The European Joint Research Center (JRC) and the Importance of Participation in International Research for Turkish Science

İbrahim Ortaş, Çukurova University, iortas@cu.edu.tr

The EU Research Centre (JRC) is a Very Well Organized Scientific Base

I have heard the name of the Joint Research Center (JRC) of the European Commission for a long time, but for the first time, as a project partner and researcher in the EU-PRIMA project SHARInG-Med axis, we held a two-day meeting at the JRC between 28/022024-01/03/2024 to determine soil sampling strategies together with experts from the European Soil Bureau. Basic and applied research is being carried out on many issues related to the underground and above ground, which have been brought to the agenda by the European Union in recent years. We understand that many topics in earth-atmospheric sciences such as ecology, Green Deal (green deal and green digital of the future) and soil law are incubated in this center or similar ones. In addition to research laboratories, radioactive experiments are also carried out.

With the trust that the European Union has placed in the JRC, they are trying to be a pioneer in the world by bringing together the scientists and researchers of the member states to produce new perspectives, new ideas and new methods. The JRC center provides political support as well as research support for 2030 and 2050 policies in line with EU policies. Policy makers are informed by publishing reports. Looking at the information in the last annual report, which is available at the open display of publications made at the center, I see that the EU and the JRC are working with China, Ukraine and other countries and regions in different areas of interest, especially on ecosystem, energy and food security.

JRC Fully-fledged EU Reference Laboratory

In addition to producing scientifically based data in line with EU policies, the Center also acts as a standard reference laboratory. In this context, the JRC also supports a large number of thematic and targeted projects. In two EU projects, in which I am involved with many researchers, this and similar research is being carried out.

They are driven by the fact that the costs of drought, sudden and heavy rainfall and other natural disasters in recent years on the environment, human life and the economy have been very high. JRC experts have adopted long-term rather than short-term approaches in line with EU policy and have initiated the green deal and green digital process, which they call 'green deal' and 'green digital'.

The project we are implementing aims to improve the physical, chemical and biological quality of soils in the Mediterranean region, identify environmental impacts and improve the productivity of degraded soils. It seems that they are also interested in the social impacts of drought, land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change, especially in North Africa. They act as reference laboratories and develop methodologies in the fields of food, soil, environment, atmosphere, space and others. In the meantime, from what I learned in the annual activity report and from my occasional meetings with researchers there, I was informed that the "European Soil Bureau" aims to reduce the impact of climate change by protecting soil assets with new information and analyses. In this context, we learned that the EU Soil Law, which is being prepared, is in the commissions.

Soil Samples Archive is Important for Understanding the Future 

When it comes to the Mediterranean ecosystem, the EU, which naturally finances the project, serves as a reference analysis center for many areas as well as the most appropriate soil sampling management methods produced from dozens of previous projects prepared by the soil bureau and the sampling strategy methods that we will take. Since the PRIMA projects want to work in relation to previous projects and ongoing projects, the project meeting was naturally held with the relevant experts at the JRC.

We had the chance to visit a very large soil archive on the lower floors of what serves as the Soil Bureau at JRC. The bureau, which made a world soil map, barcoded the samples collected around the world and archived them in a library system format. By creating such a large soil archive for the first time, the idea of archiving soils for the evaluation and interpretation of the relationships between sustainable life and climate changes and soil properties in terms of the duration of possible future changes in soil properties is important in terms of acquiring new knowledge.

Representation of Our Country in the Center Will Contribute to Our Country

 Its headquarters is located in Ispra, Italy, 70 km from Milan, in a forested area, in the form of an old military barracks, but it is a fully modernized research campus.

It is reported that JRC acts with a holistic understanding of ethics and excellence in its scientific work. In this context, they work with 1200 researchers from member and related participating countries and successful researchers from a wide variety of countries, which I encountered for the first time. They are working on new perspectives, new knowledge and new methods with scientists from very different disciplines. They are somehow following and/or working together on Horizozon-2020, Horizons, PRIMA and other projects given by the EU. The presentations on the first day were given by very talented young researchers from different countries with PhDs from good universities, and it was clear from their presentations that they have a good command of the subject. 

At noon, we were told that we would have lunch in the canteen in the company of our researcher friend who took care of us at the center. When we went to the canteen, I saw the inscription "Menza" on the door, which reminded me of a place to eat in Germany and made me think that this place might have been established by the Germans.

After being informed that the meeting would be held at the JRC, we were registered on the EU page, our accommodation was arranged and our passport details were taken. Then, in a very detailed letter, we were informed about the conditions of acceptance and the restriction to the meeting room. We were also asked how and when we would be picked up at the airport, to register at the hotels they suggested for accommodation, and our flight details.

Apparently, it is only natural that in a place where strategic research is being carried out, strict control is a matter of course. The drivers of the vehicles working for the JRC recorded the boarding and alighting times every morning and evening and took our signatures. Entrances and exits were controlled and visitor passes were issued daily.

I do not know if there are any researchers from our country working as regular staff in such a broad-based center from different countries, which I care a lot about and where I have been for the first time. However, it is clear that working with the European Union once again will contribute to the scientists of our country. Working discipline, making a plan, working together by bringing different disciplines together for the purpose is important for productivity. The attitudes of scientists from very different European countries towards problem solving skills by discussing and competing in a culture of democracy to produce knowledge is an important and enviable situation. Unfortunately, in our country, we have not been very successful in providing such working environments by focusing on certain issues in large groups and getting results, although we would like to do so in our units. In this context, I am sure that there are lessons to be learned from these places.

In this context, Turkey's participation in CERN and other European Union and International Research Centers and the transfer of what our country's scientists will learn in these centers to our country will contribute greatly to the development of our country's science. I hope that one day we will have such advanced science centers and universities and scientific institutions conducting advanced research and we will produce world science.

March 8, 2024, Adana

Note: Dear Madem/Sir, the e-mail addresses of many of you have somehow been placed in my address book on my machine. My intention is not to waste anyone's time or disturb anyone. It is to somehow express the problem we all have in common. In this respect, e-mail is an environment where we can easily share our thoughts. However, I apologize in advance if you received unsolicited e-mail. If you give feedback, I will immediately remove your address from the list.