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Consultations and Inquiries / Science Seminars for Government in Scotland
The purpose of the seminars
The breathtaking progress of science and technology in the last 60 years has changed our society and the lives of individuals in fundamental ways and will continue to do so. It is impossible for government or society to ignore these developments in view of the social and economic pressures they exert and the opportunities they offer.
There are few areas of public policy where scientific understanding cannot make a fundamental contribution. It is particularly difficult however in new and emerging areas of science and technology for government to acquire the understanding that it needs if it is to anticipate the changes that they may produce, the pressures that they may generate and the opportunities that they offer.
The essence of new, emerging or rapidly developing science is difficult to capture for the lay person because it is often difficult to understand, the components of understanding are both geographically dispersed and conceptually fragmented, its proponents are heavily engaged in probing its frontiers rather than in public exposition, and the uncertainties surrounding its applications and implications are large. The seminars are designed to provide a coherent and accessible narrative as a frame for discussion about new or rapidly developing science and technology issues where these have or may have major implications for government and society.
The nature and organisation of the seminars
The seminars are whole day events. They are designed to expose the fundamentals of the underlying science, to explore the social, economic, legal and ethical implications for society, and to identify the emerging issues and opportunities that have relevance for government. The seminar presentations are delivered by international authorities in their fields, and are accompanied by ample time for debate.
They are directed towards Scottish senior civil servants and Government ministers, and attendance is by invitation only. The content of them is however made available here to permit wider access to the material because of the broad implications of their subject matter.

The seminars are conceived and organised by an independent ad hoc group comprising: Prof. Geoffrey Boulton FRS FRSE (convenor), Prof Peter Bruce FRS FRSE, Prof. Alan Bundy FEng FRSE, Prof Ian Halliday FSRE, Lord Naren Patel FMedSci FRSE and Prof Roland Wolf FRSE.

They have benefited from the experience of Sir Gabriel Horne in running analogous seminars in Cambridge. Funding to deliver the seminars has been made available from the Office of the Chief Scientific Advisor in Scotland, Professor Anne Glover and they are generously supported by Mr Walter Scott FRSE.
They have the support of Scotland’s First Minister, Mr Alex Salmond MSP, and Sir John Elvidge, Permanent Secretary in the Scottish Government.
The Biology of Stress: Causes, Consequences and Cures. 22 January 2010
Over millions of years of evolutionary adaptation humanity has adapted to respond efficiently to the types of stress that our prehistoric ancestors experienced facing a herd of charging buffalo, developing increasingly complex social relationships or fighting a rival for food. How well are we adapted to those that we are daily confronted with in complex, dense and competitive urban environments? How resilient are we to a fast changing technological context of malfunctioning computers and incessantly ringing cellphones? It is clear that the intensity of chronic stresses varies strongly with the psychosocial environment experienced by different groups in society. Financial strain, job insecurity, low control or monotony at work, violence in the family, low self esteem and a consequent fatalism have major consequences for neuroendocrine and physiological function, susceptibility to disease, self control and restraint, and the capacity for detached study and learning.
Read full report

What can Informatics Do for Scotland? January 2009

We are surrounded by a fast-moving revolution in information and communications technology (ICT) that is profoundly changing the way we live, work and play. Policymakers in particular need to understand the scientific and engineering basis of this revolution in order to anticipate its effects, take advantage its opportunities and prepare for its threats. Download PDF summary
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