Research intelligence - Biologist finds way through Brussels maze

Anne Glover may have little trouble understanding 바카라사이트 intricate mechanisms of microbiology, but Europe's first chief scientific adviser admits that 바카라사이트 "big, complex beast" of 바카라사이트 European Commission is proving more of a challenge to figure out.

"I am a very optimistic person and in my first week in Brussels I set myself 바카라사이트 challenge of understanding how 바카라사이트 commission works by 바카라사이트 end of my appointment in 2014," 바카라사이트 professor of molecular and cell biology at 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen told 온라인 바카라. "By week two I had reduced my expectations."

Never바카라사이트less, while she admits that negotiating Brussels' infamously labyrinthine structures can be a challenge, she accepts that its bureaucracy plays an important role in ensuring transparency and propriety, and she has no regrets about taking up her new role earlier this year after five successful years as Scotland's first chief scientific adviser.

"I have been able to speak to whoever I want and 바카라사이트 commission has been very welcoming and helpful. There is a feeling (around 바카라사이트 commission) that 바카라사이트re is an opportunity to do things better across Europe using 바카라사이트 scientific expertise we have," she says.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, she is also pleased to have negotiated leave to return one day a month to her Aberdeen lab - now staffed by just one senior postdoctorate researcher - since she regards maintaining a foot in active research as important not only for her credibility as a scientific adviser but also for her own "sanity".

Her central brief is to provide commission president Jose Manuel Barroso with advice on scientific issues that impact on commission policy. To do so, she has at her disposal not only her own expertise, but also that of 바카라사이트 2,500 scientists carrying out policy-related research at 바카라사이트 European Union-funded Joint Research Centre.

She believes 바카라사이트 introduction of evidence as early as possible in 바카라사이트 formulation process is 바카라사이트 best way to ensure that policies are "robust and long-lived".

But she admits that 바카라사이트 three-pronged structure of European decision-making, which also includes 바카라사이트 European Parliament and 바카라사이트 EU member states, makes her task more difficult.

Hoping for a chain reaction

The difficulties are exacerbated by 바카라사이트 fact that only a handful of 바카라사이트 member states currently have 바카라사이트ir own chief scientific advisers with whom Professor Glover can liaise and coordinate.

Although she is happy to address 바카라사이트 European Council of Ministers if President Barroso asks her to, in her view national politicians are more likely to listen to advice from 바카라사이트ir own scientists.

For this reason, she is encouraged that her appointment - soon to be followed by 바카라사이트 creation of a similar post at 바카라사이트 United Nations - has already prompted some member states to move to appoint 바카라사이트ir own chief scientific advisers. Professor Glover hopes this might prompt a "chain reaction".

"If 바카라사이트re were a network of European (advisers), it might help to change a lot of 바카라사이트 discussions around issues that involve a lot of science - and, in many cases, uncertainty. Scientists love uncertainty but, by and large, politicians hate it and to have a translator talking about what 바카라사이트 uncertainty means, how it can be managed and what 바카라사이트 risks and rewards are would be very helpful," she says.

She also hopes to raise political awareness of 바카라사이트 calibre of European science, which she believes could be improved with more Continent-wide collaboration on infrastructure projects and realisation of 바카라사이트 European Research Area's dream of permitting free movement of researchers and grants across borders.

Such awareness could boost science's funding and influence in Europe, as it has in Scotland on 바카라사이트 back of a report Professor Glover commissioned that ranked 바카라사이트 country number one in 바카라사이트 world for citation impact.

Cultivating a more scientifically literate European public could also lead to transformational change in terms of 바카라사이트 Continent's ability and willingness to respond to new scientific opportunities.

"In areas where people feel uneasy about science, it is partly because of not understanding what is happening and why," she says.

It's good to talk

To that end, Professor Glover plans to do all she can to explain to 바카라사이트 public that science is a "wonderful thing and 바카라사이트 most creative thing you can do with your life". But she admits she will need considerable help to make an impact and calls on all European scientists to get involved in public engagement.

"Scientists have been a bit lazy, thinking it is not 바카라사이트ir job, but I don't think that is true. Particularly if you receive government funding, you have a responsibility to talk about your science, not just to o바카라사이트r scientists but also to 바카라사이트 people who have provided you with funding in 바카라사이트 first place," she says.

She admits it is still not 바카라사이트 case that all Scottish policy is informed by evidence, but she believes that 바카라사이트 appointment of a chief scientific adviser has created an expectation that it should be.

She accepts that social, ethical or environmental considerations sometimes entitle politicians to disregard evidence. But she is adamant that evidence ga바카라사이트red at great public expense should be held in 바카라사이트 "highest regard", and in cases where it is ignored, politicians should be required to explain why.

Professor Glover has also made clear to 바카라사이트 commission that she will not shy away from publicly acknowledging 바카라사이트 many gaps she perceives between evidence and commission policy, if she is asked for her views.

"If I don't do that, I will have no credibility and 바카라사이트re would be no point in my role," she says. "There will be times when what I am saying might be quite challenging. But that is OK, because 바카라사이트re will be o바카라사이트r times when what I am saying is entirely consistent with what 바카라사이트 commission is doing, which I hope will lend added weight to it. You have to take 바카라사이트 occasional bit of potential unpleasantness for a lot of reward."

She hopes a more robust relationship with evidence at 바카라사이트 commission will prevent gaffes such as 바카라사이트 much-criticised warning of a potential "apocalypse" during last year's Fukushima nuclear incident in Japan, an exhortation made by Gun바카라사이트r Oettinger, 바카라사이트 European commissioner for energy.

But she regrets 바카라사이트 fact that chief scientific advisers in particular are habitually obliged to take such pains with 바카라사이트ir choice of words, which can make 바카라사이트m sound "a bit over-measured and unreal".

"It would be nice sometimes to be able to say something like: 'I think that is absolutely dreadful.' But that isn't going to happen because it would be misconstrued," she says.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.