Arthur Peterson, from STEaPP, UCL, will give a seminar on ‘The ethos of scientific advice’ as part of the SPRU Friday Seminar Series on Friday, 20th November 2015. The seminar will be chaired by Andy Stirling (SPRU), and followed by a Roundtable on ‘Dilemmas of Uncertainty in the Politics of Science and Innovation’, with James Wilsdon and Erik Millstone as panellists.

The seminar will begin at 1pm in the Lecture Theatre 144 in the Jubilee Building, at the University of Sussex, and end at approximately 2.45pm.

All welcome! 

Please note sandwiches will be available beforehand from 12:45pm. Coffee/tea/biscuits will be available from 2pm after a very short break, introducing the discussion sessions.

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Abstract:  

There are many theories that can inform analysis of how science advice is done or should be done. Here I define “science advice” as “practices involving individuals, organisations and structures that mobilise natural and social scientific and engineering knowledge into public decision-making”. In this seminar, I will demonstrate that although some theories are well elaborated, empirical proof for the described changes, roles and processes in scientific advice is limited. After reviewing literature and outstanding questions on roles of scientific advisors at local, national and international levels, I will offer a pragmatist analysis of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Subsequently, I will assess capacity-building needs in science advice across a range of cultural and political contexts, and governance scales: What skills do future science advisors and recipients of science advice need to deal responsibly with their tasks? I will conclude with presenting elements of an ethos of scientific advice, which are based on experiences with implementing post-normal science at the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.

Bio: 

Professor Arthur C Petersen (DPA PhD MA MSc) joined UCL STEaPP fulltime in September 2014 after more than 13 years’ work as scientific adviser on environment and infrastructure policy within the Dutch Government. Most recently he served as Chief Scientist of the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (2011–2014).
Arthur is also Adjunct Professor of Science and Environmental Public Policy at the VU University Amsterdam (since 2011) and Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (since 2009), and has been Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (2009–2014) and at UCL STEaPP (January–August 2014).
Arthur studied physics and philosophy, obtained doctorate degrees in atmospheric sciences (Doctor of Philosophy – PhD, Utrecht University, 1999) and philosophy of science (Doctor of Public Administration – DPA, VU University Amsterdam, 2006), and now also finds disciplinary homes in anthropology and political science. Most of his research is about managing uncertainty.