Last week news broke that the Royal Institution (RI) is looking for buyers for its hallowed Albermarle Street headquarters in London as part of a plan to ease its financial woes. These amount to £7million owed to creditors according to various reports. There's plenty of coverage of the affair in the UK media and a campaign … Continue reading I’ll be honest, I’m in two minds about the Royal Institution (RI) issue.
Royal Society
[The definite article] and why it stands in the way of a definitive plan for UK science
****you might also like to read William Cullerne Bown's analysis of the Science Minister's speech referred to in this blog and which appeared on the same day as that below*** Yesterday the Royal Society posted on its website the full text of Lord Rees' Christmas Lecture to the Science and Policy Research Centre. Its worth a … Continue reading [The definite article] and why it stands in the way of a definitive plan for UK science
It’s wishful thinking by Sir Paul Nurse – science has no right to be left alone by politicians or the public
Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society and head of he Sir Francis Crick Institute, is doing a round of media interviews at the moment. Last week he was in the Daily Telegraph and claimed that the 'Crick' institute was going to be the mothership of all inventions - in every sense of the … Continue reading It’s wishful thinking by Sir Paul Nurse – science has no right to be left alone by politicians or the public
Who would come top in your league table of public engagement in science? And who would you relegate?
They say in football that the league table never lies. Fans and players may begrudge a decision or two, or feel that luck did not go their way in a match. But even the most ardent supporter will accept their team's league position after than final game as a true reflection of how good they … Continue reading Who would come top in your league table of public engagement in science? And who would you relegate?
Whatever happened to Science and Society? Why UK science could do with a chief listening officer.
Just occasionally the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, Science and Society website pages show a flicker of light like a far-off dieing star. This evening I returned from the TalkScience event at the British Library and noticed that an update from the 'Science for All' advisory group set up many moons ago, had been … Continue reading Whatever happened to Science and Society? Why UK science could do with a chief listening officer.
Is science at ease with itself?
Trust, respect and openness have felt big themes for the week. I was really sorry not to get to 'Sense about Science's' annual lecture not least because it meant I missed Director, Tracey Brown, do one of her fabulous welcomes and introductions. The main act was Cambridge University historian, Professor Richard Evans, who examined the relationship … Continue reading Is science at ease with itself?
The NHS reforms and patients…and EU research shake-up?
Science fear not. Those of you disappointed that the EU summit on 4th Feb only got round to the subject of 'innovation' at a late hour and to little discussion should take heart from the fact that patients have been used to being at the end of a conference/meeting agenda etc for most of the … Continue reading The NHS reforms and patients…and EU research shake-up?
Where medals and medallions are forged
Whether you like your scientists to be medallion wearers or medal winners or indeed both is I suppose a matter of personal preference. In one of those strange juxtapositions in life I chanced across news of this month's US GQ feature (no, I don't read it) on 'Rock Stars of Science' shortly before leaving my office … Continue reading Where medals and medallions are forged
Science in the Big Society
A quick post. I meant to mention, and link to, this interesting post and discussion thread on Alice Bell's excellent blog on Wednesday. It was prompted by a Royal Society blog by Jack Stilgoe. In a nutshell it is a discussion of the relevance of the Big Society to science. I notice that the British … Continue reading Science in the Big Society
Root and branch research
It felt as if my summer started early this year. Two weeks ago in fact. With a short trip to Harpenden in Hertfordshire. Muggy sunshine mixed with heavy, sheet-metal-like rain showers as I took the train ride north of London. It felt good to be leaving the city for a change. The reason for my … Continue reading Root and branch research
Putting the 'public' in UK plc
Science politics could get mighty difficult for those of us prone to mixing up names. What with Lord Drayson as Science Minister. And Sir James Dyson advising the Conservative Party. We might need to look twice when next going to our understairs cupboard. Two of Drayson's predecessors as Science Minister - Lord Sainsbury and Lord Waldegrave - were … Continue reading Putting the 'public' in UK plc
Simon Denegri's Lay Review 