Ecology Across Borders: Joint Annual Meeting 2017

At the occasion of "Ecology across Borders", BES, GFÖ, NecoV and EEF joint annual meeting (Ghent, 11-14 December 2017), LifeWatch-ERIC presented itself to the wide European ecological community. About 1500 scientists and researchers from all over Europe gathered in Ghent, Belgium to share and discuss key topics in the field of ecology, biodiversity and ecosystem research. In this framework, LifeWatch-ERIC participated with its first official booth organising a Presentation Event and a rich programme of demonstrations. Ecology across Borders was a key gathering for the infrastructure stakeholder community, the ideal context for LifeWatch first public appearance since the establishment of the ERIC. Many were the positive feedbacks received in these days, which clearly show the scientific interest towards this infrastructure. LifeWatch-ERIC is on the right way and 2018 will see us more and more engaged in making biodiversity and ecosystem research more effective and faster. Despite LifeWatch-ERIC being a newly born research infrastructure, it already offers to perspective users a variety of ICT services, tools and resources designed to reshape biodiversity and ecosystem research. In particular, researchers had been able to test and see running several services and VREs (for the overview of tools, services and VREs demonstrated, click on the link below). LifeWatch Belgium was present with demonstrations on the LifeWatch Marine Virtual Research Environment (VRE) LifeWatch Species Information Backbone, and LifeWatch Data Explorer. And on a more fun note, LifeWatch-ERIC was also awarded as the most Christmassy stand at the conference!   https://www.lifewatch.be/news?p=show&id=5205 http://www.servicecentrelifewatch.eu/all-news/-/asset_publisher/bMOVB3kGqRZZ/content/reshaping-biodiversity-ecosystem-research/10194