One year ago, Pensoft embarked on an exciting new journey to connect with the vibrant scientific community in China by launching our official Weibo account. This initiative was designed to foster closer ties with Chinese researchers, academics, and science enthusiasts—helping to broaden the reach of scientific knowledge and promote international collaboration.
Highlights from Our First Year
Over the past 12 months, we’ve shared a wide range of articles, research highlights, and updates from our diverse portfolio of open-access journals. Here are some of the most memorable moments from our first year:
Our most viewed video featured the discovery of three new species ofNautilus—the iconic deep-sea mollusks. Published in ZooKeys, the study described species from the Coral Sea and South Pacific. The video captivated marine biology fans and drew thousands of views. Videos are a powerful way to share science, and we encourage researchers to include video materials whenever possible!
Our most viral post introduced the newly described supergiant Bathynomus vaderi—a massive deep-sea isopod discovered off the coast of Vietnam. Its name, vaderi, was inspired by the creature’s head, which bears a striking resemblance to the iconic helmet worn by Darth Vader in Star Wars.
Another popular post highlighted new mimetid spider species (Araneae, Mimetidae) discovered in Guizhou Province, published in Zoosystematics and Evolution. The study shed light on the region’s rich spider biodiversity and sparked strong engagement from our Chinese followers. It seems that spiders are a consistent fan favorite, with arachnid discoveries regularly going viral on our Weibo!
Male holotype of Mimetuslanmeiae sp. nov., photograph by Q Lu (Shenzhen)
This trend continued with our most popular longread, which told the story of Otacilia khezu sp. nov., a newly discovered cave-dwelling spider from Guangxi, China, published in the Biodiversity Data Journal. What truly captured readers’ imaginations—beyond the biological discovery—was the name itself. The spider was named after the Khezu, a wyvern from the popular video game Monster Hunter, known for its blindness and eerie appearance. Just like its namesake, Otacilia khezu completely lacks eyes — a striking adaptation to life in the dark.
As we celebrate this milestone, we’re filled with excitement for what lies ahead. We look forward to continuing to share cutting-edge science, uncovering new discoveries, and building stronger connections with our Chinese readers and partners.
Thank you to everyone who has followed, shared, and supported us over the past year. Your engagement has made this journey meaningful and rewarding.
The European Union (EU) has been working to protect nature for decades, with the Natura 2000 network now safeguarding over 18% of EU land and 9% of its marine territory. Yet, biodiversity is still in trouble, with only 50% of bird species and 15% of habitats in good conservation status.
To turn the tide, the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 will expand the existing Natura 2000 areas, implement the EU’s first-ever Nature Restoration Law, and introduce concrete measures to achieve global biodiversity targets. Success will depend on enhancing biodiversity monitoring, making better use of data and gaining a clearer picture of how nature is changing.
Addressing this urgent challenge, the EU Horizon project BMD (abbreviated for Biodiversity Meets Data) will offer a centralised platform (Single Access Point or SAP) for improved biodiversity monitoring across Europe.
Pensoft’s role
Pensoft will play a role in Biodiversity Meets Data’s impact by planning and implementing the communication, dissemination and exploitation of project results, as well as helping with the training and capacity building for BMD’s end-users, which will be led by LifeWatch ERIC. Pensoft will adopt a multi-format approach to knowledge transfer with tailored outputs for the scientific community, decision-makers, industry representatives and the general public.
Furthermore, the BMD SAP will also incorporate elements of the Biodiversity Knowledge Hub (BKH), developed under the BiCIKL project, coordinated by Pensoft.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see the continuity in our projects, with the legacy of the BiCIKL project continuing with Biodiversity Meets Data. This seamless progression not only builds on our past successes but also ensures that our work continues to deliver long-lasting value to the biodiversity community.”
said Prof. Dr. Lyubomir Penev, CEO and Founder of Pensoft, and project coordinator of BiCIKL (abbreviated from Biodiversity Community Integrated Knowledge Library).
