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Category Archives: Science & Politics
Response to the Free Speech Union’s article on my letter to the Royal Society
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
Posted in Science & Politics
1 Comment
An open letter on EDI matters to the Secretary of State for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
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
Posted in Equality Diversity & Inclusion, Science & Politics
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In defence of the bureaucracy of equality, diversity and inclusion
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
Posted in Equality Diversity & Inclusion, Science & Politics, Scientific Life
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Our Beirut Brexit
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
Posted in Communication, International, Science & Politics
3 Comments
UK R&D Roadmap 2020: big picture poses big questions
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, the precise direction of travel … Continue reading
Posted in Science & Politics
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This is not my Brexit day
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. … Continue reading
Posted in Science & Politics
9 Comments
Time for reflection
I think of Sunday as the last day of the week, not the first. Today, at the end of a hard week on political and personal fronts (though why the political and personal should be seen as separate I am … Continue reading
Posted in Science, Science & Politics, Scientific Life
1 Comment
The unsustainable goal of university ranking
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
How to value what cannot be measured?
This post 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 contributions … Continue reading
Posted in Academic publishing, Open Access, Science, Science & Politics
2 Comments
The March for Science: advocacy masterstroke or PR misfire?
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
Posted in Science & Politics
2 Comments
Grim resolve at the House of Commons on the scientific priorities for Brexit
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
Posted in Brexit, Science & Politics
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President Trump – first response
This morning I was asked for a comment on the implications of the US presidential election for the scientific world. This was my immediate response: Unlike the day after the EU referendum vote, when I was bitterly upset, I just … Continue reading
Posted in Science & Politics
7 Comments
