news THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH ISSUE 32 SUMMER 2011 RESOURCE THE NEWSLETTER OF SCOTLAND’ S NATIONAL ACADEMY NEW FELLOWS WELCOMED TO THE SOCIETY New Fellow, Barbara Rae CBE (pictured) is an artist whose work is included in many private collections in Britain, Europe and the USA, as well as in many public and corporate collections. Dr Rae was born in Falkirk and educated in Edinburgh where she now lives and works. Forty-five new Fellows were elected to the Fellowship in March 2011, most of whom attended an Induction Day at the Society in May. Full details of all the new Fellows can be found on our website at www.royalsoced.org.uk and some photographs from the event are reproduced on the back page. Reconstructing the pastCurrent developments Looking to the future Evidence and Advice A COMMON STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION FUNDING In May, the RSE responded to a European Commission consultation on future EU funding for research and innovation. This consultation is part of a process through which the EU aims to bring together and simplify current funding programmes, make participation easier and increase scientific and economic value. An RSE Working Group was set up to prepare the response. Key points emphasised include: • EU research and innovation funding must be carefully targeted on where it can add value, and be seen to add value, to national efforts. There are three characteristics of EU-level funding and activity that are of significant value: mobility; coordination; and solidarity. • Mobility is a natural driver of collaboration, bringing together European research groups involving the highest levels of talent. Coordinating activity through such collaboration and through avoiding duplication is one of the most valuable roles the EU fulfils. • Cohesion policy must be designed to support less competitive regions in building research capacity and driving entrepreneurship and innovation to ensure solidarity. • It is imperative that research in the social sciences and humanities be given equal status to that of other sciences and engineering. In order to address key challenges in areas such as health and climate change we need a deeper understanding of how to influence attitudes and behaviours. CARLOWAY REVIEW OF THE LAW AND PRACTICE RELATING TO THE DETENTION AND QUESTIONING OF SUSPECTS In June an RSE working group responded to Lord Carloway’s review of the law and practice relating to the detention and questioning of suspects in light of the decision in the recent case of Cadder. This decision held that the right to a fair trial, enshrined in Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, would generally be breached if the prosecutor made use of evidence obtained from questioning a ‘suspect’ detained in police custody before the individual had had the opportunity to receive legal advice. The working group is concerned that the Carloway Review may not provide the opportunity required for a study in depth of the core principles of criminal law and procedure. Key recommendations set out in the paper are that: • The issues should be considered on a much broader basis, and with the depth that the Scottish Law Commission, or some larger body led by them, could bring to such a study. • More particularly, the decision in Cadder was limited in scope, and the Supreme Court must be expected to develop its own jurisprudence as the cases already referred by the Lord Advocate, and appeals already in hand, are considered and disposed of. • It is impossible at this stage to anticipate the outcome of this process, or to predict the success or otherwise of the emergency legislation already in force in the context of that developing jurisprudence. • A critical question is the point at which the status of ‘suspect’ arises, by requiring the provision of legal advice on his rights in responding to police questioning. The resolution of that issue is by no means clear. • Until one knows the direction likely to be taken by the Supreme Court, and the European Court, the development of a legislative solution is in a real sense premature since it comes before the problem has been fully defined. 2 [email protected] FORTHCOMING EVENTS SEPTEMBER 2011 Monday 5 September 2011 at 6 pm LECTURE Radiation and Reason: Straight and Open Thinking About Choosing Nuclear Professor Wade Allison, Emeritus Fellow, Keble College, Oxford For more than 60 years, it has been accepted that radiation, that is nuclear radiation, is quite exceptionally dangerous. In this lecture, this question is re-examined and the answer is shown to be rather unexpected. This will be explained in simple terms using incontrovertible evidence. In the light of such fresh understanding, nuclear technology may be welcomed and used carefully to benefit the environment for the future without fear or excessive cost. This lecture forms part of an Ordinary Meeting and so shall be preceded by Society business such