Government Science & Engineering e-Newsletter
Thursday, 31 May 2012
Dear Colleague
Contents
Articles
Invitation to attend a lecture by Mark Henderson, Head of Communications at The Wellcome Trust, and former Science Editor of The Times
“Mobilising the geeks - Bringing science back to the centre of policy”
Wednesday 4 July 2012, 5:30pm – 6:45pm + drinks
The Cabinet Office and the Government Office for Science invite you to attend a Centre for Science and Policy lecture by Mark Henderson, Head of Communications at the Wellcome Trust. Mark will set out some of the main propositions in his book “The Geek Manifesto”. The lecture will be chaired by Professor Frank Kelly, former Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Transport.
Whether we want to improve education or cut crime, to enhance public health or to generate clean energy, science is critical. Yet, says Mark Henderson, politics and public life too often occupy a science-free zone.
In his recent book “The Geek Manifesto”, he suggests that not only is scientific understanding passed over as decisions are made, but the experimental methods of science aren't applied to evaluating policy either. Mark asserts that Ministers have ignored scientists who offer inconvenient evidence; whilst groundless media scares poison public debate on issues from vaccines to nuclear power. Is he right?
In his talk, Mark Henderson will build a case for science to become more central to government and the wider national conversation, and suggests that things will only change when those who care about science become politically active. In his words, “it is time to mobilise the geeks”.
The lecture will be held in the Treasury Building at 1 Horse Guards Road.
Agenda
• 5.10 – Arrival and Registration
• 5.30 – Welcome and Introduction
• 5.40 – Lecture
• 6.20 – Q&A
• 6.45 – Drinks Reception
• 7.30 – End
Signed copies of Mark Henderson's book, ‘The Geek Manifesto’ will be available for sale after the lecture at a cost of £18.99.
To confirm your place, please send an email to jackie.ouchikh@csap.cam.ac.uk.
Potential secondement oppportunity at Deputy Director level with UCL
Prof Brian Collins, former Chief Scientific Adviser at BIS and DfT, and now Director, UCL Centre of Engineering Policy is looking for a Deputy (at around civil service Deputy Director level).
If you are interested and your organisation would be happy to let you go on secondment then you can contact Prof Collins at the email address included below.
Engineers make our developed world work successful and help the developing world grow.
This new post is a fantastic opportunity for an engineering policy professional to shape and develop the new Centre of Engineering Policy within UCL Engineering, a leading Engineering School contributing to a world-class university.
Supporting the Director, Professor Brian Collins, CB, FREng, you will achieve the aims of establishing a multi-disciplinary research programme across all engineering areas and policy making processes in a wide range of contexts.
UCL seek an enthusiastic, innovative and motivated individual with considerable relevant experience who will demonstrate academic leadership, contribute to the strategic development of the Centre, and supervise academic work by students and staff.
UCL are looking for someone experienced in the theory and practice of the development of public or industrial policy or strategy in one or more engineering disciplines, with excellent research, teaching and management skills and a commitment to academic research and high quality teaching.
For further information please contact Professor Collins at brian.collins@ucl.ac.uk
Invitation - Royal Society, Science as an open enterprise, Thursday 21 June at 6pm
The Royal Society invites you to the launch of the Science as an open enterprise policy report on 21 June 2012 at 1800hrs.
Panel includes: Professor Geoffrey Boulton OBE FRSE FRS, Chair of the study's working group; Sir Mark Walport FMedSci FRS, Director, the Wellcome Trust; Professor Brian Collins CB FREng, Professor of Engineering Policy, University College London and former Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Business Innovation and Skills, David Eyton, BP Group, Head of Technology; and Peter Knight, Head of Research Information and Intelligence, Department of Health.
Short video responses from: Professor GUO Huadong, President of CODATA - the International Council for Science's Committee on Data for Science and Technology; and Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda.
