Government Science & Engineering e-Newsletter
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Dear Colleague
According to Wikipedia, “February 29 is a date that usually occurs every four years, and is called leap year day. This day is added to the calendar in leap years as a corrective measure, because the earth does not orbit around the sun in precisely 365 days.” So, on this special day, we leap into action to bring you news covering the width and breadth of government science and engineering starting with a brief summary of the much anticipated GSE annual conference held on 7 February.
Sir John Beddington hosted 232 of us at the QEII Conference Centre in Westminster. Eminent speakers, including Science Minister David Willetts, DECC Permanent Secretary Moira Wallace, and Rolls-Royce Director of Engineering & Technology Colin Smith, gave us food for thought and challenged us to better connect with industry, hone our communication skills and strive for greater impact. A colourful and lively exhibition of the best science and engineering activity from across government enlightened and amused delegates in the lounge. The GSE Continuous Professional Development (CPD) handbook was a popular handout at the GO-Science desk - the latest version is now available to download directly from our website. A report of the conference along with presentations will also be made available on the GSE website very shortly. In the meantime, we have uploaded a few photos of the conference on Flickr for your viewing pleasure.
Also in this issue, we present you with a number of success stories. The Council for Science and Technology gets a new Co-Chair, BIS prepares for the Big Bang Fair, the Met Office is recognised as “a world leading institution”, and we are bringing you a proposal for a new initiative with the Institute of Physics. We have also thrown in a tempting invite from the LSE to a free conference on the impact of research on government policy making due to take place on 12 March.
Last but not least, we would like to urge members whose circumstances have changed since registration (or last update) to re-submit the GSE registration form so that we have your current details on record. Thank you.
We are always available for your questions or comments on GSE@bis.gov.uk.
The Skills & Profession Development Team
Contents
Articles
Prime Minister appoints new independent Co-Chair to the Council for Science and Technology
The Council for Science and Technology (CST) advises the Prime Minister on strategic science and technology issues that cut across the responsibilities of individual government departments.
In February the Prime Minister appointed Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell as the new independent Co-Chair to the CST. Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell is President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester and was appointed to the CST as a member in June 2011. She is an eminent neuroscientist and is currently President of the Society of Biology. The appointment follows the retirement of the previous Co-Chair, Professor Dame Janet Finch, from the CST on 31 December 2011. The CST’s other Co-Chair is the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, currently Professor Sir John Beddington.
In June 2011, the Prime Minister appointed 11 new members to the CST. The CST has a total of 20 members. The members are senior, highly respected people active in the worlds of academia and business and from charitable sponsors and professional bodies.
The CST is an advisory non-departmental public body. It is sponsored by BIS and the CST Secretariat is based in the Government Office for Science. For further information about the CST please visit the website.
Select Committee Inquiry into Met Office Science published
The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee has published its report on Science in the Met Office. The written evidence is also available on the Committee's website.
The Committee has provided positive endorsement of many aspects of the Met Office’s work. In particular it has confirmed that science is very much at the heart of the services provided. It has also highlighted the benefit of collaborative working and partnerships, noting that the Met Office Science Strategy, which proposed to better integrate weather and climate research, has been very well received across the meteorological community. The Government has welcomed the Committee's positive assessment that the Met Office is a world leading institution underpinned by robust science.
During the course of the review, the committee heard about the importance of the Met Office’s role in providing vital services for the UK and world-class science. The Met Office is unique, combining world-leading science and operational infrastructure that supports the ‘pull through’ of science to provide ever better forecasts and warnings.
The Science and Technology Committee also identified the need for additional supercomputing resource, noting that scientific advances in weather forecasting and the associated public benefits are being held back by insufficient computing capacity. The Government recognises the importance and value of investment in supercomputing capacity to improve weather and climate modelling. BIS, working closely with the Met Office and other stakeholders across Government, will continue to develop the business case for the next generation of supercomputing capacity.
Foresight launches new 'Policy Futures' projects
Foresight has announced it is embarking on a new style of project to support evidence based policy making. Policy Futures projects will provide futures and evidence analysis that fill a specific gap in current understanding, using fresh thinking and a cross-disciplinary approach.
The first Policy Futures project is on Improving Future Disaster Anticipation and Resilience, which will identify actions that could be taken within the next 10 years to reduce the impacts of disasters arising from hazards up to 2040.
This work is part of the Government’s response to Lord Ashdown’s Humanitarian Emergency Response Review commissioned by the Department for International Development. It is focussed on disasters that occur outside of developed countries, particularly in politically or economically fragile states, and will look at hazards including earthquakes, floods and droughts. Foresight expects to publish the findings by the end of 2012.
