MRI Europe/Carpathians
Science for the Carpathians (S4C)
The Science for the Carpathians (S4C) initiative is a regional science network that facilitates, coordinates, and enhances collaborative research in the Carpathian Mountain Region. With roots going back to the initiation of the Carpathian Convention in 2001, the S4C network was formally established during the launching workshop in May 2008 at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. The network connects scientists in Central Europe, in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and the Ukraine.
See the S4C flyer 2011Looking back at the Forum Carpaticum 2010 (see the Forum Carpaticum 2010 proceedings) and forward to the next Forum in 2012 (see the Forum Carpaticum 2012 website), it has become apparent how critical these events are in defining and anchoring the activities of the S4C network. Indeed, many of the S4C activities of this winter are taking stock of the wealth of material produced at the Forum last year, including writing the proceedings, development of a refined Carpathian research strategy, the emergence of new research collaborations, and intensified communication with the Interim Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention (ISCC), which peak in S4C representation at the 3rd Conference of Parties (COP3) in Bratislava, Slovakia (May 25-27, 2011).
To start this process, Lubos Halada, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences and member of the S4C Scientific Steering Committee, represented the S4C network during the COP3 Preparatory Meeting in Vienna (January 16-17, 2011). The COP3 welcomed the outcomes of the Forum Carpaticum 2010 and the preparation of the second Forum in 2012. It recognized the S4C network as an important basis for policy making in Carpathians. The Secretariat has been requested to develop further modalities for cooperation with S4C.
The planning of the Forum Carpaticum 2012 (30 May–2 June 2012, Stara Lesna, Slovakia) has started and will intensify during the next S4C Scientific Steering Committee meeting scheduled back-to-back with the COP III meeting in Bratislava (May 26-27, 2011). See details regarding the COP III meeting's S4C Side-Event.
S4C Scientific Steering Committee
An interim S4C Scientific Steering Committee, consisting of a Chair, Vice-Chair, and 12 members predominantly from Carpathian countries, was elected for the period of June 2009 to September 2010. During the 2010 Forum Carpaticum, the interim Scientific Steering Committee was transformed into an official Scientific Steering Committee. See the members of the S4C SSC.
Contact: Jacek Kozak, Chair of the S4C SSC, Head of Department of GIS, Cartography and Remote Sensing, Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
+48 (0)12 66 45 29 jkozak@gis.geo.uj.edu.pl
Documents and publications
For news from projects and institutes, databases, open calls, events and event documentation, job opportunities, publications, and more, read the latest bi-monthly Newsflash of S4C.
See also the Research Agenda for the Carpathians 2010–2015. (Displayed here by, l. to r., Bohdan Prots, Bernhard Wolfslehner, Astrid Björnsen, Pavel Cudlin, Katalin Mazsa, Yurii Bihun, Ivan Kruhlov, Bartłomiej Wyżga, Maria Nijnik, Jacek Kozak, William Keeton, and Lubos Halada:)
Finally, use this link to access a range of S4C publications and background documents, or see below to find information on any of these topics involving Science for the Carpathians:
