July 23, 2009

reaction to the IUSS report: Putting science and engineering at the heart of Government policy

Paul Jackson, Chief Executive of the Engineering and Technology Board (ETB), said:

“The IUSS Committee has once again demonstrated its firm understanding of the issues facing engineering and the potential of engineering to address public policy issues. The new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is an implicit recognition of the overlap between scientific and industrial policy. We hope to see this recognition reflected in Government policy going forward.”

Sir David Wallace, chair of the Council for the Mathematical Sciences, said:

“The committee recommended that increased focus in applied research and industrial follow-through should not be at the expense of blue-skies research, which is one of the UK’s greatest strengths. This is particularly true in the mathematical sciences, where the timescale between fundamental research and its application can be many years, decades or even centuries.

“But I am disappointed that the report does not explicitly address the mathematical sciences in the context of science and engineering in government. Mathematical sciences underpin all other science subjects, and developments in mathematical sciences often go hand in hand with advancements in engineering and in biological, chemical and physical sciences. The subject of this inquiry should be putting ‘STEM’ (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) at the heart of government policy.”