Policy Futures will be a shorter kind of Foresight project, unlike other projects that span for up to two years. It will:
- focus on an issue relevant to UK policy makers that is currently not well understood;
- be sponsored by a UK government department, with a commitment or existing vehicle to take work forward;
- focus on an area with science or engineering basis;
- aim to deliver within six to 12 months.
As ever, you can find out more about Foresight's work from our website.
Fifth Assessment Report ‘in progress’ says the IPCC
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) prepares comprehensive assessment reports about the state of scientific, technical and socio-economic knowledge on climate change, its causes, potential impacts and response strategies.
The Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) is now being prepared and is due to be completed in stages through 2013 and 2014. It is going through a comprehensive system of review by experts and will also be reviewed by governments. Based on these reviews, it will be revised to ensure that it meets the highest standards and reflects the published literature and the range of scientific viewpoints.
The AR5 will be made up of three reports covering these issues in detail and a synthesis report which will bring all the findings, including cross cutting issues together. The Working Group I report assesses the physical scientific aspects of the climate system and climate change. Working Group II assesses the vulnerability of socio-economic and natural systems to climate change, negative and positive consequences of climate change, and options for adapting to it. Working Group III assesses options for mitigating climate change through limiting or preventing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing activities that remove them from the atmosphere.
A more detailed description of the development of the report, its review processes and the full text of the procedures can be found on the IPCC website.
Brum, Brum...it's the Big Bang!
The Big Bang Fair gets bigger and better and this year. The many-splendored science engagement event for young people is taking place at the NEC in Birmingham with an estimated record-breaking 46,000 expected to attend this year.
Professor Sir John Beddington will be guiding members of the Council for Science & Technology through the Fair which, in addition to such attractions as the Bionic Eye, Bridget the Exomars Rover and an interactive exhibit demonstrating quantum mechanic, will have displays by the young scientists and engineers involved in the finals of the National Science and Engineering Competition. Minister, David Willetts will be giving out the prizes at the award ceremony alongside Liz Bonnin of BBC's Bang Goes the Theory. (15-17 March 2012)
The Big Bang Fair is an important part of National Science & Engineering Week (9-18 March) and BIS ministers will be contributing to its different activities at local and national level under the overall theme of 'Our World in Motion'. David Willetts will hear the 'Voice of the Future' in the form of young scientists and engineers asking him and other figures from politics and science Select Committee style questions at a House of Commons event organised by the Society of Biology on behalf of over 20 of the UK’s learned societies.
For further information on BIS’s role in the Big Bang Fair, please contact Dr Isabel Spence at the Science and Society Unit.
A fresh look at diversity in STEM
Late last year, BIS asked the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering to lead jointly a programme to tackle the long-standing issue of diversity in STEM. They are taking this forward through their existing and excellent relationships with a diverse mix of STEM institutions and businesses to effect a greater emphasis on challenging leadership at all levels to take on responsibility for delivering the change needed to promote equality.
The Royal Society intends to begin this process by consulting and engaging leaders in the scientific community to draw in expertise and commitment to the programme so as to ensure its relevance for the Science community. The Royal Academy of Engineering has convened a number of engagement sessions with key stakeholders to date and is establishing baseline data on diversity in engineering. They intend to set up and run three to five pilot projects aiming to raise the diversity of registered engineers. They are at the stage of choosing the pilots and aim to begin the projects by the summer.
If you have any questions with regard to STEM, please contact Dr Isabel Spence at the Science and Society Unit.
Successful germination of threatened species
Seedlings of the rare and critically endangered Vietnamese Golden Cypress (Xanthocyparis vietnamensis) have germinated for the first time outside of Vietnam. This success was achieved at Bedgebury Pinetum, with assistance from Forest Research’s seed laboratory.
In 1999, the Golden Cypress became the world’s most recently discovered conifer genus. Fewer than 500 individual trees are known to exist in its native country, making it a high priority for conservation. In 2009 Forest Research tree seed specialist Matt Parratt travelled to Vietnam to help establish what the problem was. Forest Research’s was able to use X-ray techniques to examine the seeds and determine which ones contained viable embryos. As a result, viable seeds were selected and planted in the nursery at Bedgebury in May 2011.