The BMD project consortium at the project’s kick-off meeting in early March 2025 (Leiden, the Netherlands).
International consortium
Coordinated by Naturalis Biodiversity Center, the project brings together 14 partner organisations from 11 countries to develop innovative solutions for biodiversity management.
Visit the BMD project website at https://bmd-project.eu/, and make sure to follow the project’s progress via our social media channels on Blueskyand Linkedin.
Guest blog post by Veronica Nanni, Jagoba Malumbres-Olarte, and Stefano Mammola
In an era where information is more accessible than ever, one might assume that communicating science has never been easier. However, science communicators often find themselves in a constant battle against public skepticism and media sensationalism. Scientific research is, by nature, intricate and nuanced, making it inherently challenging to communicate effectively. Academic papers are often laden with equations, technical jargon, and acronyms that, while ensuring precision and accuracy, may alienate even the most intrepid readers. The challenge, then, lies in translating complex findings into digestible and engaging narratives without oversimplifying or distorting the truth. Striking this balance is crucial, as misrepresentation can lead to misunderstanding, erode public trust, or even fuel misinformation.
As scientists working with subterranean biodiversity, we face an additional layer of challenges in science communication. Unlike more familiar ecosystems, such as forests or oceans, caves and other subterranean environments are foreign and unseen to most audiences. These hidden worlds are often perceived as mysterious, inhospitable, or even irrelevant to everyday life. This lack of direct experience or knowledge creates a significant barrier to interest and engagement. For instance, the delicate balance of subterranean ecosystems and their hidden interconnection with surface ecosystems is not only difficult to visualize but also challenging to relate to broader environmental issues that resonate with the public, such as climate change or biodiversity loss.
Werner’s leaf-toed gecko (Asaccus elisae), picture from https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.18.8185
Furthermore, subterranean organisms, such as blind fish, pale invertebrates, and microbial communities, often lack the visual appeal of iconic surface species (e.g., lions, dolphins, polar bears), making it difficult to generate interest or concern. Such scarce interest often means that subterranean ecosystems are scarcely represented in global biodiversity agendas, leaving most of them unprotected or poorly regulated.
This communication challenge and policy gap became even more apparent at the start of the Biodiversa+ project DarCo, a transnational project involving 13 research institutes across Europe. The project aims to advance knowledge about subterranean biodiversity in Europe and advance its conservation. DarCo’s overarching goal is to develop a concrete plan to incorporate subterranean ecosystems into the European Union (EU) Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.
For the successful implementation of the project, there is a need to engage with diverse audiences, from the general public to stakeholders who rely on subterranean resources in various ways—e.g., speleological groups, water managers, national park authorities, and even politicians involved in EU-level legislation on nature conservation. This is where the challenge of communicating the importance of subterranean biodiversity to the health of ecological systems and the well-being of society became quite apparent. We realized that tapping into non-scientific forms of communication might offer a promising way forward.
Figure 1. Life in the darkness of caves through an illustration targeting kids. Modified from https://doi.org/10.3389/frym.2022.657265 (original illustration by Irene Frigo).
We began collaborating with various artists and scientific illustrators to aid in our communication efforts. Whether illustrating cave life and its conservation for children (Figure 1) or involving illustrators to create compelling visuals for our scientific publications (Figure 2), the science-art collaboration proved particularly effective. We even invited a scientific illustrator, Dr. Jagoba Malumbres-Olarte, to the 26th International Conference on Subterranean Biology (Cagliari, Italy, 9–14 September 2024), where the DarCo team organized a workshop on subterranean conservation open to both scientists and stakeholders. Jagoba’s role was to create an artistic representation of the workshop flow (Figure 3) and illustrate key aspects of selected scientific talks.
Figure 2. Scientific illustration for a scientific publication on climate change’s impact on subterranean ecosystems. Modified from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2023.09.001 (original illustration by Jagoba Malumbres-Olarte).
