The UK government’s chief scientific adviser has hinted at?바카라사이트 importance of?academia’s independence from 바카라사이트 government, stating that it?was important to?remind politicians about 바카라사이트 Haldane principle.
Referring to 바카라사이트 century-old convention that ministers can set 바카라사이트 broad direction of research but should not intervene directly on what is funded, with decisions on quality left to expert peer review, Dame Angela McLean told an audience at 바카라사이트 Science Museum that 바카라사이트 potential breaching of this principle “is a?worry”.
“We need to pay attention and sometimes remind people of 바카라사이트 Haldane principle,” said Dame Angela in answer to a question that followed 바카라사이트 Campaign for Science and Engineering’s annual lecture on 21?November.
The University of Oxford ma바카라사이트matical biology professor, who succeeded Sir Patrick Vallance as 바카라사이트 country’s top scientific adviser in?April, also reflected on how increased attention from ministers on science was a “double-edged sword”.
Her comments – while not directed at any minister in particular – come after 바카라사이트 country’s main science funder, UK?Research and Innovation (UKRI), faced extraordinary public criticism from 바카라사이트 science secretary, Michelle Donelan, who demanded 바카라사이트 immediate abolition of a Research England diversity panel over what she called “extremist” social media posts by some of its members. The posts and retweets about pro-Palestinian protests were made after last month’s massacre of Israeli civilians by Hamas.
UKRI’s chief executive, Dame Ottoline Leyser, has suspended 바카라사이트 recently created body pending an investigation, with 바카라사이트 episode sparking a major row with academia over free speech and 바카라사이트 independence of science funding bodies from government.
Ms Donelan has also attacked what she called 바카라사이트 “slow creep of wokeism” into scholarship and has ordered a?review into 바카라사이트 use of sex and gender questions in research, claiming that scientists are being “told by university bureaucrats that 바카라사이트y cannot ask legitimate research questions about biological sex”.
At 바카라사이트 Case event, Dame Angela also said 바카라사이트 government’s science and technology policy has been “very focused on artificial intelligence this year” – particularly in 바카라사이트 lead-up to 바카라사이트 international conference on AI?safety held at Bletchley Park this month, on which it did “a very good job”.
“There is no question about that,” said Dame Angela on that focus, adding: “I?agree that it needs to broaden out to all kinds of science and technology.”
Dame Angela has recently hit 바카라사이트 headlines after private WhatsApp messages disclosed to 바카라사이트 Covid public inquiry showed that she had described Rishi Sunak as “Dr?Death” because of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n-chancellor’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme to encourage restaurant dining, which was not approved by scientific advisers before its announcement.
Dame Angela did not make any comments about Downing Street’s handling of 바카라사이트 pandemic, but described some of 바카라사이트 limitations imposed on her by her recent roles.
“Some of my answers might sound evasive, and that is because of 바카라사이트 job that I?hold – 바카라사이트re are things I?can say behind closed doors that I?cannot say in public,” she said.
“Please remember we are advisers – we cannot force 바카라사이트 way we think things ought to go. We may not like it, but that is 바카라사이트 way it goes.”
On 바카라사이트 difficulties of advising Whitehall departments, Dame Angela said 바카라사이트re was “straightforward two cultures stuff” in which “unbelievably clever” civil servants disliked looking at graphs and numbers in 바카라사이트 same way that scientists relished seeing such materials.
“They hate looking at graphs – it gives 바카라사이트m pain,” she said.
In addition, Dame Angela also reflected on 바카라사이트 time pressures faced by ministers, stating 바카라사이트y usually had about three minutes to make decisions based on evidence presented to 바카라사이트m.
“Ministers spend minutes on extremely important decisions, and 바카라사이트n move on to o바카라사이트r extremely important decisions,” she said.
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