Category Archives: Science & Politics

Response to the Free Speech Union’s article on my letter to the Royal Society

Posted on 18 February 2025 by Stephen

The Free Speech Union (FSU) has published an article about my open letter to the Royal Society regarding the evident contraventions of its code of conduct by one of their Fellows, Elon Musk FRS. Unfortunately, Frederick Attenborough’s piece contains errors, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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An open letter on EDI matters to the Secretary of State for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)

Posted on 10 November 2023 by Stephen

The letter below started out as a ‘closed’ communication sent to DSIT on 11th October but in the absence of any response, despite two reminders, and the revelation in the meantime that the Secretary of State herself sometimes has  occasion … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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In defence of the bureaucracy of equality, diversity and inclusion

Posted on 28 September 2020 by Stephen

The UK government’s new policy to reduce bureaucracy in research institutions aims at an easy target. But the bonfire of administration lit by the Prime Minister’s chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, risks burning down the foundations of much-needed efforts to value … Continue reading →

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Our Beirut Brexit

Posted on 13 September 2020 by Stephen

At 6:18 on the afternoon of Tuesday 4th August a huge store of ammonium nitrate exploded at the port of Beirut. The blast, one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions in history, killed nearly 200 people, injured thousands more, and … Continue reading →

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UK R&D Roadmap 2020: big picture poses big questions

Posted on 6 July 2020 by Stephen

The latest in a long line of R&D strategy documents from the UK government reveals some promising evolution in its strategic thinking. But while it touches on a wide range of complex and interacting challenges, but the precise direction of … Continue reading →

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This is not my Brexit day

Posted on 31 January 2020 by Stephen

It is 31st January 2020 and as of 11 pm tonight the UK will no longer be a member of the European Union. We have arrived at Brexit day. But this is not my Brexit. I did not want it.

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The unsustainable goal of university ranking

Posted on 20 May 2019 by Stephen

Ranking organisations are seeking to diversify the measures use to evaluate universities. But without addressing the fundamental flaws in their methods, they will crush rather than embrace the rich complexity of our institutions of higher learning When the Times Higher … Continue reading →

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How to value what cannot be measured?

Posted on 10 April 2019 by Stephen

The post below is a transcript of my opening remarks at the a Great Debate held earlier today at the European Geosciences Union 2019 meeting in Vienna. The debate asked us to consider the question: What value should we place on … Continue reading →

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The March for Science: advocacy masterstroke or PR misfire?

Posted on 20 April 2017 by Stephen

Last night made my way to an upstairs room at The Castle pub near Farringdon to participate in a debate organised by Stempra on the forthcoming March for Science. The panel (Photo by Anastasia Stefanidou) The question before the panel and … Continue reading →

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Grim resolve at the House of Commons on the scientific priorities for Brexit

Posted on 24 March 2017 by Stephen

On Tuesday morning last week MPs, MEPs, and representatives of various organisations with a stake in post-Brexit UK science gathered in the Churchill Committee room at the House of Commons for the launch of  the “Scientific priorities for Brexit” report, … Continue reading →

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