sciences and humanities research, and then international cooperation. Her career highlights include contributing to the EU’s science diplomacy efforts -including the European Framework for Science Diplomacy, co-chairing the Social Protection group for the UN Research Roadmap for COVID-19 Recovery, helping draft the European Commission’s White Paper on European Governance, and participating in the negotiations for the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change.
EU Learn (open to the whole EC)
Whilst the official registration method is answering this Outlook invitation, you can also record your participation in EU Learn, which means that this seminar will count as part of your training activities for the year. Please register here for either on-site or remote attendance. No approval necessary from a hierarchical supervisor. Even if you do not register through EU Learn, you are welcome to attend the seminar but please answer this invitation as explained above.