GSE Conference 2015

Sir Mark Walport

Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government

2

Chief Scientific Adviser Priorities

• Health, wellbeing, resilience and security

• Knowledge translated to economic advantage

• The right science for emergencies

• Underpinning policy with evidence

• Advocacy and leadership for science

iStockphoto

3

3

Science for decision-making…

In two days: Fukushima

Over decades: climate engineering

Potential Global Temperature Change

The temperature reverts to its

original trajectory rapidly once the geo-engineering

stops.

Do we evacuate UK nationals?

Over months: Ebola response

How quickly will infection spread?

4

Ebola Outbreak:What has SAGE considered?

• Modelling – what are the best and reasonable worst case scenarios?

• Risk to UK – how many cases should we expect to see?

• Screening – will it be effective in identifying cases?

• Virus survival – how long does the virus last on different surfaces? Will it survive in sewage?

• Vaccines –What clinical trials do we need?

• What else can we do?

Cumulative cases 24 666Cases in past 21 days 398Cumulative deaths 10 179

WHO Ebola Situation Report - 18 March 2015

5

Issues we deal with

iStockphotowerktuigendagen/CC BY-SA 2.0US EPA Umass

Peter Trimming/CC BY 2.0 PI77/CC BY-SA 3.0 Energy Retailers Association iStockphoto

6

GCSA Themed Annual Report

Science versus Values

•Who pays?

•My pain, your gain

•Science meets values

•Unanticipated consequences

•New challenges

More later today - 15:15 panel discussion ‘The Role of Government Scientists and Engineers in Communicating Risk’

7

Science Landscape ProjectWhat are we looking at?

•We are mapping the interconnectivity of research disciplines, funders and international partners

Why are we Doing It?

•We want to develop products which will enhance the evidence base for longer-term decision-making.

How are we Doing It?

•Through a series of seminars and an innovative online tool, the Knowledge Landscape Tool

www.ukknowledgelandscape.co.uk

8

Animal and Plant HealthWhat will be the UK’s future science capability needs to be able to predict, detect and respond to animal and plant pests and diseases?

Next Steps:

•A UK level strategy for animal and plant health science

•To strengthen the evidence base

•An integrated and rational strategy for the maintenance of high containment laboratory capability

•A plan for developing appropriate plant health skills and career pathways.

Darren Staples/Reuters The Park Vet Group

iStockphoto AnimalPics

9

Horizon Scanning and Futures

• Linking policy areas

• Confounding received wisdom

• Avoiding unintended consequences

• Targeting investment in the right places

Frank R. Paul

10

The Future of Cities

Emerging Findings:

Drivers of change are highly interdependent

•Ageing and changing city demographics

•Increasing city housing demand-supply pressures

•Divergent economic performances of UK cities

•Differential graduate retention by UK cities

•Differential connectivities between and within cities

•Increasing availability of data on city design and operation

Net migration of 22-30 yr olds, 2009-2012

CfC, 2014

Change in urban and non-urban age groups, 2012-2037, England, thousandsThe project aims to provide central and local

government with the evidence, tools and capabilities they need to make decisions now which will make cities better in the long-term.

11

The Future of Ageing

What are the opportunities and challenges of an ageing population now and in 2025 and 2040?

Emerging Findings:

•Risk factors accumulate throughout a lifetime, meaning greater differences within older populations over time

•Housing represents more than just a building in the context of an ageing population

•Technology will increasingly facilitate inclusion or act as a source of exclusion

•Financial responsibility and risk is changing between generations

2033

1992

Figure: Projected percentage of UK population aged 65 and over by local authority 1992 & 2033

12

The Internet of ThingsHow can the UK exploit the full economic value of the Internet of Things (IoT) and how can the government use the IoT to its full potential?

Key Messages

•Government, in collaboration with industry, the regulator, and academia, should lead in delivering the vision of the Internet of Things, and set high ambitions.

•Government should enable innovative use of real-time public data.

•Developing skills is vital for this new economy and needs to start at school.

•In the 2015 budget a total of £40m will be set aside for demonstrator programmes, business incubator space and a research hub to develop applications for Internet of Things technologies in healthcare and social care, and Smart Cities

CeBIT

13

The Future of Financial Technologies

The UK is a world leader in the development and commercialisation of new financial business models and disruptive innovation, known collectively as ‘FinTech’.

Commissioned by the Chancellor, the FinTech Futures report examines the enablers and barriers that will shape the UK FinTech sector out to 2025.

The report made 10 recommendations. Three of these featured in the 2015 Budget:

1.Development of a regulatory ‘sandbox’ for financial services innovators

2.Support for the adoption of new technologies to facilitate the delivery of regulatory requirements – so-called ‘RegTech’

3.Development of regional FinTech hubs

AFP

14

14

An effective government science and engineering profession and network which makes best use of its people and skills, and works across organisational boundaries…

Our Profession

15

Personal development

A guide to professional development for the Met Office Science Profession, 2011

•All staff are expected to take responsibility for structuring their own learning and development, in consultation with line managers.

•All line managers are expected to encourage and support staff development.

•All staff should ensure appropriate time has been set for development activities, to help achieve the full range of skills and competencies required.

•Staff will have the opportunity to follow a range of career paths, with varying degrees of breadth and customer engagement.

16

Analysis and Policy: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Good policy requires good analysis…

Good analysis starts with asking the right questions…

and complex problems may require complex solutions…

iStockphoto

17

• Much of government involves science and technology

• Science advice isn’t an optional extra

• Communication is our most important tool

imgbuddy.com

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. We apologise for any errors or omissions in the included attributions and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future versions of this slide set. We can be contacted through go-science@bis.gsi.gov.uk .

@uksciencechief

www.gov.uk/go-science