In this session, Wade will discuss her journey as a researcher, the motivation behind her initiative, and her experiences along the way. This is the third webinar in the Budapest Knowledge Hub's "Empowering Women in Science within Europe with Emphasis on the Danube Region" project.

Since 2018, Wade has created over 2,100 Wikipedia pages dedicated to women and underrepresented scientists in STEM, directly addressing the platform's significant gender bias, where only around 18% of biographies feature women.

Academia Europaea invites you to join this upcoming webinar organised by the Academia Europaea Budapest Knowledge Hub, featuring British physicist Jess Wade (Imperial College London).

Date: March 12, 2026, 14:00 - 15:00 CET (Zoom)
Registration deadline: March 11, 2026
https://scadv.eu/eOGrbJk

Whether you work in emergency services, civil protection, research or EU policy, this is a unique opportunity to hear science and practice in direct dialogue and to share your own experiences.

Building on our Rapid Evidence Review Report on AI in Emergency and Crisis Management, this session goes beyond the science to focus on practical, real-world examples of AI being applied in the field. Practitioners Simon Franke (ICT Services, German Red Cross) and Jorge Gomes (Operations Coordinator, VOST Europe), as well as experts Thomas Kox (SAPEA Working Group Member) and Marta López Saavedra (IDAEA-CSIC), will share their experiences, followed by a discussion and Q&A.

AI in Crisis Management: From Evidence to Practice

Join us on 31 March 2026 from 10:00 to 11:30 CET for an online webinar co-organised with Public Safety Communication Europe (PSCE) to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming crisis management.

Register now
https://scadv.eu/f6kVxY7

Drawing on insights from over 1,500 ERC‑funded projects, the report illustrates how fundamental research lays the groundwork for real‑world solutions, sustainable growth and Europe’s leadership in strategic policy domains. The ERC has invested €2.37 billion in frontier research on advanced materials between 2014 and 2023: an area crucial to Europe’s industrial competitiveness and transition to greener and digital futures.

"Advanced materials: ERC frontier research for a competitive, sustainable Europe" showcases breakthroughs that are driving transformative change across key societal areas, from health and electronics to energy, construction and mobility, and underpinning a more sustainable, resilient and competitive Europe.

Ahead of the upcoming SAM reports on Advanced Materials, the European Research Council (ERC) has published a new report highlighting the vital role of frontier, curiosity‑driven research in this rapidly evolving field.

Read the full report:
https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2026-02/Advanced-materials-ERC-frontier-research-for-a-competitive-sustainable-Europe.pdf

The numbers speak for themselves: restoring Europe's degraded ecosystems costs an estimated €150 billion, but delivers benefits at least ten times higher, through avoided disaster losses, improved public health, greater climate resilience, and strengthened food and water security. At a time of rising climate-related damage and pressure on public finances, the real risk is not restoring nature.

Read the full commentary:
https://scadv.eu/biSLsvU

Nature restoration isn't a cost: it's an investment.

EASAC's Commentary "Opportunities in Nature Restoration" makes the case that fully implementing the EU Nature Restoration Regulation is a strategic investment in Europe's health, security, and economic resilience.

Read the full commentary:
https://scadv.eu/biSLsvU

Prof. Rémy Slama, speaking for the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (GCSA) of the European Commission, argued for sovereign European AI tools and urged caution: AI should not currently be used for any decision in a crisis. Humans must remain at the centre. And investment in crisis prevention and preparedness is essential. Access the reports: https://scadv.eu/0vB7fjq

Commandant Quentin Brot offered a practitioner's perspective from the French firefighting services: AI works well for wildfire detection and logistics planning, but operational chatbots that advise firefighters during emergencies are, in his words, "highly dangerous." Nothing replaces human judgment, empathy, and courage on the ground.

Dr. Olya Kudina drew on the COVID-19 pandemic to illustrate how a crisis accelerates AI adoption, often at the expense of proper validation. Over 700 diagnostic AI models were developed in early 2020 alone, many without robust testing. Contact tracing apps failed not because the technology was flawed, but because governments communicated poorly, and public trust eroded.

Prof. Andrej Zwitter walked through the EU AI Act and showed that while the regulatory framework provides some clarity, significant grey zones remain, particularly around accountability and the fact that most large AI models are developed outside Europe.

Prof. Tina Comes described a "Goldilocks dilemma": too little trust in AI means useful tools go unused, but too much trust can lead to dangerous autopilot behaviour, especially under the stress of an emergency. The challenge is finding the right balance, depending on the type of AI and the stakes involved.

The Scientific Advice Mechanism recently held a webinar asking: “How far should we trust AI in a crisis situation?” What made this webinar particularly valuable was the diversity of perspectives, all converging on one message: the question is not whether AI has potential in crisis management, but whether we have the governance, the data quality, and the institutional readiness to use it responsibly.

Watch the full webinar: https://scadv.eu/Le77prq
Read our full article: https://scadv.eu/MdexcSf

Starting today at 3:00 p.m. Brussels time, our webinar on ‘How far should we trust AI in a crisis situation?’ will explore whether artificial intelligence can be used responsibly, ethically, and safely in emergency and crisis management. Drawing on academic and professional expertise, it will examine the potential benefits and risks of AI, as well as its implications for trust and fundamental rights. https://scadv.eu/CSQ97bE

Euro-CASE hopes to bring a diverse group of up to 300 leaders from across Europe for this event, including stakeholders from government, academia, industry, and civil society. Please contact academy@iae.ie for further information and to register for the conference.

The event, organised in partnership by The Irish Academy of Engineering and The Royal Academy of Engineering, will steer conversations on how engineering thinking can strengthen Europe's critical infrastructure resilience, taking into account key challenges, geopolitical tensions, and system interdependencies.