Address by Carol Gibbons Deputy to the Chief Science Adviser to the Government to the BMW annual conference

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Address by Carol Gibbons Deputy to the Chief
Science Adviser to the Government to theBMW
annual conference

• 5 May 2005

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Science Governance in Ireland

• Independent Chief Science Adviser
• Cabinet Committee on Science and Technology
• Interdepartmental Committee Chaired by Dept.
  Enterprise, Trade Employment
• Dept of Health and Children
• Department of Education and Science
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of the Environment
• Department of Communications, Marine and Natural
  Resources
• Department of Finance
• Department of an Taoiseach
• Government Agencies
• Science Foundation Ireland
• Enterprise Ireland
• Industrial Development Authority Ireland
• Higher Education Authority
• Health Research Board

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Chief Science Adviser Key Functions

• Provision of independent expert advice on any
  aspect of science, technology and innovation as
  requested by Government
• Provision of analysis and opinion on all major
  policy proposals being submitted to Government in
  the area of science, technology and innovation
• Advising on STI issues arising in the context of
  the EU and internationally
• Advising the Government periodically on the scale
  and balance of overall State investment in
  science, technology and innovation, having
  consulted with all major stakeholders
• Overseeing a system of independent evaluation of
  STI policy and programmes, with particular
  reference to cross cutting issues
• Management of the process of gathering data and
  intelligence, particularly in relation to RD
  performance and spending

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Elaboration of Vision as Knowledge Based Economy
(STI aspects)

• Results driven Jobs and Quality of Life
• Whole of Government Approach (overarching)
• Sound ST Infrastructure, World Class
  (Excellence)
• Magnet for Inward Investment
• Encouragement support for local development
• Master of Regulatory Environment
• Societal backing and support
• International visibility and high ranking

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SWOT Analysis

• Analysis of Ireland as Knowledge Based Economy
  from STI aspects
• Strengths, Weaknesses
• internal national features
• Opportunities, Threats
• external features
• 4 SWOT teams working independently
• Stakeholder Consultations 20 Feb 14 March
• Agencies, Research Councils, third level sector
• Based on existing knowledge
• e.g. synthesis from PRTLI, SFI, OECD and others

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Education and Research

• Primary Level
• Training of Teachers
• Stimulation in and out of Classroom
• Secondary Level
• Curriculum Revision
• Current Science Topics Examined
• Why drop off of 90 from 2nd to 3rd Level
• Third Level
• Excite the Curriculum
• Converging Technologies
• Career Structure for Researchers
• Public and Private Research
• Attraction of Young International Mobile
  Researchers to Ireland
• Early Stage Security i.e. 7 year public/private
  contracts
• Position of Senior Researcher

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Priority and Strategic Research Areas

• ICT and Bio are priority areas.
• Strategic Research Areas/Disciplines
• Physics Food Science Technology
• Chemistry Clinical Research
• Mathematics Agriculture
• Geography Environmental Sciences
• Energy
• Marine
• Engineering
• Social Economic Sciences
• Balance between Research and Technology
• Industry demand-driven technology
• Research must be strategically oriented.

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Research and Technology

• Increase in Capacity needed
• Infrastructure
• Physical structures
• Virtual
• Research Programmes
• Collaboration with Groups outside Ireland
• FP7
• Real Bilateral Agreements

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Research and Technology

• Technology
• Industry needs driven
• Subject to Rapid Change
• Separate from Research Programme
• Enterprise Ireland Key Player
• ITs as regional delivery system
• Sources Internationally and Nationally
• Innovation
• Start - up companies
• Technology Transfer

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Technology Centres

• Moorepark Technologies Ltd.
• joint venture between commercial food companies
  and Teagasc
• the most up-to-date and versatile pilot scale
  processing equipment
• Services to industry include pilot plant rental
  contract RD small scale manufacturing and
  technical consultancy
• Tyndall National Institute
• Micro-electronics Photonics Nanotechnology
  ICT/Bio
• Substantial research infrastructure
• several fabrication laboratories (e.g. Compound
  Semiconductor Microsystems) and extensive suite
  of characterisation, analytical and test
  laboratories.
• National Institute for Bioprocessing, Research
  and Technology (NIBRT)
• Predictive Toxicology
• linkage between Irelands expertise in ICT and
  Life Sciences
• involves supercomputing, data-mining, and
  culturing of human cell lines in order to assist
  in the screening of potential new pharmaceuticals.

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Discovery Research, Development and
Commercialisation

• Need a strengthening of existing Technology
  Transfer infrastructure
• Need increased Industry Academia Collaborations
• FP7 places greater emphasis on industry -
  academia research linkage
• Intellectual Property Policy
• focus on exploitation and licensing of
  discoveries
• Technology centres
• Cutting-edge technology supporting the needs of
  Irish industry
• stimulate the acquisition and take-up of
  technology by SMEs.