Hi all, my name is Zoë Plakias, and I am a faculty member at Ohio State University and an agricultural and food system economist. I have an interest in building a resilient economy and food system and experience and interest in thinking about collective action, governance, market power, voting power, social networks and peer effects as they relate to the food system and agricultural and food markets. I am also a big sci fi fan, and excited to think about how I might combine these two passions. Looking forward to participating in this conversation!
Hi Zoë, nice to e-meet you and welcome on board!
I’m Noemi, a longtimer here, Brussels based and recent food entrepreneur.
I’ve checked your website, tried to access a video and slides but the page wasn’t working…
Many edgeryders are directly involved in the food system and run initiatives at a local scale, and others like @lylycarrillo are trying to build new tech platforms for better coordination between supply and demand. Do any of your projects involve a practical component…? Do you see a role for Edgeryders and a community like ours to support some of your work…?
Otherwise, EarthOS is full of food for thought about radical economic systems, so you’re welcome to browse through…
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Hello from me too @zplakias, welcome! Things are a bit quiet due to, well, August, but activity will phase in organically as the days shorten here in the northern hemisphere.
I am also an economist – but barely, in fact I consider myself an apostate. And a huge sci-fi reader, like you.
Food systems… do you find any good ideas in sci-fi about those? Among my own readings, the main thing that comes to mind is Neeper’s Webs of Varok, but there must be more out there. If you have any suggestion, could you add it to the wiki? Varok is already in there, but, well, it’s a wiki, so feel free to edit and improve.
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Hello @zplakias, and very nice to read you @noemi and @alberto.
The last 2 years, I have been working in the area of collective intelligence (as a self-employed researcher and activist) with a special focus on collaborative systems, decentralized/distributed governance, decentralized/distributed data and sovereign identity, P2P systems and self-directed P2P/agile communities. And I have joined The Flanders Research Institute for agriculture, fisheries and food (ILVO). Organization - ILVO Vlaanderen
We are giving priority to EU and local (Belgian, Flemish) projects, and supporting the further growth of the DJustConnect platform: https://youtu.be/GaB3jz_oGko
If you all find it appropiate, we could setup a call to explore possible collaboration, and joint projects.
I know that while I was on holiday, my boss and collaborator Jurgen Vangeyte has reached out to Alberto via LinkedIn but I don’t know if there was any move around this, and he is on holiday at the moment. Jürgen Vangeyte - Scientific Director Agricultural Engineering - Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research- Technology and Food Science Unit | LinkedIn
Looking forward to exploring…
Warm regards,
Liliana.
PS: Feel free to connect also via LinkedIn: Liliana Carrillo - Ghent, Flemish Region, Belgium | Professional Profile | LinkedIn
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Hello @lylycarrillo, apologies to Jurgen and you… I hardly use Linkedin anymore. I found a request to connect, that I now accepted, but no message. Am I missing something?
If you did not have contact yet with Jurgen or Panos, we can talk next week. I don’t see any messages of them in the Edgeryders platform and probably they were waiting to get in touch via LinkedIn. Let’s connect next week when Jurgen is back from holidays. When are you available?
I will be working all of August, but mostly off in September. 
Friday next week? We can then talk about NGI initiatives, maybe NGI Atlantic. It is just a suggestion, but let’s just get together on a call with Jurgen.
Sure can do.
Hello Community!
Robert Hall from ECOLISE suggested I join this group. I will be living and working in Brussels from January to the end of June/early July, supporting ECOLISE during the Portuguese Presidency of the EU and also being a Guest Research Fellow at the University of Louvain-la-Neuve. I am a sociologist, currently based in Lisbon, Portugal, passionate about the promotion of social justice and democratic inclusion in sustainability transitions. I’ve had previous experiences in community living and social movement activism in different countries of Europe, North and South America and South-east Asia.
During my time in Brussels, I will be able to join my passion for sustainability transition and community living with that for European Politics. I will also participate in a collective art project, organised by the SEADS collective, that will be exhibited at Poortersloge in Bruges.
During this time, I dream of joining a community of like-minded and open-hearted people, passionate about social transformation, deep debates, co-creation and sharing the best things in life.
Therefore, I’d like to know if there would be a room available at The Reef or another affiliated/like-minded housing unit that could include me during that period. I will be very happy and honoured to help Edgeryders expand its activities and network not only during that period, but also in the future.
Warm regards,
Ana Margarida
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Hi Alberto, I wonder if we could have a face to face meeting in Brussels? My boss, Jurgen, prefers to meet you (maybe @noemi @nadia too?..) in person at least for the first time. He says to be an old-fashion person (he is not! ), and I am also an old-fashion one When possible I enjoy having face to face gatherings.
I wonder if you are still in Belgium on the 28th or 31st of August?
28/08 from 11:00 to 13:00
31/08 from 13:00 to 15:00
Looking forward to your answer.
Warm regards,
Liliana.
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Ciao, I’m afraid I’m out of town on those days 
Welcome @amesteves!
Yes, we might have a room for you, depending on circumstances – and of course we will help Robert and ECOLISE if we can.
The Reef in its present incarnation is only a prototype, but it does have an important perk: with its courtyard, in-house office and private hallway it makes for a good life even in times of pandemic. Let me contact you in private for details.
Sure, why not. I am available. Lunch on Monday 31st seems like a great idea. Depending on the weather, we can sit in one of the brasseries in Parvis St-Gilles, which all have dehors and are therefore safest. It is, however, Monday, so choice may be more limited than otherwise. We could meet at Barvis, and take it from there. Works?
Perfect Alberto. Could you send me a calendar invite with the details please?
[email address redacted ]
It is a pity that you are not in town on the 31st when we go to Brussels.
You are invited to visit ILVO in Merelbeke too when it fits you.
Specifically for NGI Atlantic call for proposals (deadline 30 sept), we will improve our already submitted proposal that needs to be improved for this second round. It is a good proposal but we did not have any NGI-experienced partner by then.
Could we check on a video call if Edgeryders would be interested in being that needed and essential partner. What do you think? @alberto @noemi @nadia
Next Monday? Tuesday?
im on the road till 31/8 but after we can do it for sure!
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Done. Liliana, I would recommend not to write private email addresses on this forum…
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I will be leaving soon to Brussels. Where do we meet? I am coming by car. Easy place for parking?
Waiting for you. I went to Barvis and then moved to Hector Chicken, I was hungry.