Previous Fora / 2003
Speakers
Rainer Gerold is in charge of the directorate "Science and Society". He has been working for the European Commission's Directorate General 'Science, Research and Development' since 1982. Between 1982 and 1992 he was director responsible for budget and personnel and research contracts. From 1992 to 1998 he has been the director responsible for co-operation with third countries and international organisations. In 1999 and 2000 he lead the directorate 'Life Sciences I'.
Rainer Gerold studied law and economics at the University of Bonn and obtained his PhD in international law. He has been working at the Oberlandesgericht (regional court of appeal) in Cologne from 1965 to 1969. In 1970 he joined the Federal Ministry for Research and Technology in Bonn where he became assistant to the State Secretary (1972-1974). In 1974 he moved to CERN in Geneva, to take up a position as assistant to the Director General Sir John Adams while at the same time fulfilling the role of secretary of the CERN directorate. In 1978 he became administrative director of the GSF (National Research Centre for Environment and Health) in Munich and remained there until 1982, when he moved to the European Commission.