On 28 October a group of neuroscientists from the Nordic countries met at NTNU in Trondheim, to discuss the possibility of a Nordic neuroscience meeting. The group consisted of Bryndis Birnir, Sten Grilner, Poul Henning Jensen, Dan Lindholm, Edvard Moser, Ragnhild Elisabeth Paulsen and Menno Witter. The initiative was based on a widespread view that national communities were too small while FENS (Federation of European Neuroscience Societies) and SFN (Society for Neuroscience) are too large to stimulate contact between complementary research groups in the Nordic countries. The group decided to organize the first Nordic Neuroscience meeting in Trondheim in June 2015 with the initiative group as program committee and Sten Grilner and Edvard Moser as leaders.
– Due to small scientific environments, a Nordic Neuroscience meeting has many advantages compared to national meetings. We have a lot in common, and there is potential for a lot more collaboration and exchange of technology and students, Edvard Moser says.
The goal is to hold meetings every two years, opposite from the FENS meetings. The meetings will be held over 2 1/2 days, with a mix of lectures from leading international guests and outstanding Nordic groups. The meetings will be broad in scope and all neuroscience disciplines will be represented.
The Society for Nordic Neuroscience will be organized as an interest group under the Scandinavian Physiological Society, with Bryndis Birnir as a contact person.
– The Society for Nordic Neuroscience will only arrange meetings, Edvard Moser explains. – The national associations will continue with other tasks as before.
First Nordic Neuroscience meeting will be in Trondheim in 2015.
The first meeting will be held in Trondheim the second week of June 2015. A local committee will be organized for the Nordic neuroscience meeting in 2015.
The program committee for the Nordic neuroscience meeting:
- Sten Grilner
- Poul Henning Jensen
- Bryndis Birnir
- Dan Lindholm
- Ragnhild Elisabeth Paulsen
- Edvard Moser
- Menno Witter