Category Archives: Science & Politics

Higher Education and Research Bill – Letter to my MP

Posted on October 20, 2016 by Stephen

Science is Vital this week launched a campaign to seek amendments to the Higher Education and Research Bill 2016. The bill is a rather dry and procedural piece of legislation but hidden amongst its many sections and schedules are real … Continue reading →

Posted in Science & Politics | 1 Comment

ICYMI No. 6: What is the meaning of Brexit?

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Stephen

Today EMBO Reports has published my commentary on the implications for scientific research of Britain’s recent decision to leave the EU. It’s free to read. The piece is trying to be more analytical than the more personal response that I posted at … Continue reading →

Posted in ICYMI, International, Science & Politics | Tagged , | Comments Off on ICYMI No. 6: What is the meaning of Brexit?

This week – reading, thinking and linking

Posted on February 7, 2015 by Stephen

This past week I have been doing so much reading and writing for work that there has been no time to prepare anything substantial enough for a proper blog post, even if I have been stirred by the excessive protests … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, History of Science, Science & Media, Science & Politics | Comments Off on This week – reading, thinking and linking

Things to know about policy, science and the public

Posted on December 7, 2013 by Stephen

There has been a flurry of articles of late listing important things that scientists, politicians and the public should know about each other. I am logging them here because I enjoyed each of the pieces and think it likely that … Continue reading →

Posted in Science & Politics | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Debating Open Access

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Stephen

Twelve months after the publication of the Finch Report, during which the new RCUK policy on open access has been published, dissected, debated (including by committees in both Houses of Parliament), revised and implemented, it seems an apposite moment to … Continue reading →

Posted in Open Access, Science & Politics | Tagged , | 46 Comments

Open Access: journey without end?

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Stephen

The Science and Technology Committee of the House of Lords, the second chamber in the UK parliament, met this week to hear evidence from various stakeholders on the implementation of government’s policy on open access. In three separate sessions, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Open Access, Science & Politics | Tagged , | 21 Comments

Year

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Stephen

The Christmas holiday has unmoored me. End of year exhaustion segued into a bout of ‘flu that knocked me onto my back, where I lay and ached, semi-detached by illness and medication as around me my family made preparations for … Continue reading →

Posted in Libel Reform, Open Access, Science & Politics, Scientific Life | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

“You can’t read this book” but you should

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Stephen

Danny Boyle’s opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games spread a warm glow through liberal hearts. His imaginative sweep over British history and culture, which managed to be both reverent and irreverent, was filled with a human chaos that constituted a nicely … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Review, Libel Reform, Science & Politics | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

UK Government Goes For Broke on Open Access

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Stephen

Well that was quick. Less than a month after the Finch working group published its recommendations on the future of open access, UK science minister David Willetts has responded, saying in effect “Let’s go for it.” The government has taken … Continue reading →

Posted in Open Access, Science & Politics | Tagged , , | 23 Comments

The Entrepreneurial State by Mariana Mazzucato

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Stephen

This is not new since Mariana Mazzucato’s breezy pamphlet, The Entrepreneurial State, was published a year ago, but it was new to me. I’ve just finishing reading it, having snagged one of the copies that she brought to June’s fascinating Science Question … Continue reading →

Posted in Science & Politics | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Finch Report: the question of costs

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Stephen

Last week, having quickly digested the executive summary of the Finch Report on open access (OA), I told you it was complicated. I’ve now read the report in its entirety, along with a large swathes of blogospheric commentary. I’m still decidedly of the view … Continue reading →

Posted in Open Access, Science & Politics | Tagged , , , | 31 Comments