Science advice under pressure: a major conference

The challenges and pressures faced by government science advisors will be debated in a major in-person conference in Brussels on 27–28 April, the first event of its kind to be hosted by the European Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism.

Dozens of international speakers will debate the changing role of science in policymaking, especially lessons learned from Covid-19, in an event with some 650 participants from across the world of science advice, policy and research. The event will also be live-streamed and attendees will be able to interact online.

0. Key issues to be discussed include:

   • how scientists and policymakers can draw on evidence that is complex, incomplete, uncertain and controversial

   • the risks and challenges that come with advising on controversial topics in the public spotlight (e.g. pandemic-related health measures)

   • striking a balance between scientific independence and closeness to government

     The full programme is online at https://scientificadvice.eu/programme/.

   • The conference will be addressed by Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. Other confirmed speakers and panellists include:

   • Patrick Vallance, Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK government

   • Mona Nemer, Chief Science Advisor of Canada

   • Nicole Grobert, chair of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission

   • Antonio Loprieno, chair of the board of SAPEA and president of the ALLEA network of European academies

   • Andrea Hinwood, chief scientist of the United Nations Environment Programme

   • Andrea Ammon, director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

   • Diana Ürge-Vorsatz, contributing lead author at the IPCC

   • Virginia Murray, head of Global Disaster Risk Reduction at the UK Health Security Agency

0. Commission Directors-General Jean-Eric Paquet and Stephen Quest will also participate in the conference, representing respectively the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation and the Joint Research Centre. A full list of speakers is available at https://scientificadvice.eu/speakers/.

   A major highlight will be a live interactive policy simulation, created for the conference by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, in which conference attendees will take on the roles of governments, researchers and NGOs in a live roleplaying scenario designed to expose the tensions that arise when giving science advice on complex political topics. https://iiasa.ac.at/events/apr-2022/iiasa-brings-policy-simulations-to-…- under-pressure-conference

   In addition to the main programme, the conference will feature workshops and side events hosted by a range of organisations, including the International Network for Government Science Advice, the Joint Research Centre, the International Science Council, SciTech DiploHub, and EU agencies such as the European Medicines Agency and the European Food Safety Authority.

   The European Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism consists of two parts: SAPEA, which provides scientific evidence, and the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, who make policy recommendations.

   • SAPEA is a consortium of five academy networks. Across these networks, SAPEA brings together outstanding expertise from natural sciences, engineering and technology, medical, health, agricultural and social sciences, and the humanities. It draws on over a hundred academies, young academies and learned societies in more than 40 countries across Europe. www.sapea.info

   • The Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission is an independent group of seven experts who provide scientific advice to the European Commission to inform policymaking. https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and- innovation/strategy/support-policy-making/scientific-support-eu-policies/group- chief-scientific-advisors_en

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