Stemming from these fruitful collaborations, we decided to write a scientific paper on the role art can play in the conservation of subterranean ecosystems, highlighting the benefits for subterranean scientists engaging with artists and vice versa. Although there is no quantitative proof yet that art directly promotes subterranean conservation, our experience as scientists who frequently collaborate with artists—and artists who often collaborate with scientists—suggests that bridging these worlds can have profound, lasting impacts on scientific communication and conservation efforts. By engaging with artists, subterranean scientists can create more impactful visuals for research papers and presentations, enhance public engagement through powerful storytelling, and spark fresh insights that may drive new research directions.
To maximize these benefits, scientists should foster collaborations by inviting artists to conferences and workshops, involving them in cave expeditions, and even dedicating small portions of research budgets to artistic initiatives. On the other hand, artists can undertake projects focused on conservation and related scientific fields, using their own platforms and tapping into funding sources beyond traditional scientific grants.
Figure 3. Infographic created through the graphic facilitation of DarCo’s workshop held during the 26th International Conference on Subterranean Biology (Cagliari, Italy, 9–14 September 2024). Original illustration by Jagoba Malumbres-Olarte.
Art has long been a bridge between knowledge and emotion, making complex ideas accessible through storytelling, visuals, and performance. Scientific illustrations, data visualizations, and interactive exhibits can transform abstract information into tangible experiences. Moreover, films, theater, and literature can create emotional connections with audiences, helping them grasp the real-world implications of scientific discoveries.
By integrating art with science communication, we can reach people who might otherwise feel disconnected from scientific discourse. Art and science are not opposing forces but complementary ones, enriching each other in profound ways. As we face global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and public health crises, integrating artistic expression with scientific inquiry can foster deeper understanding, empathy, and action, spreading knowledge and awareness of these threats in society.
Research article:
Mammola S, Malumbres-Olarte J, Vaccarelli I, Nanni V, Bellvert A, Jarić I (2025) On art, science, and the conservation of subterranean ecosystems. Subterranean Biology 51: 1-19. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.51.139954
Combining expertise in project branding and stakeholder engagement, Pensoft will support the collaborative mission to enhance understanding and modelling of the terrestrial carbon cycle
Pensoft takes on a fundamental part in the newly launched EU-funded project: Improved CarbOn cycle represeNtation through multi-sCale models and Earth obseRvation for Terrestrial ecOsystems (CONCERTO) as a leader of Work Package 7: Communication, dissemination and synergies of project results and sustainability.
Officially started on 1st January 2025, the kick-off meeting for CONCERTO was held in Milan, Italy, on 21-22 January 2025. Over 35 participants attended the meeting in person, while several other colleagues joined online to shape the vision of CONCERTO’s aim to strengthen the European research ecosystem by creating an innovative scientific collaborative framework that enhances our understanding, monitoring, and modelling of the terrestrial cycle, and leads to reduced uncertainty and Earth system models convergence.
CONCERTO project’s kick-off meeting was held on 21-22 January 2025 in Milan, Italy.The meeting also welcomed project members remotely.
The Project
The key objectives of the CONCERTO project are:
To enhance the understanding, monitoring, and modelling of the terrestrial carbon cycle, while reducing uncertainty, and enabling Earth System Model convergence.
To utilise novel Earth Observation data to advance research and improve the representation of land cover, leaf area index, and management intensity through high-resolution maps.
To integrate advanced Data Assimilation and Machine Learninginto modelling to deliver more accurate and reliable insights.
To prepare for the incorporation of FLEX data into land surface models and leverage data to improve understanding of biogenic volatile organic compound emissions.
Pensoft’s role in CONCERTO
As the leader of Work Package 7, Pensoft will focus on disseminating the science behind the project by ensuring effective communication and engagement strategies. A distinctive brand identity will be established through the creation of a project logo, branding guidelines, promotional materials, and a dedicated website. This website will act as a central hub for project content and updates, providing stakeholders and the public with easy access to relevant information.
