British Biophysical Society’s position post-BREXIT
The British Biophysical Society wishes to reassure its members that our close association with the the European biophysics communities, will not change post-BREXIT.
The BBS also endorses the statements issued
by other learned Societies, such as the joint statement from the Royal Society and Academy of Medical Sciences, and
the Biochemical Society, especially with respect
to the right of EU nationals already in the UK, to stay and work in the
UK. Biophysics is a very diverse area and encompasses a very diverse range
of techniques, expertises and often cross-border
collaborations and interactions, not least and vitally, across Europe. The
interactions with these diverse communities is essential to the continued
growth and development of biophysics within the UK.
In particular, our adherence to the European Biophysical Societies Association, EBSA, will not change post-Brexit. EBSA comprises 35 adherent biophysical societies across Europe (including most of the EU28 countries, soon to be EU27) in its widest sense, and BritainÕs membership will not change post-Brexit. The President of EBSA, Professor Helmut Grubmller says: ÒThe position of the British biophysical community will not change within EBSA, and EBSA supports the full interaction of British biophysicists with everyone in Europe, without reservation, regardless of how negotiations progress politically.
This will not affect the way in which we
benefit from EBSA and its activities, including the impending IUPAB/EBSA/BBS/IoP 2017 congress in Edinburgh, the support through travel
grants, supported workshops and laboratory visits for British biophysicists.
Finally, we would strongly encourage submission of any evidence, either from the UK or beyond, of where UK scientists are being disadvantaged as a result of non-inclusion in any funding applications to the EU, by submitting evidence to the HoC Select Committee on Science and Technology, as well as sign the petition to permit a HoC debate on the Science budget post-Brexit.