Rapid and pervasive technological change has stimulated new data-rich scientific practices and new forms of communication amongst scientists. This spurs on new forms of innovation, and new types of public demand for access to research. But these opportunities also challenge the way that science is governed.
Open communication is key to how scientists check and challenge one another. If science is to remain an open enterprise there need to be intelligent ways to share the vast volumes of data it produces. The Science as an open enterprise report recommends ways for scientists, research funders, publishers, governments and regulators to change the conduct and communication of science to ensure its integrity in the digital age.
The launch will take place at The Royal Society. Registration will be open from 6pm. The discussion will run from 6pm - 8pm, and will be followed by a drinks reception. Please email us at science.policy@royalsociety.org by Friday 8 June to confirm your attendance.
Defra’s New Chief Scientist Appointed
Professor Ian Boyd has been appointed by Defra to be its new Chief Scientific Adviser.
Professor Boyd, who is the current Director of the Scottish Oceans Institute at the University of St Andrews and the Sea Mammal Research Unit, will join Defra in September on a three year contract.
He will replace Professor Sir Bob Watson, who will be leaving Defra in September after five years in the post.
Commenting on his appointment, Professor Boyd said:
“I am delighted to be taking up this important position. There are substantial future challenges ahead in bio-security, food security and in responding to the effects of climate change, but the UK is well placed to meet these challenges. It has excellent scientific research and I look forward to helping stimulate this research community to even greater things in future. I also look forward to listening to people’s concerns about the management of our environment.”
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said:
“Scientific evidence is absolutely crucial at Defra and helps us make the right decisions on how to protect and improve the environment. I have been immensely grateful for the scientific advice and oversight of all our research by Sir Bob, and I look forward to working with Professor Boyd to continue the Department’s reputation for scientific excellence.”
The Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) sits on Defra’s Board and is responsible for overseeing the quality of evidence that the Department relies on for policy decisions. The CSA also provides Ministers with scientific advice and sets the priorities for scientific research and evidence-gathering.
Professor Risk presents at Defra’s Howard Dalton Lecture 2012
This year’s Howard Dalton Lecture was hosted by Lord Taylor and the keynote presentation was given by Professor David Spiegelhalter OBE, who is a Winton Professor of the Public Understanding of Risk at the University of Cambridge.
David, nicknamed Professor Risk, gave an energetic and passionate speech about the lecture’s theme of Understanding and Communicating Risk.
He provoked the lecture attendees to think differently when communicating and interpreting risk by using examples that included weather forecasting, human health and climate change. He described how evidence can be misinterpreted by both communicators and the audience, resulting in misunderstandings in how risks are perceived.
David concluded that “one size does not fit all”: messages need to be targeted to different audiences because it can’t be assumed that everyone has the same level of numeracy, for example. He also described how public concerns must be acknowledged, and that deeper uncertainties need qualitative language for expressing confidence in analysis, and metaphors and narratives to bring a risk issue to life.
The audience included senior scientists from academia, Whitehall, the Defra Network and members of Defra’s expert committees, making this a key networking opportunity for the science and evidence community.
The annual lecture is organised to honour Defra’s first Chief Scientific Adviser, Howard Dalton, who died in 2008 shortly after his retirement from Defra, the annual lectures celebrate how his contribution to science and policy helped to raise the profile and reputation of Defra’s science and evidence.
Securing UK’s Leadership in Climate Science
DECC and Defra announced their continued funding of the Met Office Hadley Centre programme of research and modelling, which provides evidence to Government on climate variability and change. It will help people to better understand the threats and opportunities climate change could bring and to take appropriate actions. Further details are provided in a DECC news release, which includes the following quote from Lord Taylor, Environment Minister:
“The world-class research of the Met Office Hadley Centre has established the UK as a real authority in understanding the challenges of climate change. This new investment will ensure the Hadley Centre continues to provide us with the cutting edge evidence we need as we develop plans to prepare the UK for a changing climate.”
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