Meet Iris de San Pedro, Technical Officer at Instituto de Salud Carlos III, ISCIII and the coordinator of the RRI Health Awards in the ORION Open Science project.
Firstly, tell us a bit about Instituto de Salud Carlos III
The mission of the ISCIII, is to contribute to the improvement of the health of all Spanish citizens and to fight diseases through the promotion of research and innovation in health sciences and biomedicine through the provision of groundbreaking scientific and technical services and educational programmes directed towards the National Health System. ISCIII is almost, the principal health research funding and performing organisation in Spain.
What comes to mind when you talk about Open Science?
Open Science is science made available for citizens, science that brings a better society and science that is open for anyone anywhere.
What is the motivation behind ISCIII getting involved in the ORION Open Science project?
The ISCIII has a deep compromise with biomedicine and health research, in the way to improve the citizens quality of life. As a public institution, the aims are aligned with the best practices in science and health, the improvement of citizens welfare and the fighting against diseases.
What do you hope to achieve through the project?
For ISCIII, as an organization, the goal is to disseminate, within its policies, actions and projects, the Responsible Research and Innovation, RRI, principles and leading the RRI biomedicine research in Spain.
What do you see is the greatest challenge for ORION?
To implement Open Science in research performing and funding organisations. To arouse the interest of the scientific community, to ensure that the principles of RRI and Open Science are applied in research. And, on the other hand, to make the citizens understand the results and the importance of the project.
What do you personally find most interesting about the ORION project?
Personally, it's to achieve a deeper knolewdge about how to implement the RRI principles in the health environment, and to manage, for the first time, an European project.
In one year, when the project is coming to an end, what is your dream scenario for ORION?
The best goal would be to achieve a continuation of the RRI Health Awards with a second edition.