Prof Dame Anne Glover, former Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission

‘Lost in Translation’

February 25, 2016

UPDATE: please see below for event report.

SCRR’S showpiece event, the annual Peter Wilson lecture, for 2016 is to be given by Professor Dame
LA Glover, former Professor of Molecular biology and Cell biology at the University of Aberdeen and now the same university’s Vice Principal for External Affairs and Dean for Europe.

Professor Glover served as Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission from 2012 to 2014 and was made a dame in the 2015 Birthday Honours. She offers the following abstract of her lecture.

‘The world of science is beguilingly simple as we construct hypotheses, test them and then make
conclusions relevant to the evidence. This is a continuous process refined over time. Politicians also claim to want evidence to form the basis of their policies – but sometimes the
evidence is not consistent with their philosophies, or is at odds with other considerations such as economic factors.

‘How are we then to ensure that politicians and policymakers have access to the best possible advice when we know that the advice may not be taken? How do we deal with uncertainty in translating that advice to policymakers and should science advisers be in the business of providing policy options based on the available evidence?

‘The lecture will draw on experience in providing science advice to government and administrations in Scotland and in Europe.’

Venue: Royal Society of Edinburgh, George Street, EH2 2PQ

Further information

Please see the event page on the RSE website.

www.rse.org.uk/event/joint-annual-rsescrr-peter-wilson-lecture-lost-in-translation/

Event report

An event report by Matthew Shelley is now available via the RSE website.

Event report (PDF, 142 KB):

www.rse.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Lost-in-Translation.pdf