A European strategy on Research and Technology Infrastructures
Speakers and panelists
Jean-David Malo joined the European Commission in 2001. He was appointed Director for Open Innovation and Open Science in 2017 and in June 2019 Director of the EIC Task Force. Since April 2025, he is the acting Director for ERA and Innovation in DG RTD.
Acting Director, ERA & Innovation, DG RTD, European Commission
Jean-David Malo
Maria Cristina Russo
Director, Prosperity, DG RTD, European Commission
Maria Cristina Russo is Director of the Prosperity Directorate in DG Research and Innovation. In this role she is responsible for Industrial research innovation & investments agenda, Knowledge valorisation & Technology infrastructures, Industrial transformation and Industry 5.0 and AI in Science. She has been working for the European Commission since 1992.
Deputy Director General, Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science
Annemarie Falktoft
Annemarie Falktoft has been Deputy Director General for the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science since 2022. From 2018 to 2022 she served as Head of Division for Science and Innovation in the Department of the Ministry, where she has worked since 2008.
Helmut Schober is Director General of the European Spallation Source (ESS) and Affiliated Professor at DTU in Denmark. Before this, he held the position of Director of ILL. He has chaired the German Committee for Research with Neutrons and coordinated the European Neutron and Muon Integrated Infrastructure Initiative. He was founding chair of the LENS Initiative (League of advanced European Neutron Sources).
Director General of European Spallation Source ERIC
Helmut Schober
Juan Farre
President and CEO, Danish Technological Institute
Juan Farré is dedicated to developing technology-based businesses and ecosystems for a prosperous, resilient society. His experience spans leading start-ups, mergers, and RTOs across sectors. Juan is president & CEO of Danish Technological Institute, Chairman of Danish RTO Association, EARTO board member, and holds a Ph.D. in Optical Fibre Systems from DTU.
Special envoy for research infrastructures MEYS, ESFRI Executive board & EOSC Steering board member
Jan Hrušák
Jan Hrušák is a senior scientist at the Czech Academy of Sciences. He currently serves as a Special Envoy for Research Infrastructures at the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports and is the scientific guarantor for the Czech Roadmap of large research infrastructures. He is delegate to the ERAC Committee and member of ESFRI.
Sergej Možina is the Slovenian science attaché in Brussels. He negotiated the last two EU framework programmes, chaired the Research Working Party in the Council, co-chaired on behalf of Member States the ERA Forum for the last three and a half years and is today fully occupied negotiating the future Horizon Europe and the European Competitiveness Fund.
Counsellor for Research, Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia to the European Union
Sergej Možina
Mirka Gottberg is Manager, International Affairs, Policy and Strategy, at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd. She focuses on EU policies, RDI infrastructures and finance. She has significant experience with EU Framework Programmes, funding instruments, administration, and ex-post audits. She has worked at VTT for 17 years.
Manager, International Affairs, Policy and Strategy, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Mirka Gottberg