James Wilsdon
International Science Policy Centre, The Royal Society
James Wilsdon is Director of the International Science Policy Centre at the Royal Society, the UK's national academy of science. From 2001 to 2008, he worked at Demos, first as Head of Strategy, then Head of Science and Innovation.
- Demos in the Deccan Herald Our event at IIM Bangalore last week has been written up in the Deccan Herald by Rajeev Gowda. continue reading on 27th November 2007 in The Atlas of Ideas
- A passage to India Last week, the Atlas of Ideas came full circle in India, when we presented the findings at a one-day conference in Delhi. The event, hosted by the National Institute for Science, Technology and Development Studies, brough together policy-makers and scientists from India, China, Korea and the UK to explore ways of increasing scientific collaboration. continue reading on 26th November 2007 in The Atlas of Ideas
- Innovation in the Islamic world I've written a piece for the FT today on the prospects for innovation in the Islamic world. This is a curtain-raiser for a new project that we'll be launching in February 2008 to map the changing dynamics of science and technology-based nnovation across the 57 member states of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. We'll be doing this in partnership with the OIC, the journal Nature and others. Send me an email if you'd like to know more, or visit the Atlas of Ideas project page. continue reading on 19th October 2007 in The Atlas of Ideas Comments (1)
- Pro-Poor innovation The latest issue of id21, published by our friends from the Institute of Development Studies at Sussex University, is just out. It includes an article on our nanodialogue in Zimbabwe, and another on our Atlas research on China. Plus biotech in Bangalore, social entrepreneurs in Kenya and rural innovation in Nepal - all this and more can be found here. continue reading on 27th September 2007 in The Atlas of Ideas
- Innovative China I've recently returned from Beijing, where I spoke at the launch of the OECD's review of China's innovation system. Most of the movers and shakers in Chinese S&T policy were present, and there was some lively debate about the balance between 'indigenous innovation' and the need for more international collaboration.I've written a comment piece in today's China Daily which summarises what I said at the OECD event, building on the arguments in our Atlas of Ideas report. The National Science... continue reading on 11th September 2007 in The Atlas of Ideas
- Sub-Saharan Science I’m in Washington DC, at a World Bank meeting on science and innovation for development. A new consensus appears to be emerging amongst African leaders about the importance of building up their science, technology and innovation capacity. Yesterday we heard a series of impressive presentations from the science ministers of Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and South Africa, all of whom are scaling up their levels of investment and ambition. Nigeria, for example, is using part of its recent... continue reading on 16th February 2007 in The Atlas of Ideas
- Are you feeling ‘lit by the brilliant light of science’? The PM today delivered a big speech on science in Oxford, his first substantial contribution on this theme since 2002. The speech paints a detailed picture of the scientific state we're in, and has some good points to make about international collaboration, which are relevant to our Atlas project. The latter part of the speech, where he attacks the 'anti-science brigade', is the least convincing. In part, he seems to be arguing for a new approach to opening up decision-making and supporting... continue reading on 3rd November 2006
- POSTal service Few people outside Westminster will be aware of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, but it quietly makes a significant contribution to UK science policy, through its independent analysis and advice to MPs, Peers and select committees. Its regular overviews of emerging debates - known as 'POST notes' - are a useful place to turn if you're looking for an A to Z of stem cell biology or a beginner's guide to climate science.Now they've published a new POST note on 'Debating... continue reading on 2nd April 2006
- Mile high blogging This is a first - for me at least - I'm posting this from 35,000 feet above Afghanistan. I'm currently on a Lufthansa flight and thanks to the new Boeing Skynet service, am savouring the joys of full broadband access (even the Demos VPN works!). Advert over. My real reason for posting is to say I'll be away from the office for the rest of May, carrying out some scoping research for our Atlas of Ideas project, which is exploring trends in science and innovation in China, India and South... continue reading on 8th May 2005 in The Atlas of Ideas
- With founders like these, who needs enemies? For the third time in the past few months, Martin Jacques (one of Demos' founders) chose to devote part of a Guardian comment piece to an attack on think tanks. Apparently, we "mark the triumph of political adolescence over experience...as a cultural form [our] staff are generally extremely young, utterly lacking in experience, devoid of the wisdom that only life can teach."Hmmm. Thanks for that Martin. A really thought-out critique. Quite apart from the fact that a fair few of our (and... continue reading on 8th December 2004 Comments (9)