RAEng Chair Susan Gourvenec joins panel to discuss “Becoming a “science superpower”: will the UK be fit to tackle the next global crisis?” at the Labour Party Conference

The UK government has committed to secure our status as a “Science and Tech Superpower by 2030”. The past year has demonstrated the UK’s potential to realise this as we have witnessed the power of research and innovation in a global emergency, with researchers working to understand the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on society, and created the vaccines to respond. But despite a heroic performance across the board, UK research and innovation faces its kryptonite: uncertainty. What will the next few years of R&I investment look like? How will the UK take a lead internationally? How can we be ready for the next global crisis?

A panel with members representing each of the four national academies of the UK – The Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society, British Academy and the Academy of Medical Sciences - addressed how the UK should approach the future, build resilience to future crises, and lock-in our superpower status. The four national academies represent the leading researchers in their fields from across the UK. They aim to ensure that the UK maintains its world leading position in research and innovation.

At the Labour Party fringe event, Susan joined panellists Professor Azra Ghani, Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Professor Dominic Abrams, Fellow of the British Academy, Dr Rupert Lewis, Chief Science Policy Officer, The Royal Society, Chi Onwurah, Shadow Minister for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and Chair, Anjana Ahuja, science writer and commentator.

Discussion was wide ranging but a central theme was the need to sustain a secure, broad and deep foundation of research with long term security to enable the UK to drive innovation and adapt to challenges as they emerge. The point was made often that advances in science and emerging technologies draw on decades (if not centuries) of prior knowledge and research and this consistent base must be nurtured for the UK to become or lock in our ‘science superpower’ status.

Some of Susan’s views on the posed questions are shared here.

What needs to happen now for the UK to be a science superpower in the years to come?

The UK needs to create a culture of science and technology – visible, accessible, applied, respected, inspiring.

From toddler books and TV shows, through schooling and school age influencers, through school leavers and wider society through the many roles and influences they have, and through those that enter higher education.

When students are considering careers – that science, engineering, technology is an appealing, accessible, well paid, secure career option.

And when graduates choose to enter the research sector that it is supportive, rewarding, impactful.

For those already invested in the UK research community – that we are supported, rewarded and have the opportunity to shape a better future for everyone.

Very importantly that along research pipeline there is real inclusion across society, so the research community reflects and represents society – diverse and inclusive in their make up and outlooks.

When the government uses the term ‘superpower’ we – as a nation – need to be clear about what that means – as this will determine how to build that power and what it will look like. Does the UK want to conquer and rule – or collaborate and nurture? What does our leadership as a science superpower look like?

Finally, it is more important than ever to work together across sectors, disciplines and countries to tackle shared challenges.

What are the particular strengths of UK RDI?

The UK has a history of RDI ‘wins’ in hi-tech, AI and autonomy – relevant across almost all aspects of life now days – and with immense potential in supporting decarbonisation of our society and economy. For example optimizing design and operation of complex systems – from designing and operating hundreds of thousands of wind turbines optimally, to being able to monitor the environmental impacts of the interventions to supply that ‘green power’ to enable us to continually improve design processes and outcomes.

While the UK has a strong maritime heritage and offshore engineering sector developed from the UK O&G industry that is ripe for repurposing to renewables, maritime and offshore are not in the top 10 sectors for R&D investment in the UK by business.

It is also important to ask what do we do well – what are the metrics? – this goes back to what power looks like and what the research and innovation is intended and used for.

From my personal experience having worked in Australia for much of my career – only moving back to the UK a few years ago – the density of research institutions in the UK, and the proximity to business of all types, facilitates opportunity for consortium building to address ‘grand challenges’ – not a unique characteristic of the UK globally but a feature that could and I think does yield benefits (through network building, Hubs and so on).

But – the constant competition that is encouraged amongst our HEIs, developed through league tables, REF, TEF, KEF, driven by reduced government funding and high student fees – is in my opinion counterproductive to creating a culture of collaboration, and the constancy needed to develop a trusted, diverse and adaptable research sector, that is necessary for becoming a superpower on a global scale.

What are the major future challenges that the research community will need to prepare for?

We need to strategically plan for and act on the current greatest challenge that the world faces – which is climate change. Very different to the COVID-19 crisis which the UK and the world had to react to at pace and with little notice. Climate change has been a long time in the making and we know what we need to do – we even have a lot of the science and technology to do it. What we need is greater action. Turn the taps off and pull the plug out of the CO2 bath.

Going forward we need to develop better, more responsible, more sustainable ways to decarbonise our economy and society – and not just ‘ours’ i.e. the UK – but to ensure energy and food justice worldwide.

The Dasgupta review demonstrates clearly that our exploitation of nature is outstripping its ability to recover – and the natural environment sustains us. We need research that informs and enables the most beneficial outcomes for nature and humans alike.

Although much is known and can be planned for, we do not know what will present unexpectedly in the future. A breadth and depth of research bases is essential to be able to respond and adopt to the next unknown crisis.

As we know from evolutionary theory that underpins our very existence – it is not the biggest or strongest that necessarily thrive but those that collaborate and can adapt.

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