SFI Summit Conference

Minister Conor Lenihan highlights critical role of Science Foundation Ireland as researchers gather for major summit

Two-day strategic think-in addressed by EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Maire Geoghegan-Quinn

"The performance of Science Foundation Ireland-funded researchers and their commercial partners has a clear bearing on how Ireland is perceived internationally and directly influences aspiring investors and prospective multinational employers," the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Conor Lenihan T.D. said.

Minister Lenihan was speaking in advance of today's Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Science Summit in Athlone, where over 300 of Ireland's leading scientific researchers are gathering for a two-day strategic think-in. The theme of this year's Summit is "Mining Minds - A New Decade of Discovery".

The Science Summit 2010 will feature keynote addresses today from Ms Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation & Science, and Mr Rory McInerney, Vice President, Intel, as well as a panel of leading figures from industry and research.

Other highlights of this year's event include the 'SFI Researcher of the Year' and 'Research Images' competitions, which were announced at the Summit Dinner on 15th November 2010.  For details check out the winning entries.

According to Director-General of Science Foundation Ireland, Professor Frank Gannon, "This is a defining time for science, and particularly for the role that scientific research has and could have in an economic and commercial context in this country. The SFI Science Summit, a highlight of Ireland's scientific calendar, represents a valuable opportunity to assess and progress current activities in Ireland's research sphere."