Science advice

Science advice is the process, structures and institutions through which governments and politicians consider science, technology and innovation information in policy- and decision- making. Across different national governments and international bodies, there are a variety of structures and institutions for scientific advice. They reflect distinctive cultures and traditions of decision-making, which Sheila Jasanoff has termed the ‘civic epistemology’[1] through which expert claims are constructed, validated or challenged in a given society.

Science advice can also be called "science for policy," indicating the flow of information from scientific to policy domains with the intention of informing decisions. This is distinct from "policy for science," the institutions, rules and norms governing how science is funded, conducted, and communicated.

At the national level, countries have diverse models for how to connect scientists and policymakers. In some countries, the president of the National academy, an elected organization of distinguished researchers in natural and social sciences, engineering, medicine, and the humanities, serves as a government science advisor, while other countries have an advisory committee or civil servants perform this role.[2] National academies are often commissioned to write reports advising government on the state of scientific knowledge to inform policy-relevant questions, such as the risk from chemicals or disease.

Other countries, such as the UK, have a wide range of sources of expert scientific advice which draw on several of these sources.[3]

At the international level, there is an increasing movement to bring together national science advisors to share best practices and form a network to deal with global challenges (e.g., pandemics, climate change). The first global Science Advice to Governments meeting was held in Auckland, New Zealand on August 27–28, 2014. This meeting brought together high-level science advisors, scientists, and practitioners to discuss the relationship between science and policy.[4] A new network of European science academies was established at the European Open Science meeting in Copenhagen in June 2014,[2] which now includes 20 countries.[5]

The International Council for Science (ICSU) is a major international organization with a program in science for policy.[6]

Science advice structures

A briefing paper,[3] described four of the most commonly used science advice structures for jurisdictions: advisory councils, advisory committees, national academies, and chief scientific advisors. These structures are most commonly employed at the national level, but may also be used in sub-national jurisdictions like Quebec, or supra-national bodies like the European Commission, which has an in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre.

Science advice also occurs at sub-national levels, where structures may include departmental scientific advisors (for example, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and at the international level, where networks such as the International Council for Science coordinate science for policy, for example through serving as the science voice in the United Nations.

For any of these structures, individual experts may be asked for advice in specific circumstances.

Science Advice Structure[3]Explanation[3]
Advisory councilsMany economies have a high-level council for science (or science and innovation) policy. Members typically include senior scientists, alongside representatives of industry, higher education and civil society. Examples include Japan’s Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI) and the US President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). Another example is Australia, where chief scientist Ian Chubb established the Commonwealth Science Council to advise the government on policy. However, in most systems, the focus of such entities remains on policy advice in relation to the science system, which is distinct from science advice for public policy.
Advisory committeesMost governments also rely on an array of specialized scientific and expert committees, which can address detailed technical and regulatory issues in areas such as health, environment and food safety. For example, the US and Japan have hundreds of such committees; the UK has over seventy.
National academiesA growing number of national academies are active in science policy and/or policy for science. In economies such as Canada, China, Germany, Netherlands, South Africa, US and UK, academies are an important source of scientific advice. Furthermore, networks of national academies such as the International Council for Science, with a membership of 121 national bodies, representing 141 economies, and 31 International Scientific Unions, and the Inter-Academy Partnership, the global network of science academies from 107 economies are actively involved in science for policy processes at the international level.
Chief scientific advisorsThe first chief scientific advisor was appointed by the US in 1957, followed by the UK in 1964. The first chief scientific advisor in Quebec, Canada, was appointed in 2011.

Science advice by jurisdiction (nation-state, sub-national jurisdictions, and supra-national bodies)

JurisdictionNational Science Advice Structure/s[3]Chief Advisors/Key institutions
AustriaNational academyAustrian Academy of Sciences
CanadaAdvisory council

• The Science, Technology and Innovation Council[7]

CanadaNational academyThe Royal Society of Canada

Council of Canadian Academies

CanadaChief Science AdvisorsNational: Chief Science Advisor

• Quebec chief scientist: Remi Quirion[8]

ChileNational academy and National Congress LibraryChilean Science Academy Science and technology in Chile
DenmarkNational academyRoyal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters
European UnionNational academies and Chief Science AdvisorsScientific Advice Mechanism and within it, SAPEA
FranceNational academyFrench Academy of Sciences
IrelandNational academyRoyal Irish Academy Royal Irish Academy
IrelandChief science advisorsGovernment Chief Scientific Adviser (Ireland)[9]
United States of AmericaNational academyNational Academy of Sciences
United States of AmericaChief Science AdvisorsScience Advisor to the President
United States of America (California) Advisory organization California Ocean Science Trust
United KingdomNational AcademyThe Royal Society[10]
United KingdomChief Science AdvisorsNational: Government Chief Scientific Adviser

