A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation ESOF-2014 June 25, 2014
Converging trends Science is ever-more imbedded in every issue of modern life Every major issue is global at its core More and more nations are investing in science Science is becoming more and more international in character A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
One conclusion We need a more coherent global scientific community A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
The nagging question Must we trade globalizing science against benefits of national investments? A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
Converging trends Science is ever-more imbedded in every issue of modern life As a cause or cure All are global in character A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
6 Some major global societal issues Environmentally sustainable development Need for renewable energy sources Information and communications technology Universal access to education Poverty and economic opportunity Technology-based manufacturing and jobs Intellectual property rights Terrorism International security Natural disasters Science and technology capacity building Vaccines and medical therapies against infectious diseases Quality and accessibility of health care
In order to tackle global issues, the world’s scientific community must function in a much more global way A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
8 More and more countries are investing in science and building a national science enterprise The motivation is typically tied to Innovation and the economy Health and quality of life of their people Solving other local problems
A Cruci al Mome nt for Scient ific Coop eratio n - ESOF
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A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
A Cruci al Mome nt for Scient ific Coop eratio n - ESOF
A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF Science has become more and more collaborative On both domestic and international scales
A Cruci al Mome nt for Scient ific Coop eratio n - ESOF
But collaboration is not enough to tackle global problems A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
To help solve global issues, the scientific community must function in a coherent global way A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
Groups are working on these issues A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
Heads of International Research Organizations (HIRO’s) Founded in 1998 Public and private health research funders US, UK, Canada, China, EU, India, South Africa, etc. A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
Global Research Council Launched in May 2012, just had 3 rd meeting in Beijing 70 heads of research agencies Representing over 40 countries/economies Including many from both North and South Has focused on merit review, access to data and publications, research integrity, next generation of researchers A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
(National level) Chief Scientific Advisors are meeting on regional levels and in other aggregations G-8 East Africa Asia-Pacific Europe A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
“Science Diplomacy” is gaining world-wide currency A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF Uses of the term “Science Diplomacy” Science in Diplomacy Global issues with science basis (climate change, global health, agriculture, sustainability, energy, etc) Diplomacy for Science Getting things done for the science community Science for Diplomacy Science’s direct role in affecting bilateral relations “New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy” The Royal Society and AAAS
A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF Lessons learned….
To build a more coherent global scientific enterprise Bring more actors into the global community As full partners Recognize that diversity brings novel ideas and much needed innovation Find ways to deal with uneven quality of different scientific communities Just “spreading” money will not work Collaboration and capacity building must be done simultaneously A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF Building a coherent global scientific community Develop commonly agreed upon standards and values Scientific ethics Intellectual property Publication/access issues Bring consistency to science policies across countries E.g., embryonic stem cell research Research using animal subjects Better coordination of funding policies Foster, don’t inhibit international collaboration Streamlined bureaucracies American researchers spend 42% of research time on administrative tasks Help bring emerging scientific communities into the global community
Impediments to global cooperation Negative instances of all of the above Differences in human subjects protections Informed consenting Compensation to subjects Use of placebo controls Who can be a subject Pediatric trials Policies that work against cooperation E.g., US National Science Foundation A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
A core nagging question How do we reconcile building a global enterprise with the recognized benefits of a strong national enterprise? The stronger the national enterprise, the more worthwhile the investment But, participating in the whole is worth more than just being one of the parts Easier access to the products of the whole Those who need capacity building get it along the way A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
Good science anywhere is good for science everywhere. ………………Subra Suresh, Director, NSF 2012 A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
Building national science capacity is necessary but not sufficient Need mechanisms to exploit (“mine”) the global scientific base The bigger the common base, the better for all The more one is involved the faster one has access Need infrastructure and capacity for translation of science and technology into products and services NIH’s Clinical and Translational Science Awards NSF’s Engineering Research Centers Need tax and intellectual property policies to foster all stages of the innovation cycle A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF
A Crucial Moment for Scientific Cooperation - ESOF