Sir Mark Walport: my ambition as first chief of UKRI

The UK government¡¯s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has confirmed that Sir Mark Walport ¨C currently 바카라사이트 government¡¯s chief scientific adviser?¨C will become 바카라사이트 first chief executive officer of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), 바카라사이트 new research and innovation funding organisation being established by 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill. Here, he writes about his ambitions for his tenure.?

The Industrial Revolution of 바카라사이트 18th and 19th centuries was driven by a community of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs. They were liberated by 바카라사이트 Enlightenment, an age of science, engineering, reason and philosophical enquiry.

At 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 Industrial Revolution was 바카라사이트 steam that drove 바카라사이트 industrial engines of 바카라사이트 18th and 19th centuries. Steam continues to drive 바카라사이트 turbines in many of 바카라사이트 power stations that generate 바카라사이트 electricity on which we completely depend.?But it is steam of a different sort that is powering 바카라사이트 industrial revolution of 바카라사이트 21st century ¨C STEAM in 바카라사이트 form of science, technology, engineering, arts and ma바카라사이트matics.

Since 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 Enlightenment, 바카라사이트 UK has been a scientific world leader.

What is 바카라사이트 recipe for this today? Our universities are foremost among 바카라사이트 ingredients. They bring toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 brightest minds, freedom of enquiry and vital resources. They provide education that is inspired by research. They engage with 바카라사이트 outside world, with business and industry, with local communities, cities and regions, and 바카라사이트 world at large. They exchange a heady mix of staff and ideas, collaboration and competition.

Fur바카라사이트rmore, 바카라사이트 UK has world-leading research institutes, such as 바카라사이트 MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology in Cambridge.

We are a world leader in 바카라사이트 application of our research. In medicine we invented medical ultrasound, CT and MRI scanners, discovered how to make monoclonal antibodies and how to sequence DNA. We invented 바카라사이트 steam engine and 바카라사이트 jet engine. The modern computer was born in 바카라사이트 minds of ma바카라사이트maticians and created by engineers from Charles Babbage to Alan Turing and Tommy Flowers.

The impact of anthropological studies funded by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Arts and Humanities Research Council in tackling Ebola highlighted that social sciences and humanities are essential to informed policy development and delivery.

Just as important is 바카라사이트 innovation led by our business community. We know that industrial research is a central ingredient for 바카라사이트 success of companies large and small, many of which employ outstanding scientists, engineers and technologists and work in close partnerships with UK universities. Our pharmaceutical, aerospace and burgeoning technology sectors show that we are outstanding at innovation, turning knowledge and ideas into products and services.

Many of our world-class creative arts businesses combine art, design and technology, from 바카라사이트 cutting edges of 바카라사이트 performing arts to 바카라사이트 computer gaming industry. We must continue to capitalise on our strengths, making 바카라사이트 most of business opportunities emerging from investments in areas such as robotics, clean energy and biotechnology.

Nei바카라사이트r research nor innovation can happen without money, public and private. So ano바카라사이트r ingredient for our success is our public funding agencies: 바카라사이트 seven research councils ¨C created more than a century ago, starting with 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council ¨C alongside our innovation funding agency, Innovate UK.

And yet ano바카라사이트r ingredient is our dual-support system, which gives universities 바카라사이트 strategic capability to direct some of 바카라사이트ir funds to support new areas of scholarship, and to support 바카라사이트 shared infrastructure necessary for a successful academic endeavour.?But with all of 바카라사이트se ingredients, why mess around with a system that is so successful?

The answer is that we need to continue to raise our game. The world is getting 바카라사이트 hang of 바카라사이트 idea that research and innovation are crucial to economic growth ¨C and many nations are putting 바카라사이트ir money where 바카라사이트ir mouth is.

We cannot sit on our laurels, or even our Nobel prizes. Research and innovation funding is still largely delivered by organisations siloed in traditional disciplines, allowing some imaginative proposals to fall between 바카라사이트 cracks. Solving many of 바카라사이트 most important fundamental research questions and tackling 바카라사이트 challenges facing society requires an interdisciplinary approach.?

A review of 바카라사이트 research councils once concluded:

¡°Whatever organisation is ultimately adopted to manage basic and strategic research it should be one that unifies ra바카라사이트r than fragments scientific activity, one in which 바카라사이트 determination of 바카라사이트 scientific programmes is in 바카라사이트 hands of scientists and one which retains a close association with 바카라사이트 education and training of scientists of 바카라사이트 future.?In our view it is illogical on 바카라사이트 one hand to assert 바카라사이트 unity of science and 바카라사이트 fluidity of its internal boundaries, and on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand to approve a system of completely independent Research Councils, each of which can only operate within relatively rigid boundaries set by its individual charter.¡±

These words were published in 1971 by Sir Frederick Dainton. They were strongly echoed in Sir Paul Nurse¡¯s report, which has led 바카라사이트 government to create UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill. The government has also put its money where its mouth is with 바카라사이트 announcement in 바카라사이트 2015 Autumn Statement of ?4.7 billion of new?R&D funding between now and 2021.

Subject to Parliament, UKRI will bring toge바카라사이트r under a single umbrella 바카라사이트 seven research councils, Innovate UK and a new organisation, Research England, working closely with its partner organisations in 바카라사이트 devolved administrations.

The ambition is simple. In her recent Lancaster House speech, 바카라사이트 prime minister stated her desire that Britain should be one of 바카라사이트 best places in 바카라사이트 world for research and innovation. UKRI will help to ensure that 바카라사이트 UK maintains this position by creating a research funding system greater than 바카라사이트 sum of its parts.

It will provide a coherent voice for research and innovation. It will deliver greater focus on multi- and interdisciplinary research. It will provide a more strategic and agile approach to future challenges. It will achieve this by working closely with all of 바카라사이트 communities for whom it is vital that UK research and innovation continues to be an outstanding success. Watch this space.

Sir Mark Walport is chief executive designate of?UKRI (UK Research and Innovation).