To maximize the project’s impact, Pensoft will develop a comprehensive communication and dissemination strategy to share project results with key stakeholders and target audiences. Additionally, stakeholder engagement efforts will produce high-quality content such as videos, press releases, and newsletters. These materials will communicate the project’s progress and results, reaching a wide audience and fostering greater understanding and awareness of the project’s scientific objectives.
International Consortium
The project brings together thirteen international partners from seven countries operating in various sectors, ultimately contributing with diverse expertise:
Over the coming months, the CONCERTO project will focus oncreating innovative resources to support professionals in improving multi-scale models and Earth observation for terrestrial ecosystems.
The CONCERTO project website is coming soon!
In the meantime, make sure to follow the project’s progress by following our social media channels on BlueSky and LinkedIn.
Teodor Metodiev, senior communications officer at Pensoft at the opening of “The pollinators we can’t live without” temporary exhibition at the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (Sofia, Bulgaria, 2023).
With more than three decades of experience in the domain of science communication, Pensoft has a rich perspective on what it takes to bring science into the spotlight. A testament to this is its growing projects department, where the public face of some of Europe’s most innovative research undertakings is being moulded by a cohort of experts.
Among their ranks is Teodor Metodiev, a communicator with years of experience when it comes to bridging the gap between the scientific and the public. He recently sat down for an interview to share his observations on the significance, challenges and lessons of the job.
Read below to find out how effective engagement can make today’s research tomorrow’s reality.
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Why is science communication important and how can it influence the scope and impact of today’s research?
I believe science communication is fundamental because it eliminates the gap between researchers and users of their work, be they policymakers, practitioners or other stakeholders. By combining novel and traditional communication methods, scientific knowledge, results and data are much more likely to be shared, understood, and applied. If not communicated effectively, scientific results and advances have no real impact and are simply lost in an avalanche of emerging new information.
What are the most common challenges you encounter as a science communicator?
There are many diverse challenges one could encounter as a science communicator! I believe the most common one is the overall complexity of science, which is sometimes very difficult to communicate in a clear, visually appealing way. For me personally, one of the greater challenges is to delve into controversial topics such as climate change, vaccines, or genetic engineering, where emotions and ideologies may run high.
How can complex technical concepts be made accessible to non-science stakeholders and the general public?
Making complex concepts accessible to the general public is among the main responsibilities of a science communicator. There are many different approaches to do that, but it ultimately depends on the audience you want to engage – for example, you would not necessarily want to interact with a farmer through policy briefs. In general, I would list three main ‘pillars’ that can be considered when dealing with complex scientific information:
Simplify the language and avoid scientific jargon (i.e. by using short sentences with a clear structure)
Always leverage visual aids, such as infographics, animations, videos or graphical abstracts
Try to present the information in a narrative-like form – start with the background and problem, and then explain the solutions you are offering.
By adhering to these simple steps, I believe most challenging scientific concepts can be easily translated into an understandable format for laypersons or other stakeholder groups!
Which indicators do you consider crucial when assessing the success of a science communication campaign?
In my view, the success of any science communication campaign should be measured beyond quantitative indicators. Sure, audience reach, number of impressions and demographic data are important, but real success should be assessed through active engagement (i.e. comments or questions towards the topic, participation in events or activities, feedback and criticism from evaluation surveys, etc). I believe that monitoring these qualitative indicators on an ongoing basis is instrumental for a long-term awareness and understanding of a given topic over time.
What has made Pensoft unique and effective in the field of science communication?
I honestly believe the driving force behind Pensoft’s success in science communication is the motivated team behind it – it has demonstrated that an openness to engage, combined with an urge to learn and expand your horizons, is ultimately the making of a successful science communicator. In addition to being curious and forthcoming, an environmental conscience is another fundamental characteristic of Pensoft which surely resonates with all of its members!
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Explore past and present research projects in Pensoft’s communication portfolio.
Boris Barov, Project Manager at Pensoft, talked about open-science publishing and science communication as a stepping stone towards the fulfilment of biodiversity targets.
This participation came about as a result of the collaboration within a network of European organisations from the domains of biodiversity, ecology and engineering.
The organisations at the core of the network held a workshop on the combined role of science and technology in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More precisely, the Kunmig-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM GBF) was selected as a testbed, whose stipulations can guide innovation across sectors and disciplines on the road to the realisation of specific SDGs.
The day-long programme featured 30 presentations that covered a variety of themes related to research priorities and technological instruments servicing the KM GBF. Experts and stakeholders at the political, academic and professional level were involved in the proceedings, solidifying the network’s status as a hub for innovators in biodiversity conservation efforts.
Among the speakers was Boris Barov, Project Manager at Pensoft, who introduced the audience to the importance of open-science publishing and science communication as a stepping stone towards the fulfilment of biodiversity targets.
Barov elaborated on the key tenets and approaches ensuring that publishers like Pensoft are actively contributing to the preservation of the biosphere on a global level.
Those include:
disseminating conservation-centric research that uncovers findings and innovations critical to the effective implementation of the KM-GBF
supporting open access and knowledge sharing that guarantee the free availability of research outputs to any and all parties that need it
fostering an interface between science and policy that allows vital expertise to reach and inform decision-makers
championing inclusivity and equality that give indigenous communities a seat at the table
Additionally, Barov singled out Pensoft’s participation in the EU-funded research projects CO-OP4CBD, BioAgora and TRANSPATH as a testament to effective science communication that empowers stakeholder collaboration and engagement at the science-policy interface.
It is the intention of the network of organisations to collect the stakeholder input submitted during the event in a future whitepaper designed to outline its approach to facilitating biodiversity governance through research and technology.
Moreover, this is meant to be followed by an open call rallying international support for the integration of biodiversity conservation priorities into the post-SDG agenda of the UN.
Read more about the Horizon Europe-funded CO-OP4CBD & BioAgora projects and Pensoft’s involvement on our blog. You can also follow updates from CO-OP4CBD on BluesSky, X and Linkedin. BioAgora is also on X and Linkedin.
In 2023, Pensoft also joined TRANSPATH as an expert in science communication, dissemination and exploitation. Find more on our blog and follow the Horizon Europe project on X and Linkedin.
At the 5th ESP Europe conference in Wageningen, Pensoft will lead a training session on effective science communication through open access publishing.
The Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP) is a global network that connects ecosystem services scientists, practitioners, stakeholders, and policymakers at local, national, regional, and global scales. ESP enhances and encourages a diversity of approaches, while reducing unnecessary duplication of effort in the development of concepts and application of ecosystem services.
Starting in 2008, ESP organises annual international conferences, where experts share research progress and exchange ideas in the field of ecosystem services, strengthening cooperation among scientists and practitioners. Since 2015, global and regional conferences started taking place bi-annually, with the 5th ESP Europe conference taking place this year between 18 and 22 November in Wageningen, The Netherlands, under the theme ‘Ecosystem Services: One Planet, One Health’.
The ESP Europe conference will focus on the question of how the ecosystem services concept can address the challenges involved in delivering the global vision of One Health. It will also highlight the interdependence of health across various domains – human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health, and the health of the global environment.
In addition to the main event, the organisers are providing access to pre-conference trainings on Sunday, 17 November, one day before the official start of the conference. One of these focuses on science communication and its role in enhancing research impact. Titled “Innovative tools for science communication: How to increase your research impact”, this session will be hosted by Pensoft Publishers.
A communication and dissemination leader in a wide range of EU research projects, as well as an independent publishing company, Pensoft will introduce the participants to best practices in science communication, drawing examples from a project portfolio which covers ecosystems and biodiversity, agriculture and forestry, pollinators and more. This training activity will also highlight the integral role of open science in effective dissemination, showcasing the opportunities facilitated by Pensoft’s open-access journals, which promoting transparency, accessibility, and reusability of results. Overall, the session will provide an in-depth look into the interlinkage between effectively communicated research outputs and the benefits of openly published data.
The Pensoft team will share their experiences with projects such as SELINA and SpongeBoost, both of which will also be presented in the scientific sessions and via a shared booth at the event.
Everyone who has already registered for the official programme can still add a training to their application using this link.
At the Pensoft’s stand, delegates learned about the scientific publisher’s versatile open-access journal portfolio, as well as related publishing services and the Horizon project where Pensoft is a partner.
Here’s a fun fact: the University of Bologna is the oldest one still in operation in the world. It is also etched in history for being the first institution to award degrees of higher learning.
This year, the annual event themed “Biodiversity positive by 2030” took place in the stunning Italian city of Bologna famous for its historical and cultural heritage, in a way building a bridge between the past of European civilisation and the future, which is now in our hands.
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At the Pensoft’s stand, delegates learned about the scientific publisher’s versatile open-access journal portfolio of over 30 journals covering the fields of ecology and biodiversity, as well as other related services and products offered by Pensoft, including the end-to-end full-featured scholarly publishing platform ARPHA, which hosts and powers all Pensoft journals, in addition to dozens other academic outlets owned by learned societies, natural history museums and other academic institutions.
In addition to its convenient collaborative online environment, user interface and automated export/import workflows, what ARPHA’s clients enjoy perhaps the most, are the various human-provided services that come with the platform, including graphic and web design, assistance in journal indexing, typesetting, copyediting and science communication.
Visitors at the stand could also be heard chatting with Pensoft’s Head of Journal development, Marketing and PR: Iva Boyadzhieva about the publisher’s innovative solutions for permanent preservation and far-reaching dissemination and communication of academic outputs that do not match the traditional research article format.
For example, the Research Ideas and Outcomes (RIO) journal was launched in 2015 by Pensoft as an open-science journal that would publish ‘unconventional’ research outputs, such as Grant proposals, Policy briefs, Project reports, Data management plans, Research ideas etc. Its project-branded open-science collections are in fact one of the Pensoft’s products that enjoys particular attention to participants in scientific projects funded by the likes of the European Commission’s Horizon programme.
Another innovation by Pensoft that easily becomes a talking point at forums like ECCB, is the ARPHA Conference Abstract (ACA) platform, which is basically a journal for conference abstracts, where abstracts are treated and published much like regular journal articles (a.k.a. ‘mini papers’) to enable permanent preservation, but also accessibility, discoverability and citability. Furthermore, ACA has been designed to act as an abstracts submission portal, where the abstracts undergo review and receive feedback before being published and indexed at dozens of relevant scientific databases.
On Wednesday, delegates also got a chance to hear the talk by renowned vegetation ecologist at the ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences and Editor-in-Chief at the Vegetation Classification and Survey journal: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Dengler. He presented findings and conclusions concerning neophytes in Switzerland, while drawing comparisons with other European countries and regions.
🌱 Presence of #neophytes is not necesarily problematic, and can actually have positive effect, concludes recent research on 🇨🇭Swiss #grasslands diversity.
At this year’s ECCB, Pensoft took a stand as an active Horizon project participant too. At the publisher’s booth, the delegates could explore various project outputs produced within REST-COAST, SpongeBoost and BioAgora. Each of these initiatives has been selected by the European Commission to work on the mitigation of biodiversity decline, while aiming for sustainable ecosystems throughout the Old continent.
In all three projects, Pensoft is a consortium member, who contributes with expertise in science communication, dissemination, stakeholder engagement and technological development.
Having started earlier this year, SpongeBoost is to build upon existing solutions and their large-scale implementation by implementing innovative approaches to improve the functional capacity of sponge landscapes. The project is coordinated by the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and will be developed with the active participation of 10 partnering institutions from seven countries across Europe.
In the meantime, since 2022, the five-year BioAgora project has been working towards setting up the Science Service for Biodiversity platform, which will turn into an efficient forum for dialogue between scientists, policy actors and other knowledge holders. BioAgora is a joint initiative, which brings together 22 partners from 13 European countries led by the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE).
4/🧵 The @HorizonEU project @BioAgoraEU is to create an efficient platform for dialogue between #scientists, policy actors & other knowledge holders.
Still, REST-COAST, SpongeBoost and BioAgora were not the only Horizon projects involving Pensoft that made an appearance at ECCB this year thanks to the Pensoft team.
On behalf of OBSGESSION – another Horizon-funded project, Nikola Ganchev, Communications officer at Pensoft, presented a poster about the recently started project. Until the end of 2027, the OBSGESSION project, also led by the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) and involving a total of 12 partnering organisations, will be tasked with the integration of different biodiversity data sources, including Earth Observation, in-situ research, and ecological models. Eventually, these will all be made into a comprehensive product for biodiversity management in both terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.
On Tuesday evening, the CO-OP4CBD (abbreviation for Co-operation for the Convention on Biological Diversity) team: another Horizon Europe project, where Pensoft contributes with expertise in science communication and dissemination, held a workshop dedicated to what needs to be done to promote CBD activities in Central and Eastern Europe.
On the next day, scientists from the EuropaBON consortium: another project involving Pensoft that had concluded only about a month ago, held a session to report on the final conclusions from the project concerning the state and progress in biodiversity monitoring.
📌Eastern Europe and countries outside Europe underrepresented in the @EuropaBon_H2020 network, reports Christian Langer at #eccb2024bologna.
Scholarly publisher Pensoft is excited to announce it is now on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The move is aimed at fostering stronger connections with researchers, academics, and enthusiasts in China, which in turn will enhance the dissemination of scientific knowledge and facilitate international collaboration.
With over half a billion active users, Weibo is a powerful social media platform that combines the functionalities of microblogging and social networking. The Pensoft team is looking forward to engaging in real-time conversations with its Chinese audience, sharing insights, and receiving their feedback.
The launch coincides with the Dragon Boat Festival, a significant cultural event in China that commemorates the ancient poet Qu Yuan and symbolizes unity and teamwork.
The move aims to make Pensoft’s publications and updates more accessible to Chinese researchers, allowing them to stay informed about the latest scientific discoveries and advancements. In addition, it offers an excellent opportunity for Pensoft to foster collaborations with Chinese institutions, researchers, and academic societies.
As a pioneer in open-access publishing, Pensoft will also use its Weibo account to promote the benefits of open access, making sure Chinese research reaches a global audience without paywalls.
“China, with its rapidly growing research output and a burgeoning community of scholars, represents a significant segment of the global academic landscape. Recognizing the importance of engaging with this vibrant community, Pensoft’s decision to establish a presence on Weibo underscores its commitment to inclusivity and accessibility in scientific publishing,” says Lyubomir Penev, CEO and founder of Pensoft.
We invite you to join Pensoft’s Weibo account to learn all about our latest scientific discoveries and publishing updates.
At SpongeBoost, Pensoft is to take charge of the project’s identity, while building a strong network, and providing comprehensive knowledge and well-packaged information.
In recent years, Europe’s landscapes have become the victims of extreme events – ranging from floods to droughts – that have caused considerable damage to nature as well as human society.
With the aim to tackle such severe circumstances, the newly-started Horizon Europe-funded project SpongeBoost will be working towards protecting and promoting natural sponge landscapes.
