Tagged With: policy
Links Day 2015 Keynote Speakers
Parliamentary Links Day is an annual event organised in Parliament by the Society of Biology on behalf of the science community, which aims to strengthen dialogue between scientists and politicians. Watch the speeches by: Jo Johnson MP, Minister of State for Universities and Science; Nicola Blackwood MP, chair of the House of Commons Science and … Continue reading
What role will science play in the new Parliament?
By James Borrell, NERC funded PhD student and science policy intern at the Society of Biology What role will science play in the new parliament? How will new research influence policy? Will science funding increase or continue to decline? The answers to these questions are elusive, but perhaps the clearest bellwether of the prevailing scientific … Continue reading
Policy Lates: Dodging a Biological Bullet
The Society’s latest Policy Lates event ‘Dodging a Biological Bullet: What can we learn from the US and Europe about Biosecurity?’ saw international experts come together to discuss what should be done about dual-use research, which has the potential to be misused for harmful purposes. For an introduction to dual-use and biosecurity read ‘Dual-use for … Continue reading
What are we pausing?
Michael J Imperiale is professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Michigan Gain-of-function studies, as the name implies, are experiments in which a new biological behaviour is conferred upon an existing virus e.g. the ability to be transmitted between mammals in the case of the bird flu virus, H5N1. Earlier this month, the … Continue reading
Facilitation: art or science?
Dorothy Nesbit is the founder of Learning for Life Consulting Ltd. and will be running a one-day introduction to facilitation for the Society of Biology on Friday 26th September. Working in the field of science policy, you may know how hard it is to help scientists agree policy. Sometimes, for example, you’re not an expert on … Continue reading
A precautionary tale
Ahead of the Society of Biology’s next Policy Lates event on the precautionary principle, Tracey Brown of Sense About Science gives her view on some of the issues surrounding the principle and its application. What would you say if I suggested farmers start using a compound that could mess with your hormones in order to … Continue reading
Biofuels: a darker shade of green
Following on from The Biologist’s write up of the Society of Biology’s recent Policy Lates event on algal biofuels, Michael Walsh looks at how biofuels are moving beyond their first generation. We all know that we face increasing challenges in order to meet our energy needs. With the climate changing, global population increasing, and fossil … Continue reading
Our NHS data: is sharing caring?
By Michael Walsh, BBSRC Policy Fellow at the Society of Biology In the digital age, so many of us feel that it is our right to have access to as much information as possible. However, certain exceptions apply: information relating to ourselves shouldn’t be freely available, and huge storms gather whenever leaks of personal data … Continue reading
It’s all in the …. timing
Jackie Caine, Senior Science Policy Adviser at the Society of Biology, discusses why changes to the length of consultation periods is so important. Back in 2012 the Cabinet Office introduced new principles by which to consult the public and other stakeholders on changes to policy and new legislation. The consultation process is important, as it … Continue reading
Our Public Forests
Following the Comprehensive Spending Review in 2010, where the Defra budget was cut by a whopping 30% (the government average was 19%) Environment secretary Caroline Spelman MP announced plans to sell off the Public Forestry Estate: 258000 hectares of publicly owned woodland that currently costs £20 million to manage. This sell-off was met with fierce … Continue reading