• Date: Thurdsay 7th March 2019, 19:00 – 21:00
  • Location: Pavilion Room, Hughes Hall, CB1 2EW
  • Register for this event here.

    Join us for an evening with elected county councillors and senior local government officers from the Cambridgeshire County Council to discuss key policy questions affecting the lives of local residents, and how research can contribute to the council’s work in addressing these issues. Additional details, including speakers and the policy areas to be covered, will be announced in a subsequent newsletter.

    This event will mark the launch of the 2019 round of the Policy Challenges, a skills-based volunteering programme in which teams of early-career researchers work directly with the county council over a six-month period to formulate evidence-based recommendations on local policy issues. All are welcome to attend the event, whether or not you intend to apply for the Policy Challenges.

    The county council are in the process of identifying policy areas for the 2019 Policy Challenges, which will run from March to September. Topics under consideration include: outcomes measurement in commerce and investment policy, local government services for generation Z, evaluating the impact of a public health programme, and how architecture affects local schools. The final selection of topics will be announced when applications open in early March.

    Click here for more information on the 2019 Policy Challenges, and to register your interest in applying.

    • Many of us wonder where to live in the upcoming 10-20 years. There are so many opportunities around the world for us; travelling and moving was never so easy. Today, England may be our home, tomorrow it might be Japan and in 5 years the US. Recently, there have been many innovative ideas in trying to solve these megaproblems. Advanced technologies together with smart policy-making will be the key in solving these issues.

    Speakers:

    Dr. Yin Jin is a the director of the Martin Center at the University of Cambridge. Ying Jin will use his current work for the long term planning of Cambridge city region as an example to discuss how to foresee the growth and change of cities, and why it is particularly important to understand societal and technological trends today in designing cities

    C. J. Lim is a Professor of Architecture and Urbanism at the University College London. His work addresses what the spatial and phenomenological implications are when sustainable design is applied to a city and the role that citizens play in the production of a relevant social space.

    The workshop is relevant to anyone seeking to influence policy makers, explain the significance of their research or improve their writing skills. It will cover the key aspects of writing to support policy development. This will be an interactive session, including time for Q&A.

    Speaker: Dr Andrew Kaye, Head of International Resilience, Government Office for Science

    Dr Kaye is currently responsible for coordinating science advice during emergencies. Previously he has been a ministerial speechwriter, worked in government communications and lectured in American history.

    • Date: 28th November 2018, 17:50 – 20:00 (including a drinks reception)
    • Location: Department of Engineering, Lecture Room 4

    What does the UK Parliament do? How can scientists engage with Parliamentary themes?

    A lot of scientific research has policy impact. The UK Parliament is the main policy-making body in this country. Come to our event to learn more about how scientific insight is implemented in Parliament. The main topics of the workshop will include current themes discussed by the Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST). The workshop is open to both UK and international students with an interest in scientific research with a policy impact.

    The workshop was led by Sky Yarlett, Senior Education and Engagement Officer, UK Parliament.

    Sky’s role includes raising awareness of Parliament’s activities and promoting higher engagement from different groups, particularly hard-to-reach ones, such as BAME, women, unemployed or low-income groups. Sky has a degree in Contemporary Media Practice from the University of Westminster and her professional experience includes running different student or LGBTQ+ campaigns and promoting student representation at different levels.

    • Date: Tuesday 16th October 2017, 18:30
    • Location: Nihon Room, Pembroke College

    Join CUSPE and a number of other organisations for brief introductions to learn more about the science policy community in Cambridge.

    This drinks reception is the perfect chance to find out about the role of science in policy making, to hear from policy-related organisations and initiatives in Cambridge – such as CUSPE, The Wilberforce Society and Shaping Horizons – and to meet policy professionals, other researchers and students interested in science policy.

    This event is free to attend, with short talks starting at 18:30.

    Due to limited places for this event, sign up in advance here.