The world is in a different place from 2015 – the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis has made the goals more urgent. We have almost all the science we need to make changes – renewable energy, biotechnology and biofuels, to name but a few. Yet, the biggest challenge we face this decade is how to bring about change in the hearts and mindsets of individuals, institutions and national systems. So, can social science help close the gap?
What is the biggest mental health issue of the day? It’s not COVID – which most people with and without mental illness are coping with admirably. It is, as ever, the stigmatisation of mental illness and the underfunding of mental health services. The two are clearly related, and despite some improvements in recent years, there remains a long way to go.
A recent report from the Scottish Government highlighted the disproportionate effect COVID-19 has had on a variety of groups, such as women, ethnic minorities, and low paid workers. So how can we prevent this pandemic from reversing the progress we have made towards workplace equality, diversity, and inclusion?
Traditional science and engineering methods control as many variables in an experiment as possible to increase confidence in narrow hypotheses. This directly opposes the broader needs of society during adverse events – where we cannot control changing circumstance.
As a mathematician and roboticist, I have been lucky enough to work on many complex projects like developing algorithms for a NASA humanoid robot to balance, navigate and manipulate objects autonomously; in preparation for deployment on Mars. However, I am fascinated with the question of how the latest advances in my field can help tackle some of the biggest and most intriguing healthcare challenges of our generation.
Episode 5: Professor Niamh Nic Daéid on using evidence and data to tackle public challenges — Tea & Talk Podcast …
Episode 4: Caroline Gardner on supporting inclusive public services — Tea & Talk Podcast
Episode 3: Professor Sir Ian Boyd on building Scotland’s resilience post-Covid-19
Episode 2: Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak on launching the Lighthouse Labs
Episode 1: Dame Seona Reid on the Impact of COVID-19 on Culture and the Creative Arts.
Episode 4: Dr. Stella Chan on the Mental Health Impact of COVID-19
Episode 3: Professor Stephen Reicher on Public Social Psychology during COVID-19
Episode 2: Dr. Deborah O’Neil on the Development of COVID-19 Treatments
Episode 1: Professor Dame Anne Glover on the Importance of Science & Evidence in Policymaking
Are you a naturally curious person? Following on from the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s successful Tea & Talk series held during their Curious 2019 summer events programme, the concept has been developed for a digital format to provide access to experts talking on a wide range of subjects and provide the opportunity for listeners to learn something new, expand their horizons and hear from national and world experts in their respective disciplines.
The RSE recognises excellence through awarding a number of medals, grants, scholarships and fellowships. In this event programme, details on the 2019 awardees are listed, along with information on each RSE award, case studies and impact figures.
Scotland’s biodiversity science: uniquely special and leading edge
We recognise excellence through awarding a number of prizes and medals, the highest of which is our Royal Medal. An…
How scientists in Scotland helped discover gravitational waves
One of the shortest but also one of the most celebrated autobiographies ever written, My Own Life, was composed shortly before David Hume’s death in 1776.
In 2013, the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), in conjunction with Scottish Enterprise and Highland and Island Enterprise, encouraged the formation…
A New Fellows’ Induction Day is held annually, shortly after the election and New Fellows are encouraged to attend this…
On 4 July 2012 CERN announced their independent discovery of a new particle consistent with the Higgs boson. The RSE…
This publication was created using the texts and images assembled for an exhibition presented in the RSE on the occasion…
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