Resident LifeWatch ERIC contributes to solutions to stop the decline in biodiversity
One of the members of our community is LifeWatch ERIC, renting a workspace at LAB42. We asked them some questions to understand what's driving their business.
What challenges do you hope to solve by operating out of LAB42 instead of a standalone location?
LifeWatch ERIC is a Research Infrastructure for Biodiversity and Ecosystems research, making our presence at Amsterdam Science Park essential. By developing and deploying Virtual Research Environments, we aim to elevate scientific research to new heights. Think of our work as a virtual counterpart to a large telescope for astronomers or CERN for particle physicists, operated on Clouds and the internet.
Proximity to the UvA Institute of Informatics, particularly the Multi Scale Networked Systems (MNS) group, allows us to integrate cutting-edge informatics research into our development and operations. This unique "Research-Dev-Ops" value chain sets us apart from off-the-shelf products and services.
How do you plan to collaborate with other residents in LAB42 to create synergies and opportunities?
The LifeWatch ERIC development staff is fully integrated into the MNS scientific group. They operate as one team, constantly improving the 'Research-Dev-Ops' chain. Proximity to successful university research groups working on AI allows us to explore AI applications in our services, enhancing our Virtual Research Environments.
'Success for us would be making a meaningful contribution, whether commercially or for policymaking. LAB42 provides the ideal environment for us to achieve this.'
How important are the community and networking opportunities at LAB42, and what steps will you take to participate?
Our impression of LAB42 is that it is more than just a building; it's a vibrant community where residents easily interact, communicate, collaborate and develop new ideas. The open design of the building contributes to this dynamic. Additionally, the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystems Dynamics at Science Park 904 is nearby. They are our main customers and guide us in our ICT developments.
How do you envision 'Answering tomorrow's questions together at LAB42'?
Research Infrastructures are designed to help answer tomorrow's questions. This is their core purpose. The virtual labs we design for biodiversity and ecosystems research could evolve into products that address societal challenges like biodiversity loss, climate change, habitat loss, nature conservation, and quality of life. Success for us would be making a meaningful contribution, whether commercially or for policymaking. LAB42 provides the ideal environment for us to achieve this.