• Departmental science advisors are listed online.[11]

PortugalNational AcademyAcademia das Ciências de Lisboa
New ZealandNational AcademyRoyal Society of New Zealand[12]
New ZealandChief scientific AdvisorProf Juliet Gerrard[13]
GreeceNational AcademyAcademy of Athens
GermanyNational AcademyGerman National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina [14]
CubaNational AcademyAcademia de Ciencias de Cuba
CubaChief Science AdvisorsCastro Díaz-Balart
AustraliaNational AcademyAustralian Academy of Science
AustraliaChief Science AdvisorsNational: Alan Finkel[15]

• NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer, Hugh F. Durrant-Whyte[16]

• QLD Chief Scientist, incumbent suspended[17]

• SA Chief Scientist, Caroline McMillen[18]

• VIC Lead Scientist, Amanda Caples[19]

• Chief Scientist of WA, Peter Klinken[20]

AustraliaState government science agencyThe NSW Office of Environment & Heritage, with Dr. Kate Wilson[21]

Western Australia Office of science[22]

KenyaNational AcademyKenya National Academy of Sciences
KenyaChief Science AdvisorsShaukat A. Abdulrazak
MalaysiaNational AcademyAcademy of Sciences Malaysia
MalaysiaChief Science AdvisorsZakri Abdul Hamid
ChinaNational AcademyChinese Academy of Sciences

Chinese Academy of Social SciencesChinese Academy of Engineering

FinlandAdvisory CouncilThe Council of Finnish Academies
IndiaNational AcademyIndian National Science Academy
ItalyNational AcademyL'Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei
JapanAdvisory CouncilCouncil for Science Technology and Innovation (CSTI)[23]
MongoliaNational AcademyMongolian Academy of Sciences
SwedenNational AcademyThe Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences[24]
SwitzerlandNational AcademyThe Swiss Academy of Sciences
South KoreaNational AcademyNational Academy of Sciences, Republic of Korea
South AfricaNational AcademyAcademy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)[25]
El SalvadorNational AcademyViceministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología[26]
ThailandAdvisory CouncilNational Research Council of Thailand[27]

[28]References

  1. Ezrahi, Yaron (2008-05-07). "Controlling Biotechnology: Science, Democracy and 'Civic Epistemology'". Metascience. 17 (2): 177–98. doi:10.1007/s11016-008-9201-6.
  2. Wilsdon, James; Allen, Kristiann; Paulavets, Katsia (2014-08-27). "A rough guide to science advice | Science". The guardian. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  3. "Science Advice to Governments: Diverse systems, common challenges" (PDF). Global science advice. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  4. "INGSA". Global science advice. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  5. "1000 days in the life of a science advisor". Slideshare. 2014-08-31. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  6. "Introduction: Science for Policy". ICSU. 2015-05-25. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  7. "Home". STIC. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  8. "Message from the Chief Scientist Officer". Fonds de recherche du Québec. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  9. "Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish government". Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  10. "Royal Society". Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  11. "Chief Scientific Advisers". UK government. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  12. "Royal Society of New Zealand". Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  13. "Office of the Prime Minister's Science Advisory Committee, New Zealand". Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  14. "About us". Leopoldina. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  15. "A Chief Scientist for a Big-Thinking Australia" (PDF). Australia's Chief Scientist. 2015-10-27. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  16. "New NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer appointed". NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer. 2018-05-29. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  17. Gartry, Laura (2017-12-19). "Suspended Queensland chief scientist charged with 31 more fraud offences". ABC News. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  18. "New Chief Scientist for South Australia". Steven Marshall | Premier of South Australia. 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  19. "Dr Amanda Caples: Introducing the Lead Scientist". Economic Development, Jobs, Transport & Resources Victoria. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  20. "Office of Science - Chief Scientist of WA". Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  21. "OEH divisions and groups". NSW Environment & Heritage. 2015-01-12. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  22. "Office of Science - WA Science Awards". Dpc.wa.gov.au. 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  23. "Council for Science and Technology Policy – Cabinet Office". Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  24. "Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien – KVA". Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  25. "ASSAf – Academy of Science of South Africa". 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  26. "Viceministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología". Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  27. "National Research Council of Thailand – NRCT". Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  28. "Ocean Science Trust". Retrieved 2023-10-25.
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