We interact with scientists and the public from around the world to address different questions which are relevant for our mission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do we need The Science Bridge initiative?
A: We need The Science Bridge Initiative to facilitate fruitful and sustained engagement between the Western and the Middle-Eastern nations, so that the two cultures can build better relations with each other and work together for a peaceful future.
Q: How would The Science Bridge help create better relations between Western and Middle-Eastern nations?
A: In The Science Bridge, we will engage people coming from Western and Middle-Eastern countries in order to pursue knowledge by working in partner institutes on major questions in neuroscience. Intellectual pursuits in the form of scientific collaboration provide an ideal and objective platform to unite people of different cultural origins through joint efforts towards common goals.
Q: Why now?
A: Now is the right time because tension between the West and the Middle-East is increasing, and what little trust there is between them seems to erode.
Q: What is the ‘Twin Institutes’ concept?
A: The Twin Institutes concept proposes to build two scientific research institutes between collaborating nations, one in a Middle-Eastern country and the other in a Western country. Our idea is to engage the Twin institutes on a joint scientific program that can lead to lasting partnership for the well-being of all people. By doing this, we will create an enduring model for productive interactions between people of different cultures.
Q: Where will the Twin Institutes be located?
A: We are open to where the two institutes should be located in the East and the West.
Q: Will the Twin Institutes have people only from Middle-Eastern and Western countries?
A: The Twin Institutes will be an international institution open to scientists from all countries. Naturally, Muslim, Christian and Jewish people have been similarly affected by the current political unrest. A central effort of The Science Bridge will be to bring people from these and other backgrounds together for reconciliation and trust building.
Q: How will people of different cultures and faiths find a common cause?
A: A common cause is the pursuit of knowledge, which as an intellectual construct transcends the boundaries of cultures, religions and nations. Therefore, collaborative research interactions provide an ideal starting point to develop mutual interest and good relationships between people of different backgrounds. Neuroscience appears to be an ideal field to foster collaboration since all major questions in brain research can only be tackled by multidisciplinary approaches, e.g., a joint effort of scientists coming from different fields.
Q: Will The Science Bridge only do science, or will it also facilitate social interactions?
A: The Science Bridge is primarily commited to do excellent scientific research with strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaborations. To promote these within and between the Twin Institutes is a central goal of our initiative. We are convinced that once the Twin Institutes are realized, there will be opportunity to also facilitate social interactions by organizing cultural events and educational programs.
Q: Why did you choose neuroscience research as a Scientific Mission?
A: Neuroscience research is arguably the most facinating area of modern biology but also the most challenging one. The brain gives us our individual identities and governs all our actions. Our brain changes continuously due to novel experiences and adapts to novel environmental conditions, and thereby enables us to react appropriately and to consciously understand our actions. Neuroscience research, by the very nature of what it investigates, will give us a deep appreciation of ourselves and others. Neuroscience research is multidisciplinary and highly collaborative. To address fundamental questions in brain research requires the participation of scientists with different expertise.