So far fourteen seedlings have germinated and are the only surviving seedlings in a nursery anywhere in the world. In four years they will be planted out in the Pinetum, joining nine other Golden Cypresses grown from cuttings donated by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and planted in 2005. Despite the much colder British climate, these specimens are doing well. The lessons learnt on how to germinate and grow these rare trees from seed will be shared with Vietnam to enable them to produce seedlings to reinforce populations in Vietnam and support the conservation of the species in the wild.
MOD submarines to aid climate change research
Data collected by Royal Navy vessels, as part of standard operations, is set to provide clues on Arctic climate change.
Little is known about the areas of water underneath the Arctic ice, as sensors are difficult to place for long term deployment. Now UK environmental researchers are to be presented with previously unavailable information, thanks to the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The dataset, from a UK submarine mission, will provide a snapshot of conditions under the ice and one of the few clues available for the last two decades, on the changes taking place in the Arctic.
The MOD’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is working with the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) to prepare the data for the benefit of environmental researchers. Dstl was involved in the early part of the project, consulting with researchers and assessing which information would be appropriate for their studies. The project, known as the Submarine Estimates of Arctic Turbulence Spectra (SEATS), is funded through NERC’s Arctic Research Programme. It will see the controlled release of scientific analysis on the environmental changes recorded during this mission, possibly paving the way for further data to be released in the future.
Data will be released to academics at NERC’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC), based at the University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, for analysis. This could, for the first time, uncover the impact of climate change related to the Arctic.
NOC Researcher John Allen said: "This information will enable us to clearly measure the changes which have occurred in recent years, which is paramount for the accuracy, wider impact and legacy of global environmental science research."
Calling all physicists – opportunity for GSE members
GO-Science and the Institute of Physics are considering setting up a new pilot scheme in response to an increasing demand for policy-based learning amongst IOP’s post-graduate community. The scheme will be part of a range of programmes currently being developed by IOP in the effort to meet this demand.
We would like to hear from GSE members with physics background on our proposal below and any expressions of interest. For those of you who are on LinkedIn, we have already posted a discussion topic which you might wish to comment on. Click here to access GSE LinkedIn.
What is involved in the scheme?
GSE members in their early stages of their career will be paired with young physicists with the main objective of facilitating mutual learning and development.
The scheme offers GSE members to:
- access to IOP services including Physics World
- keep in touch with new scientific research and identify external expertise more easily,
- facilitate the building of professional networks
- improve their transferrable skills including: networking, communication, influencing.
Likewise, IOP members will be able to:
- develop a better understanding of the role that science plays in government in general and in policy making in particular.
- develop an understanding of the career paths of scientists in government.
- improve their transferrable skills including: networking, communication, influencing.
- develop a lasting and productive relationship with a civil servant.
IOP will support participants to draw up individual learning plans comprised of one-to-one meetings, networking events and shadowing over a period of 10 months. In addition to access to IOP services including Physics World, the IOP will also cover travel and meeting room expenses of civil servants.
Depending on demand, GO-Science and IOP will develop and put in place an application and selection process based on relevant criteria. This will be clearly communicated to interested parties in line with government’s transparency agenda.
We look forward to hearing from GSE members with physics background on this consultation by Friday 16 March.
Free Event: From Research to Policy – Academic Impacts on Government, 12 March 2012
The LSE’s Public Policy Group / Impact of Social Sciences Project is hosting a free half-day conference to examine the ways in which academic research impacts on government policy making and the key touch-points where academic expertise can be of most use for major policy issues. The conference will also address some of the sensitive issues often raised in regards to the link between government and academia.
The event will feature some of the most prominent speakers from within the industry as well as the civil service including Professor Patrick Dunleavy, Chair of LSE Public Policy Group, Professor Bernard Silverman, Chief Scientific Adviser of the Home Office and Prof Sandy Thomas, Director of Foresight at GO-Science. It will be held at the Institute for Government, 2 Carlton House Gardens, London SW1Y 5AA. It will start with refreshments at 1.30pm and conclude at 6pm with a drinks reception.
Please visit the LSE website for a full programme and registration details.
Should the 'Engineer' title be protected?
There is a growing campaign to protect the title ‘Engineer’ currently in the form of an e-petition on DirectGov. The engineer-led e-petition which will close on 12 September 2012, makes a case for the need to redefine the terminology and create a common understanding of who and what engineers are. It argues that the engineering industry suffers from an image problem. There is an assumption that they just fix things, whereas in actual fact, they design, invent and much more. The image problem also contributes to the declining number of engineering graduates “at a time people are looking to manufacturing to boost the economy”.
Go to GSE LinkedIn to join the debate, or to sign the petition click here.
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