as Fellows signing the Roll. Monday 26 September 2011 Climate change will affect us all, for example in energy, food security, population migration and competition for resources. Scotland, given its long history as a major at 6 pm contributor to rising greenhouse gas levels and access to renewable energy resources, has a role to play. The RSE Inquiry Facing up to Climate Change sought evidence from DISCUSSION FORUM a wide variety of people and organisations to highlight the opportunities of a transition to a low-carbon future and the barriers to change. Lord Turner and Professor Sugden Facing up to Climate Change will discuss what the challenges are and what the future may hold. The Rt Hon Lord Adair Turner Professor David Sugden FRSE, Professor HonFRSE, Chairman of the of Geography, University of Edinburgh Financial Services Authority and Chair, RSE Climate Change Inquiry TICKETS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL RSE EVENTS – RSE Lectures and Discussion Forums are open to all and normally free to attend* but registration is required. To register please contact the Events Team. Please note that many RSE events run to full capacity. If you book a place at any event but are unable to attend, please inform the RSE Events Department so that your place can be reallocated. To book tickets go online at: www.royalsoced.org.uk or phone the events ticket line: 0131 240 2780 For further information on all RSE events, visit www.royalsoced.org.uk or contact: [email protected] *some events may carry a charge to attend; please see individual events for registration details 3 Innovation rewarded RSE ENTREPRENEURS’ CLUB – INNOVATORS, SPIRITS AND DRAGONS! The RSE’s Entrepreneurs’ Club met on the evening of Thursday 7 April, following a full day of presentations by current Enterprise Fellows, some of whom were mid-year in their Fellowships and others who were completing theirs. The theme of the evening was The challenges of seeking competitive funding. This was attended by 35 people including three past Enterprise Fellows who recounted their experiences of being part of a competitive process in which they had varying degrees of success. DR JOHN MARCH John is a former Scottish Enterprise Enterprise The public voted on their favourite individual in different categories: Writing; Fellow and now CEO of BigDNA Ltd, Roslin. Art; Music; Screen; Environment; Business; Sport and Food. The selection BigDNA is a vaccine development company panel shortlisted four finalists in each category and The Scotsman Magazine which commercialises vaccine products to profiled those shortlisted in each of the Awards categories over the next few combat human diseases – www.bigdna.com weeks to allow the public to cast their votes. This was a powerful awareness- raising opportunity for the finalists and John appreciated the press attention his company received as a result. John admitted he was surprised to win (and delighted with the bottle of whisky he received from the sponsors). At the awards ceremony he was in the company of Paolo Nutini, who won the music award, and ‘Dr Who’ actress Karen Gillan, who was nominated in the screen category. It was a glittering occasion and a night when science fact met science fiction! John was nominated for the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards® in the business category. The awards were established by the independent family-owned single malt whisky brand to recognise individuals who lead the way in various Dr March is pictured (left) with John Swinney MSP, who opened the facilities aspects of Scottish culture. at Roslin in May 2009. 4 RALF KLINNERT DR ANDREW ALMOND Ralf is a former Scottish Enterprise, Enterprise Fellow and now Managing Director of Funky Moves Ltd, Livingston. Funky Moves is an energetic start-up company with a novel approach to, and passion for, physical activity and sport www.funky-moves.co.uk Ralf was recently head hunted to take part in the BBC programme Dragons’ Den. Out of the blue he received a telephone call from BBC Manchester inviting him to take part. This was an opportunity Ralf seized, thinking he had nothing to lose but not expecting to get past the first round. Following a telephone interview and then Andrew, a former BBSRC Enterprise an audition with BBC representatives in Fellow, is now CEO of Conformetrix Ltd, Manchester, Ralf was told he had reached Manchester. Conformetrix has a vision the final selection. He was invited to make to lead the ligand-based design revolution his pitch to the Dragons and began to in pharmaceutical drug discovery prepare for his fifteen minutes of fame. – www.conformetrix.com Ralf confessed that it wasn’t until he was climbing the famous stairs into the Den that Andrew was nominated for the BBSRC what he was doing suddenly struck him! Innovator of the Year award in 2009 and got through the preliminary rounds, Ralf gave a very professional pitch which was initially followed by quite negative comments.