Life at the science-policy interface: the why and the how of it

Why do researchers such as myself engage across the science-policy interface? And how do we go about it? In this session, I will discuss how I came to be so involved in marine policy and management, and use my own experiences and observations as researcher and past policy practitioner to illustrate the benefits of engagement, and how to overcome some perceived barriers. And hopefully inspire you to become more engaged across the science-policy interface.

My current role is as a UK Natural Environment Research Council (the UK public funding body for environmental science) Knowledge Exchange Fellow – I’m funded to facilitate increased uptake of marine scientific research (my own and others) into marine policy and management, and to assist in educating both the science and policy communities in how to effectively communicate with each other. I work with UK national and devolved administrations and public bodies, foreign administrations and international organisations providing scientific advice to governments such as International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), and have worked with Federal and State level agencies in the USA – helping knowledge to flow between scientists and policy practitioners and managers. And you can be part of this knowledge flow too.

I am currently running a project with another Knowledge Exchange Fellow (Dr Katherine Yates, University of Salford) using surveys and workshops to assist researchers and policy practitioners in maximizing the benefits of working together, and minimizing barriers. I will share some results of this work here, so you can build on the experience of numerous others in your own engagement.