Science for Wales 2017 Science for Wales 2017 Cover: False-colour representation of a Gravitational Wave pattern from binary rotating masses. Credit: Numerical – relativistic Simulation: S. Ossokine, A. Buonanno (Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics). Scientific Visualization: W. Benger (Airborne Hydro Mapping GmbH). The Gravitational Physics Group at Cardiff University helped in the first detection of Gravitational Waves – at 9:51am GMT on 14 September 2015. Print ISBN 978-1-78859-764-7 Digital ISBN 978-1-78859-762-3 © Crown copyright 2017 WG33146 Science for Wales 2017 Index Ministerial Foreword Ken Skates AM, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport ii Introduction Professor Julie Williams, Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales 1 Executive summary 3 Chapter 1 How Science benefits alesW 8 Chapter 2 The rationale for developing our strategic approach 12 Chapter 3 Building on research strengths and increasing capacity 18 Chapter 4 Strengths, emerging strengths and impact in research 40 Chapter 5 Women in science in Wales 58 Chapter 6 Engaging the next generation 64 Chapter 7 Science across the Welsh Government 74 Chapter 8 Conclusions, way forward and recommendations 78 Annex 1 NSA 2015 programmes in detail 83 Annex 2 Welsh Strategic Awards for Capital Equipment 86 Annex 3 Research Income of Higher Education Institutions in Wales 2015-16 87 Annex 4 List of acronyms 89 i Science for Wales 2017 Ministerial Foreword The First Minister launched Science for Wales has been added, in light of this research, to – the Welsh Government’s guiding document increase capacity further through bringing for growing science and research for Wales’ in many excellent earlier career researchers. economic and social benefit, back in March This phase is just getting going in 2017. 2012. We have reported on the considerable The report points up areas where we need and pleasing progress made each year since. continued effort and where gaps still remain in building up science capacity, so we can This 2017 report now takes stock of overall remove our deficit completely. progress made toward the goals it set out. Showcasing some exceptional awards made, Equally important has been the response to it looks at impact so far and at delivery the calls in Science for Wales for a modern, through the Sêr Cymru programme across engaging curriculum and robust and relevant Wales, which continues into 2018 and science qualifications. Since 2012, we have beyond. I have been pleased to see both seen a wholesale review of our curriculum considerable accomplishment and grant arrangements, and work is now underway capture. I note also that the programme has with a network of Pioneer Schools to develop attracted considerable interest and praise a specific ‘Areas of Learning and Experience’ from beyond Wales. The ‘Star’ researchers in science and technology and in maths and recruited through it and the coordinated numeracy. We also have new GCSE and research networks established by our A-level qualifications in all the STEM subjects universities, have already brought many coming on-stream, some of which reported millions of additional grant income to Wales. for the first time this summer. This is crucial to address our future skill needs, particularly Scientific research makes an invaluable as we meet the challenges emerging from contribution to the Welsh economy, with BrExit – for Wales and for the wider UK. The our Universities bringing nearly half of all Welsh Government is wholly committed expenditure on research and development to enabling people to develop the skills into Wales. Over four fifths of published they need to get the jobs they want. That research outputs come from them. encompasses our future STEM skill needs, Universities are significant economic actors including the higher-level skills which can in their own communities and represent over lead to stimulating and well paid work in £400 million of export earnings, through research and in technical businesses and research earnings and overseas students. industries. Wales benefits from growth and Whilst we rightly celebrate these strengths in prosperity in the Welsh economy and such Wales’ universities, the report cautions about businesses play a key part in making and a continuing lack of research capacity. Several keeping us competitive and collaborative in targeted pieces of research, published after a challenging time for the UK as a whole. Science for Wales, quantified and detailed Innovative products, processes and services our shortfall of academic researchers. This and developments from cutting-edge shortfall has resulted in Wales, with some research all provide opportunities both to excellent, indeed, world-leading academics, preserve and expand existing markets and to still not winning the proportionate share of move out to find new ones in a post-BrExit competitively-awarded research funding that world. it should. The Sêr Cymru programme had started to address this and a second phase ii Science for Wales 2017 The National Science Academy (NSA) gaps in provision. We face challenging times