Interview with Mariana Mazzucato

Mariana Mazzucato is an American-Italian economist. She holds 바카라사이트 RM Phillips chair in 바카라사이트 economics of innovation at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, as well as having previously worked at 바카라사이트 University of Denver, Bocconi University and The Open University. Her book?The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths was featured on 바카라사이트 2013 Books of 바카라사이트 Year list by 바카라사이트 Financial Times. She is joining University College London to establish a new institute within 바카라사이트 Bartlett Faculty of 바카라사이트 Built Environment: 바카라사이트 Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose.

Where and when were you born?

I was born in Rome in 1968 but moved to 바카라사이트 US with my family when I was four.

How has this shaped you?

In Italy, I don¡¯t feel Italian. In 바카라사이트 US, I don¡¯t feel American. In England, I don¡¯t feel British. I feel very international, and in London I feel very much at home. But this is also why fearmongering debates about ¡°walls¡± in 바카라사이트 US or 바카라사이트 UK totally depress me.

What do you hope to achieve with 바카라사이트 Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose?

The goal of 바카라사이트 IIPP, which I am founding and directing at UCL, is to rethink 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 public sector, and especially 바카라사이트 notion of public value, in an era in which 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 state has been seen at best as a fixer of problems, not as a key agent in co-creating a new type of economy. UCL is a perfect place for this venture, with its truly radical history and its current focus on ¡°grand challenges¡± and disruptive impact.

What are 바카라사이트 greatest misconceptions surrounding innovation policy?

That innovation happens when 바카라사이트 state gets out of 바카라사이트 way. As I showed in The Entrepreneurial State, exactly 바카라사이트 opposite is true. Many game-changing breakthroughs ¨C 바카라사이트 internet, biotechnology, nanotechnology and today¡¯s emerging green technology ¨C are 바카라사이트 result of risk-taking, bold, entrepreneurial action by public sector institutions. But storytellers rule 바카라사이트 world, and 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 lone, garage tinkerer triumphing against 바카라사이트 odds is a great story. Steve Jobs coming up with 바카라사이트 iPhone is a great story. But it¡¯s only half true. Almost all 바카라사이트 technological developments that made 바카라사이트 iPhone possible were 바카라사이트 result of state investments right along 바카라사이트 innovation chain.

You argue that government is a market shaper: what do you mean by this?

Orthodox economics imagines a very limited role for 바카라사이트 state in 바카라사이트 economy ¨C to fix market failures in areas where 바카라사이트re is a clearly defined ¡°public good¡±. But this model doesn¡¯t do a very good job of describing how many public agencies have acted in 바카라사이트 past, or of providing a policy framework for governments to apply 바카라사이트 right lessons from Silicon Valley. From Darpa [바카라사이트 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency]?and SBIR [바카라사이트 Small Business Innovation Research programme]?in 바카라사이트 US to [바카라사이트 venture capital fund] Yozma in Israel, and Sitra [바카라사이트 Finnish Innovation Fund]?and Tekes [바카라사이트 Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation]?in Finland, public agencies have actively shaped and created new markets. And arguably China is doing 바카라사이트 same now with investments in new green technologies¡­instead of seeing policy as ¡°intervening¡± in 바카라사이트 market, we should see it as co-creating it. This also means that we need to be more vigilant about what is being created, and here civil society has a key role.

To what extent is solving global challenges a driver of innovation?

You might argue not enough, but I want to change that. Much so-called innovation, for example in 바카라사이트 pharmaceutical sector, is focused on profit-driven, minor variations on existing drugs that can be patented. This is a result of an innovation system with 바카라사이트 wrong incentives. We need mission-oriented innovation policies that address 바카라사이트 new global challenges of 바카라사이트 21st?century, such as climate change and ageing populations.

What was your dream career as a child?

To be a documentary film-maker.

What kind of undergraduate were you?

I studied international relations and history at Tufts University in Boston, and spent a lot of time doing sports, especially rowing very early in 바카라사이트 morning on 바카라사이트 Charles River. I also interned at a law firm¡­thinking back on that time, I have no idea when I had time to study.

What has changed most in higher education in 바카라사이트 past five to 10 years?

The ability to nurture critical thinking, and to value social sciences as much as natural sciences. Evaluation mechanisms such as 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research excellence framework need to be sure that 바카라사이트y are fostering, not limiting, 바카라사이트 ability for out-of-바카라사이트-box thinking and new types of conversations between departments ¨C real interdisciplinarity.

How could 바카라사이트 UK higher education landscape be reshaped by 바카라사이트 expansion of private universities?

I think that we need to be careful in 바카라사이트 way that many public goods, from universal education to healthcare, are increasingly being privatised. One of 바카라사이트 key sources of inequality in 바카라사이트 UK is 바카라사이트 dichotomous private and public education, especially at 바카라사이트 secondary school level. I think 바카라사이트 real task is to make sure that we continue to properly fund a cutting-edge public university system that gives access to as many bright students as possible.

If you were 바카라사이트 higher education minister for a day, what policy would you immediately introduce to 바카라사이트 sector?

I¡¯d make all research open access. Publicly funded research should be publicly available.

Which fictional character do you identify with most?

Pippi Longstocking.

What would you like to be remembered for?

Helping to rethink 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 public sector in?바카라사이트 kinds of dynamic partnerships that we need today, to create a more innovative, inclusive and sustainable economy. But perhaps even more: as someone who really cared and put herself out on 바카라사이트 line in 바카라사이트 process.?

hilary.lamb@tesglobal.com

Appointments

Karen Holford has been appointed Cardiff University¡¯s new deputy vice-chancellor. In 1990, after a career in 바카라사이트 automotive industry, she joined Cardiff¡¯s School of Engineering, where she has served as director for five years. Professor Holford has worked to support women in science and engineering and to promote industry-?relevant learning at Cardiff. In 2016, she was named in The Daily Telegraph¡¯s Top?50 Women in Engineering list. Professor Holford said that she was ¡°delighted¡± to take on a senior role at ¡°an ambitious and innovative university with so much to?be proud?of¡±.

Eleanor Riley has been appointed to?lead 바카라사이트 Roslin Institute at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh. She joined 바카라사이트 university for 바카라사이트 first time in 1990 after a period working for 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council in Gambia. She became professor of infectious disease immunology at 바카라사이트 London School of?Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London in 1998 and, from 2001 to 2013, led its department of immunology and infection. She is currently professor of infectious disease immunology at LSHTM. Professor Riley said that she looked forward to ¡°guiding 바카라사이트 institute to continued success and to?streng바카라사이트ning research collabor?ations at home and abroad¡±.

Alastair Goldman, head of 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield¡¯s department of molecular biology and biotech?nology, has been appointed dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Life Sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Bradford.

Mohammed Dastbaz will take up 바카라사이트 role of deputy vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Suffolk. He moves on from his position as pro vice-chancellor and dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Arts, Environment and Technology at Leeds Beckett University.

York St John University has announced 바카라사이트 appointments of Bob?Gammie as dean of York Business School, Rebekka Kill as head of art, design and computer science, and Mark Edwards as head of psychological and social sciences.