Shaping Our Planetary Identity
Stavro Lambrov Ivanovski, Vice President of Europlanet, reflects on two decades of activities and the road ahead
Read article in the fully formatted PDF of the Europlanet Magazine.
In 2025, Europlanet celebrates its 20th birthday. The initial European Planetology Network (EuroPlaNet) has proved a resilient foundation on which to establish a research infrastructure (2009), a membership society (2018) and a non-profit association (2023) to ensure long-term sustainability. These milestones reflect more than organisational growth – they represent a maturing planetary identity that is collaborative, inclusive and forward-looking.
Europlanet’s strength today lies in two complementary pillars:
- Sustained infrastructure: Decades of investment in access to laboratories, field sites, virtual services and expert networks have enabled research that would not have been possible otherwise. These resources continue to empower scientists across Europe and beyond.
- A new societal vision: Accessible, interdisciplinary and responsive to societal needs, we aim to embed planetary science in a research culture that supports innovation, collaboration and engagement with wider society.
Looking to the Future
As we enter an era of digital transformation, shaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI), the next generation is stepping into leadership roles. These early-career researchers are redefining Europlanet’s legacy, bringing a creativity, adaptability and a global mindset that will help integrate AI into planetary research, not as a tool to replace human insight, but as a partner in discovery.
To meet the challenges ahead, we must:
- Generate and share bold new ideas
- Build cross-sector and cross-border collaborations
- Foster environments where all members feel safe, valued and inspired. This vision is already taking shape through Europlanet initiatives like mobility programmes, expert exchanges, mentoring schemes, and Regional Hubs. With the launch of organisational memberships at the beginning of the year.
Europlanet is opening its doors wider than ever before by inviting institutions to co-create the future of planetary science. As we look to the next 20 years, let us carry forward the spirit that has brought us this far: a commitment to excellence, a passion for discovery, and a belief in the power of community. Together, we can shape a planetary identity that reflects the best of science, society and shared human aspiration.
