Exploring the scope of science advice: social sciences in the UK government

Science advice is normally seen in the context of physical science advice, and in particular in relation to the institutional position of “Chief Scientific Advisor” (CSA). This is true for the academic literature covering the science-policy interface, public administration, science and technology studies as well as most practitioner commentary. Very little literature exists on the provision of social science advice for public policy, insofar as this is framed in terms of individuals providing expertise within an institutional setting and role, as opposed to the provision of (social science) evidence within “evidence-based policy-making” or similar. This focus on the science advice has thus shaped the understanding of what a science advisor does, and what skills and expertise they are providing. Conventionally, this comprises an emphasis on significant knowledge in an area of expertise, a level of seniority and “eminence” to enable that knowledge to be influential and a degree of independence from those tasked with making policy decisions. Social science advice exists in the UK national policy-making context, but the mode of operation places a different emphasis and role on those providing such advice. I explore the nature of this role, using the conventional idea of the CSA as a point of departure to foreground points of similarity and difference. This exploration reveals a broader operating space for science advice than is conventionally understood and foregrounds particular tensions between relevance and influence, on the one hand, and scientific objectivity and independence, on the other. This article is published as part of a thematic collection dedicated to scientific advice to governments

Predicting the potential distribution of Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) infestation in New Zealand, using maximum entropy-based ecological niche modelling

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Practice makes policy? The role of government and policy in shaping practices

Government and policy inevitably shape social practices. Both directly and indirectly, policy instruments can produce, configure, disperse and kill-off practices. How policy makers understand the nature of energy consumption crucially informs the design of policy interventions. The physical, technical and economic model (PTEM) of energy demand dominates policy, with little regard for how social norms, service expectations and always-changing practices influence the role of energy in everyday lif

Plant-derived antivirals against hepatitis c virus infection

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide public health burden and it is estimated that 185 million people are or have previously been infected worldwide. There is no effective vaccine for prevention of HCV infection; however, a number of drugs are available for the treatment of infection. The availability of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has dramatically improved therapeutic options for HCV genotype 1. However, the high costs and potential for development of resistance presented by existing treatment demonstrate the need for the development of more efficient new antivirals, or combination of therapies that target different stages of the viral lifecycle. Over the past decades, there has been substantial study of compounds extracted from plants that have activity against a range of microorganisms that cause human diseases. An extensive variety of natural compounds has demonstrated antiviral action worldwide, including anti-HCV activity. In this context, plant-derived compounds can provide an alternative approach to new antivirals. In this review, we aim to summarize the most promising plant-derived compounds described to have antiviral activity against HCV

How should global fund use value-for-money information to sustain its investments in graduating countries?

It has been debated whether the Global Fund (GF), which is supporting the implementation of programs on the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria, should consider the value-for-money (VFM) for programs/interventions that they are supporting. In this paper, we critically analyze the uses of economic information for GF programs, not only to ensure accountability to their donors but also to support country governments in continuing investment in cost-effective interventions initiated by the GF despite the discontinuation of financial support after graduation. We demonstrate that VFM is not a static property of interventions and may depend on program start-up cost, economies of scales, the improvement of effectiveness and efficiency of providers once the program develops, and acceptance and adherence of the target population. Interventions that are cost-ineffective in the beginning may become cost-effective in later stages. We consider recent GF commitments towards value for money and recommend that the GF supports interventions with proven cost-effectiveness from program initiation as well as interventions that may be cost-effective afterwards. Thus, the GF and country governments should establish mechanisms to monitor cost-effectiveness of interventions invested over time

Building a socio-technical energy research community: Theory, practice and impact

Here I respond to the seven papers that look at my original paper on the use of physics in the social studies of energy [5] and offer up clarifications, extensions and some rebuttals. It is clear from the respondents that a shared vision for an inter- cross- and transdisciplinary agenda across physics and engineering with the social sciences exists, and major steps have already been made in bringing these perspectives together

Interaction between the DNA model base 9-ethylguanine and a group of ruthenium polypyridyl complexes: Kinetics and conformational temperature dependence

The binding capability of three ruthenium polypyridyl compounds of structural formula [Ru(apy)(tpy)Ln-](ClO4)((2-n)) [1a-c; apy = 2,2'-azobis(pyridine), tpy = 2,2':6',2 ''-terpyridine, L = Cl, H2O, CH3CN] to a fragment of DNA was studied. The interaction between each of these complexes and the DNA model base 9-ethylguanine (9-EtGua) was followed by means of H-1 NMR studies. Density functional theory calculations were carried out to explore the preferential ways of coordination between the ruthenium complexes and guanine. The ruthenium-9-EtGua adduct formed was isolated and fully characterized using different techniques. A variable-temperature H-1 NMR experiment was carried out that showed that while the 9-EtGua fragment was rotating fast at high temperature, a loss of symmetry was suffered by the model base adduct as the temperature was lowered, indicating restricted rotation of the guanine residue

Evaluating energy efficiency policy: understanding the ‘energy policy epistemology’ may explain the lack of demand for randomised controlled trials

Vine et al.’s (2014) call for more randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in government-funded energy efficiency policy evaluation practice raises timely questions about what constitutes effective designs for evaluating and informing energy policy. Their implicit hypothesis that policy organisations share the same epistemic perspective as they do, and that the reason there are few RCTs are due to a set of barriers to be overcome is examined in relation to the UK government Department of Energy and Climate Change. Drawing on the author’s experience of working in the ministry, the claim that barriers are a reason for preventing RCT use is discounted. An alternative explanation is presented, framed around the idea of an ‘energy policy epistemology’ that legitimately places certain specific knowledge demands and ways of knowing on research and evaluation designs. Through examination of a specific set of research and evaluation outputs related to the UK energy efficiency policy called the ‘Green Deal’, aspects of the proposed ‘energy policy epistemology’ are elucidated to explain the lack of demand for RCT designs. Final consideration is given to what kinds of designs are more likely to gain support in this context that might also deliver many of the benefits attributed to RCTs with longitudinal panels being one important example

Building physics into the social: Enhancing the policy impact of energy studies and energy social science research

A diagnosis for why the social sciences have limited impact on energy policy-making is proposed, and the outline of a remedy presented. The diagnosis identifies the limited use physical science in social studies of energy as a major cause of this lack of impact. This is illustrated by a qualitative review of studies in psychological and sociological approaches and by a quantitative content analysis of all the articles published in Energy Research and Social Science to July 2016. Only around one in ten papers make any meaningful reference to common physical units for energy analysis, with nearly three-quarters making no reference at all to any of these units, in contrast to the pattern observed in the journal Energy Policy. This is important because while it is possible to make realistic but problematic energy policy with only physical and technical data it is not possible to make realistic energy policy with only social data. To bring more physics into social science of energy without the latter simply serving the framework of the former demands a new socio-technical approach to the study of energy. A potential vision for this approach is set out in order to stimulate wider debate in the academy

The psychological impact of a dying child on Chinese family members

Author name used in this publication: Alice Cheng LaiAuthor name used in this publication: Thomas Wong2003-2004 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe