A unique and fascinating paper published in PLoS ONE which sets out key questions in the relationship between science and policy as suggested by 200+ individuals who took part in an exercise organised by the emergent Centre for Science and Policy based in Cambridge..

The Centre is certainly one to watch for the future.

I was one of those people asked to submit possible questions which were then discussed at a seminar last year which I could not attend. Because of my interest in legislatures and public engagement, I quickly honed in on the set of priorites identified in the section entitled ‘Democratic governance of science advice.’

Questions 2 and 6 which focus on the impact on science of societal attitudes and means of communication are my favourite. ‘There’s the rub’ as the bard would have put it.

Also published in Naturenews.