has, throughout the period of Science for and so alignment to the Welsh Government’s Wales, played an invaluable role funding Programme for Government and the new programmes across Wales to engage and Prosperity for All strategy which underpins enthuse our children and young people it, is crucial. Several areas of science activity about the fun, challenge and interesting provide good examples of the collaborative, potential careers which studying STEM cross portfolio way we need everyone to subjects can bring. They are working on an adopt to allow delivery with diminishing exciting expansion of this mission, as this resources. It looks forward to take account report goes to publication. of the challenges posed by BrExit and the importance of making and maintaining Also covered are efforts to address a long- international collaboration in research and standing and damaging loss of STEM talent. in technology. Forthcoming influences for Girls and women are not pursuing the study the science and research landscape in Wales of many science subjects and then suffer are considered. These include implications shortfalls in recruitment, retention and from proposals in Professor Ellen Hazelkorn’s promotion in science-related research and 2016 Post-compulsory education review hi-tech. businesses. A Welsh Government and Professor Graeme Reid’s (University commissioned independent report on this College, London) on-going work to identify issue: Talented Women for a Successful current research and innovation strengths, Wales made 33 recommendations. All have outlining how they can be developed to been accepted by the Welsh Government increase engagement and economic growth, and a Ministerially-chaired Board has now supporting business, communities and been set up, consisting of appropriate Government effectively. We are determined Ministers and prominent and influential to see highly effective engagement between external representatives, to oversee progress universities, industry and the NHS and social on these recommendations. care to drive economic growth through Our outgoing Chief Scientific Adviser for applied research and innovation. I look Wales, Professor Julie Williams, was a catalyst forward to working with the new Chief for getting the ‘Talented Women..’ report Scientific Adviser for Wales from 2018 on commissioned and published. To her, we owe these important issues, with such potential also the additional multi-million elements of to help our economy to thrive. Sêr Cymru, developed to bring in additional excellent stars and earlier career researchers, building on current strengths and developing new ones. She also oversaw a review of the NSA’s strategy for investment, which brought more focus for its limited funding, to address issues of particular concern. I would like to thank her for all her contributions. The report concludes by evaluating our strategic approach, taking into account Ken Skates AM the impacts of the intervention we have Cabinet Secretary for undertaken, benefits delivered and identified Economy and Transport iii Science for Wales 2017 Introduction Science for Wales has been a guiding teams in new areas identified as being document for over five years now. So, as of strategic importance to Wales. I come to the end of my term as Chief We have recruited over 190 Research Scientific Adviser for Wales, I felt it would Fellows and PhDs through Sêr Cymru, be useful to not only take stock of the including 4 Re-capturing Talent Fellows, pleasing progress we have made but also to to build on our current research strengths. point to areas where we need to continue We have also attracted 7 Rising stars our current efforts and look to the future. and 11 Star Research chairs with their Economically, Wales is increasingly reliant on teams to Wales, supporting strategically ingenuity and a knowledge-based economy. important areas, including compound Excellence in research, in both discovery semi-conductors (CS); nuclear and green and applied science will be an important energy; life sciences and climate change. component of future economic success. Equally pleasing have been the developments Wales would also benefit from a more in the world of education, where the calls in co-ordinated pathway between research, Science for Wales for a modern, engaging innovation and industry/commerce. We are curriculum and robust and relevant science a small nation, where our agility could be of qualifications have been addressed. A major advantage in achieving our full potential. transformation of the wider curriculum, We are fortunate that scientific research which includes specific ‘Areas of learning in Wales has been shown to punch above and experience’ in science and technology its weight on many occasions. It makes a and in maths and numeracy is now bedding genuine impact on the global stage. We in. New GCSEs and A-Levels are now being point to some great exemplars of world- taught. Plans to bring greater professional leading research right here – including support and training to our teachers are our Sêr Cymru Research chairs and their also underway through National Networks teams.