I was a presidential science adviser – here are the many challenges Arati Prabhakar faces as she takes over President Biden's science policy office

The director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy plays a critical role in achieving the president’s science goals. Facilitating cooperation among the dozens of research agencies is key.

Neal Lane, Emeritus Professor of Science and Technology Policy and Physics and Astronomy, Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University • conversation
Oct. 6, 2022 • ~10 min

ARPA-H: High-risk, high-reward health research is the mandate of new, billion-dollar US agency

Renee Wegrzyn will lead the new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, which is tasked with speeding up how fast basic science is translated into real-world applications.

Tong Sun, Assistant Dean of Translational Health Sciences, University of Washington • conversation
Sept. 16, 2022 • ~8 min

It's getting harder for scientists to collaborate across borders – that's bad when the world faces global problems like pandemics and climate change

Scientific research done through international collaboration has boomed in the past 30 years. But recently, powerful countries are using science as a tool of politics, threatening that work.

Tommy Shih, Associate Professor in Business Administration, Lund University • conversation
July 13, 2022 • ~10 min

Citizen science volunteers are almost entirely white

The homogeneity of citizen science volunteers undercuts the ability of these projects to bring science to underserved communities.

Caren Cooper, Associate Professor of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University • conversation
June 22, 2022 • ~5 min

New data-sharing requirements from the National Institutes of Health are a big step toward more open science – and potentially higher-quality research

Starting in 2023, all research proposals funded by the NIH will need to include a data sharing and management plan. An expert on open science explains the requirements and how they might improve science.

Stephen Jacobs, Professor of Interactive Games and Media, Rochester Institute of Technology • conversation
March 24, 2022 • ~8 min

The behind-the-scenes people and organizations connecting science and decision-making

Before new policy can be based on evidence, decision-makers need to understand the relevant research. Intermediaries between scientists and policymakers translate information and build relationships.

Jennifer Watling Neal, Associate Professor of Psychology, Michigan State University • conversation
June 24, 2021 • ~7 min

Science superpower aspirations risk falling short unless they work for the whole UK

The expensive task of cementing the UK’s status as a science superpower will need to have transformative benefits

Harry Farmer, Senior policy adviser, Nesta • conversation
Aug. 25, 2020 • ~7 min

Dominic Cummings and SAGE: advisory group's veil of secrecy has to be lifted

The notion of SAGE being independent appears nowhere in its 64 pages of guidelines. But the case for more transparency is obvious.

Chris Tyler, Associate Professor in Science Policy and Knowledge Infrastructure, UCL • conversation
April 25, 2020 • ~7 min

Coronavirus: do governments ever truly listen to 'the science'?

More often than not, governments decide what 'the best available evidence' is.

Reiner Grundmann, Professor of Science and Technology Studies, University of Nottingham • conversation
April 3, 2020 • ~6 min

Coronavirus: why we need to consult engineers as well as scientists for solutions

Engineers may be able to develop new ways of opening doors or better and mass-produced face masks for the elderly.

Adam Cooper, Lecturer in Policy Research and Practice, UCL • conversation
March 25, 2020 • ~7 min

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