Within SpongeBoost, the functional capacity of sponge landscapes is to be enhanced through building upon existing solutions and their large-scale implementation, but also through innovative approaches.
Pensoft is among the partnering institutions within SpongeBoost and serves as the leader of Work Package #5: “Communication, dissemination, exploitation, showcasing best practices and networking”. WP5 will aim to contribute to the project’s mission by building the overall project identity, building a strong network, and providing comprehensive knowledge and well-packaged information to targeted stakeholders.
The project
Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme with a budget of EUR ~3 million, the project is coordinated by the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and will be developed with the active participation of 10 partnering institutions from seven countries across Europe. Having been officially launched in January 2024, SpongeBoost is to wrap up in December 2027.
The project is part of the EU mission “Adaptation to Climate Change”, whose task is tosupport EU regions, cities and local authorities in their efforts to build resilience against the impacts of climate change.
“The protection and revitalisation of wetlands, particularly through peatland rewetting and river floodplain restoration, plays a central role in this,“
says project manager Mathias Scholz from the UFZ.
SpongeBoost held its official kick-off meeting in late February (2024) in Leipzig, Germany.
To officially kickstart the project, the first consortium meeting took place on 21-23 February in Leipzig, Germany. The kick-off meeting saw all 10 partnering institutions meet in person to officially lay the foundation of a promising collaboration that will flourish over the next four years.
The joint mission before the newly formed consortium is to enhance the natural sponge function of wetlands and soils in Europe, aligning with EU policies for climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction and biodiversity. To achieve that, the project plans to employ both bottom-up and top-down approaches, which will foster networking and synergy at the regional and EU level.
SpongeBoost will focus on five main objectives over the next four years:
Conduct a comprehensive literature review to create a standard reference catalogue for securing and enhancing sponge functions in adaptation to climate change. This catalogue will integrate social, economic, technical, and ecological effects and serve as a widely used resource across Europe and beyond.
Build a knowledge base on existing approaches for enhancing sponge functions, and highlight the reasons for success or failure. The goal is to enable regions and communities to replicate effective transformative solutions. Meanwhile, the consortium is to facilitate networking initiatives with other projects and identify suitable pilot sites for monitoring long-term success using the results of previous projects.
Work on the implementation, tests, refinement, and adjustment of best practices and innovative solutions through EU-wide case studies. The goal is to enhance climate resilience to extreme events and enable upscaling from local to EU levels.
Develop a roadmap with practical tools to empower stakeholders, drive transformative change, and integrate sponge solutions into regional, national and European climate adaptation processes to achieve EU Green Deal targets.
Connect communities and compile online resources for climate change adaptation. The goal is to facilitate access and combine a library of tools for restoration and share research findings on soil, water, and groundwater interconnection for replication across Europe.
In addition to leading the “Communication, dissemination, exploitation, showcasing best practices and networking” work package at SpongeBoost, Pensoft is to also assist the Environmental Action Germany (DUH) in the implementation of different innovative communications methods and ideas meant to support the project’s goals.
As part of the creative communication strategy, DUH will take the lead in the development of a “SpongeBooster superhero” character. By creating such a character that will be also featured in comics, the team will translate complex concepts into clear visuals and engaging narratives, thereby shaping the project’s visual identity and letting non-experts join the discourse. The Sponge Booster is to serve as an innovative method to disseminate project knowledge and address barriers with humour while fostering dialogue and avoiding potential conflicts.
International Consortium
The SpongeBoost project brings together a team of 10 partners from seven European countries, spanning research, policy, and management fields. The consortium members, who individually represent various restoration projects, will join forces and expertise to promote collaboration, knowledge exchange and synergies across European regions, to ultimately instil a lasting positive impact on sponge restoration for climate change adaptation.
Stay tuned for more project information on the SpongeBoost website coming soon at: www.spongeboost.eu/. In the meantime, you can follow SpongeBoost on social media on X and Linkedin.
