EVENTS
The Foundation organises events on key topics in science, research, technology or innovation, bringing together parliamentarians, civil servants, industrialists, researchers, learned societies, charities and others. Those events focus in particular on areas where there are policy decisions needed, which in turn need to be informed by this wide range of inputs and viewpoints. Summary reports are prepared for all events, and these - along with presentation slides, videos of speakers and audio files - are available online after events.
In conversation with Sir Patrick Vallance
- 2023
- Online or in person at the Royal Society
In this event, Sir Patrick Vallance, the outgoing Government Chief Scientific Adviser, will be in conversation with Rt Hon Lord (David) Willetts. Chairman of the Foundation for Science and Technology, discussing his experiences as GCSA and hopes for the future.
Read MoreMission Zero - Getting to Net Zero emissions by 2050
- 2023
- Online
In January 2023, the Government published Mission Zero, the report of the Independent Review of Net Zero, chaired by Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP. The Review concluded that Net Zero was a massive opportunity for economic growth and the UK is well placed to realise that opportunity, but swift action is needed. In this webinar the panel discussed the recommendations of the review, along with the latest report by the IPCC, and the actions needed to get to Net Zero in the UK by 2050.
Read MoreHow can schools and colleges prepare young people for a technological life and help tackle the technical skills gap?
- 2023
- Online or in person at the Royal Society
How do we prepare the next generation for a technological life – and at the same time help to tackle the technical skills gap? What should schools and FE colleges be contributing to post-16 technical education, and how can we ensure that the right skills are taught at schools pre-16 to enable that post-16 technical education to be a success? Is the role of Further Education fully understood in discussions about post-16 and post-18 technical education? These were some of the questions that were discussed during this event.
Read MoreHardtech and High-Value Manufacturing
- 2023
- Online or in person at the Royal Society
What is the role of hardtech and high-value manufacturing companies to the UK economy? How do these companies work with the UK research base? How do they contribute to the innovation strategies of the UK and devolved governments, to skills development, and to levelling up, as part of the post-Covid recovery? And what should policymakers, funding agencies and the companies themselves be doing do to ensure that we maximise the value to the UK from these innovative companies? These are some of the questions discussed in this event.
Read MoreBlack Scientists - Tackling Racism in UK Science & Technology
- 2022
- Online or in person at the Royal Society
Racism is present in science and technology in the UK, as it is across many areas of society. In this event, we discussed black scientists and researchers, and explored a number of questions. What is the nature and scale of the problem? What is the lived experience of black scientists in the UK? What actions are already being taken to address the issues? What more needs to be done?
Read MoreAn Innovation Strategy for Scotland
- 2022
- Online or in person at the University of Strathclyde
The Scottish Government is shortly to publish an innovation strategy. What are the key challenges for promoting innovation in Scotland, and how will the new strategy tackle these? What are the key contributions needed from the Scottish Government, industry, higher education and others? What can Scotland learn from a similar strategy in Wales, and how does this fit in with plans of the UK Government? In this event, we explored some of these issues.
Read MoreLeadership in Tomorrow's World - Foundation Future Leaders Conference 2022
The major challenges confronting society do not have simple resolutions. They are multi-faceted and long term, requiring cross-cutting analysis with the ability to work across traditional divides and develop innovative approaches. This conference looked at how these problems, such as climate and biodiversity, can be addressed, as well as examining the skills and structures needed to deliver. Designed specifically for early- to mid-career professionals in the civil and wider public service – as well as in industry and the research community – this conference discussed these issues, with panellists drawn from senior leaders and the Future Leaders Programme of the Foundation for Science and Technology.
Read MoreScience, Climate Policy and COP27
- 2022
- Online or in person at the Royal Society
The United Nations COP27 climate conference will be held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in November 2022. In this event, we discussed the contribution that science needs to make in COP27 and beyond.
Read MoreHealth policy implications of climate change
- 2022
- Online or in person at the Royal Society
What are the implications for health as the climate continues to change - both in the UK and elsewhere? What should the health policy response be to changes in climate, and how do we build this into our plans for a low carbon future? In this event, we will explore these issues, and how the UK Government can respond to them.
Read MoreScenarios for a Science Superpower
- 2022
- Online
The UK Government has announced in a number of recent policy documents its aim for the UK to become a “science superpower”. What does this mean in practice – and how would we get there? What are the opportunities and the challenges? In this webinar, we will explore these issues, and hear about recent work by Professors Sarah Main and Graeme Reid to develop some potential scenarios for the future.
Read MoreOn this day...
Foundation held a debate: