The document discusses the history and development of the European Research Council (ERC) panel structure for classifying research projects. It notes that while the structure has expanded in some areas there remains a lack of representation for soil science. The author and soil science organizations argue for the establishment of a dedicated "Soil Science" panel to better support soil-related research and early career soil scientists. The ERC indicates it is undergoing a review of its evaluation process and structure that could address this request.

2. Towards the establishment of an
ERC panel on “Soil Science”
(a long and winding road)
Carmelo Dazzi
Co vice-chair

3. A proper classification of the knowledge represents
one of the key-elements that promotes science, and
has important cultural, societal and practical
repercussions.
The mission of the European Research Council (ERC) is to
encourage the highest quality research in Europe through
competitive funding and to support investigator-driven
frontier research across all fields, on the basis of scientific
excellence.
In short:
the ERC goal is to support the best of the best in Europe
across all fields of science.

4. The so-called “PANELS” of the European Research
Council, namely the arrangement of the scientific
knowledge based on criteria defined at European
level, are gaining an increasing importance at any
level, because they contributed in creating a new
“geography of the knowledge” with evident
effects on research and teaching.

5. Now, there are 25 ERC panels that cover all fields of
science, engineering and scholarship.
These are assigned to three research domains:
• Social Sciences and Humanities (6 Panels, SH1–SH6);
• Physical Sciences and Engineering (10 Panels, PE1–PE10);
• Life Sciences (9 Panels, LS1–LS9).

6. The European Research Council Expert Group (ERCEG)
was convened for the first time in 2002, under the
Danish Presidency of the European Commission, in
order to continue and update the activity previously
defined by the European Research Area (ERA).
The story

7. In 2005, with the support of political and scientific
community, the establishment of the European
Research Council was proposed through the funding
of the Ideas Programme using the budget of the
Seventh Framework Programme (2007-2013).

8. The official character of the ERC was sanctioned in
Berlin (in 2007), as part of the inaugural conference
under the German Presidency of the European
Commission.
In the same year (2007) was published the first call for
research projects ERC Starting grants, and about
10,000 proposals were submitted.

9. The ERC Starting grants projects were, for the first
time, divided into three major areas (called domains):
1. Social Sciences and Humanities;
2. Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Information and
Communication, Engineering, Universe and Earth
Sciences;
3. Life Sciences.
These were subdivided respectively in 5, 8 and 7 sub
areas (called panel).

10. Chronologically, this was the first application at
European level of the ERC domains, aiming at
identify/classify the research projects.
After 2007, the ERC structure was completed:
• the number of the ERC members increased;
• the calls for ERC research projects become constant;
• the availability of financial resources become
constant.

11. To date, the Scientific Council (the ERC governing body),
consists of 20 renowned scientists and scholars.
Members are appointed by the European Commission
on the recommendation of an independent Committee
With respect to the first date of application (2007), the
structure of the ERC sectors for
identification/classification of research projects has
significantly increased, as a logical consequence of the
continuous evolution of scientific developments and
knowledge.

12. In 2015 the 3 research domains:
1. Social Sciences and Humanities;
2. Physical Sciences and Engineering (in 2007 called
Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Information and
Communication, Engineering, Universe and Earth Sciences);
3. Life Sciences
were respectively articulated in 6, 10 and 9 panel, and
79, 165 and 101 descriptors (keywords).

13. A comparative analysis of the developments of the ERC
domains highlights how the level of articulation not
only has changed, but also (and especially) as it has not
developed evenly in the three domains of research.
Comparing the ERC Frontier Research Grants, we can see
how, for instance, in the Social Sciences and Humanities
Domain, the SH1 panel evolved from
• Markets, Individuals, and Institutions to
• Individuals, Markets, and Organisations
with a variation of their descriptors.

14. Developments of the ERC domains

15. Moreover, descriptors such as sustainability science,
geography, regional studies and planning have been
used to characterize different panels!
As a further example, we could mention the development
and evolution of the so-called meta-omics disciplines of
the LS2 panel Genetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics and
Systems Biology (Life Sciences Research domain).

16. Developments of the ERC domains

17. Developments of the ERC domains

18. Therefore, the structure of the panels shows very
detailed levels for some research fields, and is rather
rough for others.
Even the use of descriptors (Keywords) is not
homogenous.

19. For the ERC system, a rigorous peer review process is crucial.
Such peer review process using the ERC domains, panel and
descriptors, allows,
1. effective and unambiguous identification of research
projects and,
2. the appropriate selection of expert evaluators.

20. What about the SOIL in the ERC system?!
Where is the soil ?!

21. 2019 ERC EVALUATION PANELS AND KEYWORDS
PE10_12 Sedimentology, soil science, palaeontology, earth evolution
PE10 Earth System Science
Physical geography, geology, geophysics, atmospheric sciences,
oceanography, climatology, cryology, ecology, global environmental
change, biogeochemical cycles, natural resources management
PE10_17 Hydrology, water and soil pollution
PE10 chair: volcanologist

22. 2019 ERC EVALUATION PANELS AND KEYWORDS
LS9_4 Applied plant sciences (including(!) crop production, plant
breeding, agroecology, forestry, soil biology)
LS9 Applied Life Sciences, Biotechnology, and Molecular and
Biosystems Engineering
Applied plant and animal sciences, forestry, food sciences, applied
biotechnology, environmental, and marine biotechnology, applied
bioengineering, biomass and biofuels, biohazards
LS9 chair: geneticist

23. ….. the awareness that soil is a key and very complex natural resource has
increased at all levels of society.
……. soil degradation is a serious challenge
……. effective and positive actions to preserve the multi-functionality of
soil and its role in environmental equilibria, and in human health and
welfare.
European Soil
Partnership
European Society for
Soil Conservation
European Confederation
of Soil Science Societies
a petition expressing the opinion of recognised European soil scientists.

25. ….. the establishment of an ERC panel specifically dedicated to the
field of “Soil Science” in its broad meaning.
European Soil
Partnership
European Society for
Soil Conservation
European Confederation
of Soil Science Societies
a petition expressing the opinion of recognised European soil scientists.

26. LS9 Applied life Sciences and Non-Medical Biotechnology:
Agricultural, animal, fishery, forestry food and soil sciences;
biotechnology, genetic engineering, synthetic and chemical biology,
industrial biosciences; environmental biotechnology and
remediation.
LS9_x Soil Science

27. A panel specifically dedicated to “Soil Science”
will give soil the importance that it deserves as a
fundamental resource to maintain the total
quality of the environment and humankind, and
will allow early career soil scientists to have a
direct route through which to apply for ERC
grants.

28. I thank you for your e-mail concerning the field of « Soil Science ».
The organisation of the evaluation at the ERC is a permanent concern of
the Scientific Council, and we do receive requests like the one you
forwarded to me.
Actually the Scientific Council took the initiative to organise a Workshop to
discuss the future of evaluation at ERC to be held on 21 and 22 February
involving all panel chairs from 2017 and 2018.
Whether or not the present concept of descriptors is kept will be one of
the points to be discussed. This will keep the Scientific Council busy for its
coming three plenary meetings (along with other issues of course). The
purpose is to come up with a renewed evaluation process at the end of
June 2019 to start being reinforced for the 2021 calls.
Yours sincerely,
Jean-Pierre Bourguignon
8/02/2019

30. Finger crossed !!