1. The EPSRC Framework for Responsible Innovation Showcase Presentation for EC Workshop Participants June 9, 2016

2. Why do we need Responsible Research and Innovation?
Training Workshop
Why do we need Responsible Research and Innovation?
“Every day, scientific and technological progress contributes new innovation essential to our quality of life and international competitiveness.
“However, there are indications that the immense potential of our achievements is out of step with European citizens current needs and aspirations, such as peace, jobs, security and sustainable development of the planet.”
I am going to show you a quotation:
Does anyone recognise this?
So let’s look at this as a challenge
European Commission “Science and Society Action Plan”
November 2001

3. EPSRC’s Societal Issues Panel – 2005 onwards
Training Workshop
EPSRC’s Societal Issues Panel – 2005 onwards
2000 House of Lords report “a new mood for dialogue” and calls for an end to the “deficit model”
2003 GM Nation Debate did not give the “expected” answer
EPSRC had to cover other potentially controversial issues – nano-technology, geo-engineering, synthetic biology
SIP Chair Robert Winston: “There was an increasing concern about the misuse of science and technology.”

4. Developing the EPSRC framework - 2010
Training Workshop
Developing the EPSRC framework
Richard Owen, Professor of Responsible Innovation,
University of Exeter
Nicola Goldberg, EPSRC nano-technology portfolio manager
Promote … enhancement of social learning
Embed integrated, multi-disciplinary approaches
Provide a continuous feedback process
Ensure ongoing dialogue with policy-makers
Embed the concept of responsible science and innovation early on

5. Taking the framework through EPSRC Council - 2012
Training Workshop
Taking the framework through EPSRC Council
Alison Wall, EPSRC Associate Director for Building Leadership
Dave Delpy, EPSRC former Chief Executive Officer
Support of CEO Delpy vital: “To me RRI conveys something that any good researcher thinks of as part of the research they are undertaking.”
Several Council members already interested – “comfortable” with framework-not-regulation approach

6. AREA = Processes to Influence
Training Workshop
AREA = Processes to Influence
Anticipate – describing and analysing the impacts, intended or otherwise, (for example economic, social, environmental) that might arise. This does not seek to predict but rather to support an exploration of possible impacts and implications that may otherwise remain uncovered and little discussed.
Reflect – reflecting on the purposes of, motivations for and potential implications of the research, and the associated uncertainties, areas of ignorance, assumptions, framings, questions, dilemmas and social transformations these may bring.
Engage – opening up such visions, impacts and questioning to broader deliberation, dialogue, engagement and debate in an inclusive way.
Act – using these processes to influence the direction and trajectory of the research and innovation process itself.

7. A test case: Synthetic Biology
Training Workshop
A test case: Synthetic Biology
BBSRC / EPSRC public dialogue found:
Research Councils have significant governance role
Funding “excellent” science should include broader social definition of “excellent”
Delpy: “Public not against adventurous research”
BBSRC / EPSRC joint call 2013: included relevant social scientists and WPs
Owen: “What I have seen in the more recent synthetic biology research proposals is a more flexible, embedded approach – really imaginative, really creative proposals”
Doctoral Training Centres: train next generation in RRI

8. Raising researcher awareness – questions and / or workshops?
Training Workshop
Raising researcher awareness – questions and / or workshops?
Initial reaction
“You social scientists could not predict the consequences of the personal computer or the internet, so how can we? We are doing some very basic research and who knows what’s going to happen 20 or 30 years down the line?”
Nick Rose, King’s College, London
High-level commitment from project leaders
Rose’s team attended lab, PI and “all-hands” meetings
Stakeholder workshops
Gave rise to several reports on social and ethical issues in synthetic biology
Young researchers
Want their bugs to cure diseases and help with bio-remediation

9. Building on previous practice – the WAM project
Training Workshop
Building on previous practice – the WAM project
Public conversations: “WAM is a project which started from asking a question about what would make a transformational difference to someone who is experiencing difficulties in walking” – Nick Tyler, PI
Focus groups: issues around friction, chafing and overheating
Users: WAM long term; short term benefits to rheumatoid arthritis with wrist supports
Industry: Companies pretty open to RI approach – “tricky thing is making sure companies are really engaging … not just using it as a nice paragraph in their CSR report”

10. Training Workshop
So what about industry?
Timing: WAM getting interest from Airbus for deformable wings as a “spin-off” from its work
SynbiCITE: workshops to ensure that RRI is not just a tick-box exercise

11. Who should be involved in addressing this challenge?
Training Workshop
Who should be involved in addressing this challenge?
Research community
Commercial sector
Policy makers
Science education sector
European citizens and their Civil Society Organisations
This is your Stakeholder Group

12. Addressing the challenge – an exercise
Training Workshop
Addressing the challenge – an exercise
As a research and innovation funding agency, you have issued TWO calls that require proposals to be:
more responsive to societal needs and concerns
more open to being influenced at an early stage by citizens and civil society organisations
more inclusive and generally open
more able to address global challenges to which the government has made strong commitments
The two areas are Nanotechnology and Synthetic Biology.
Bearing in mind what you now understand by Responsible Research and Innovation, apart from excellent science and innovation, what else will ask Evaluators to look for if proposals are to be successful
I am going to show you a quotation:
Does anyone recognise this?
So let’s look at this as a challenge

13. The EPSRC Framework for Responsible Innovation Showcase Presentation for EC Workshop Participants June