Palma de Mallorca hosted 100xCiencia.8 to address global challenges through interdisciplinary science
100xCiencia is the annual meeting of the SOMMa Alliance that brought together the scientific community from 68 Severo Ochoa Centers of Excellence and María de Maeztu Units accredited by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities.
The meeting 100xCiencia.8: “Islands of Knowledge in a Complex Transitioning World” started last Thursday at the Hotel Victoria Gran Meliá in Palma de Mallorca and gathered over 200 representatives from the Severo Ochoa Centers of Excellence and María de Maeztu Units. This eighth edition of 100xCiencia was organized by the SOMMa Alliance, along with two scientific excellence centers in the Balearic Islands: the Institute of Interdisciplinary Physics and Complex Systems (IFISC, CSIC-UIB) and the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), both recognized as “María de Maeztu Units of Excellence.”
Claudio Mirasso, a professor at the University of the Balearic Islands and vice-director of IFISC (CSIC-UIB), and Anna Traveset, a research professor at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and researcher at IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), welcomed the attendees.
The institutional opening was led by Antoni Costa, Vice President and Councillor of Economy, Finance, and Innovation of the Government of the Balearic Islands; Domènec Espriu, Director of the State Research Agency; Salud Deudero, Institutional Delegate of CSIC in the Balearic Islands; and Jaume Carot, Rector of the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB). The latter emphasized that “it is an honor that our two centers of excellence, IFISC and IMEDEA, have made it possible for us to celebrate this unique event of the SOMMa Alliance in our community. These centers exemplify scientific excellence in the Balearic Islands, contributing from our region to the advancement of knowledge in crucial areas such as complex systems and environmental challenges. Their work enriches not only UIB but also positions the Balearic Islands as a benchmark in cutting-edge scientific research, demonstrating the impact our community can generate in global science.”
Meanwhile, María José Sanz, president of SOMMa and scientific director of the Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), concluded the opening by stating that “the scientific community of the SOMMa Alliance is a lever to continue promoting interdisciplinary research in our centers and units, enabling the generation of knowledge based on real and complex problems and involving scientists who have the capacity to tackle challenges from different perspectives.”
The program of 100xCiencia.8 addressed crucial topics such as the complexity of the global economy and the transformation of ecosystems due to climate change and biodiversity loss. Throughout various sessions, attendees enjoyed presentations from experts such as Stefan Thurner, a specialist in complex systems, and Karina Von Schuckmann, an oceanographer specialized in ocean climate monitoring.
Change in the Presidency of the SOMMa Alliance
On Friday, October 11, the annual General Assembly of the SOMMa Alliance took place, gathering the leadership of the 68 entities, during which the presidency of the alliance was renewed. Antonio Molina, the current Scientific Director of the Severo Ochoa Excellence Center Program at CBGP (UPM-INIA/CSIC), assumed the presidency of SOMMa, succeeding María José Sanz, who completed her two-year term. A. Molina stated that “it will be an honor and a great responsibility to work together with the centers and units of excellence to present proposals to policy and scientific funding managers that improve the science, technology, and innovation system in our country.”
New entities of excellence were welcomed, as well as various activities and milestones achieved throughout 2024 and the strategic lines of work that will be developed in 2025.
The SOMMa excellence community had the opportunity to reunite once again to continue creating spaces for collaboration and discussion, allowing them to advance in their various areas of work within the centers and units of excellence.