A Scientist in theForeign Office?
Robin Grimes
MoD Nuclear Chief Scientific Adviser& Imperial College London

Within the FCO, the Chief Scientific Adviser &Economic Diplomacy Directorate are the S&I
focal points• The CSA can be called upon to look across the full rangeof FCO policy.
• Ensures that FCO policy is informed by the best available
science & has access to appropriate science networks.
• Provides advice to the Foreign Secretary and Ministers.
Economic
Diplomacy
DirectorChief
ScientificAdviser
Science andInnovation

Commercial& Economic
Diplomacy

ClimateChange andEnergy

EmergingPowersThe Policy-Science Nexus
Three categories associated with: policy makers, policy
implementers and the public. One enabling cross cutting
theme: understanding the effectiveness of activities.
• Science and Policy Makers• Standing groups, Enquiries• Activities of Science Councils• Arm length groups, Academies• Science Across Government• Governmental science advisors and groups• Government Laboratories (e.g. JRCs)• Innovation organisations (e.g. Fraunhofer),• Science & the Public• Science Media, Science journalists, Universities, Schoolscience.

Who we are & what we do• 1 of 5 Civil Service analyticalprofessions• Over 10,000 Civil Servants• Diverse skills, knowledge &expertise• Located across the UK• Intelligent customer &supplier• Global challenges: poverty,
disease, climate change,
crime & terrorism

A network of Chief Scientific Advisers

Prof Patrick
Vallance
GCSA

Prof Dame
Sally Davies
CMO

Prof Phil
BlytheDfT

ProfCharlotte Watts
DFID

Prof Stephen
Belcher MetOfficeProf Andrew
Curran HSE

Prof Carole
Mundell
FCOProf John Aston
Home OfficeProf Peter
Freer Smith
Forestry C.

Prof Ian
BoydDefraProfChris Whitty
DHProf Joe Butler
DCMS

Prof Anthony
Dr Tim Leung Prof Mike ShortFinkelstein
DIT
DfE
National Security

Prof Guy Poppy
Food Standards
AgencyProf Sheila
Rowan
ScotlandProf PeterHalligan
Wales

Prof Robin
GrimesMoD (nuclear)

Prof John
Loughead
BEIS

Prof Bernadette
Hannigan (interim)Northern Ireland

CSA leadership in a specific area: nuclear• Led the UK delegation to the 58th
and 60th General Conferences• Chaired the UK-Japan Nuclear
Dialogue last 5 years• Promoted the work of the CTBTO
and GICNT• Designed the UK nuclear community
international research engagement
strategy• Chair of the UK Nuclear AcademicDiscussion Meeting

Scientific Advisers in otherForeign Ministries
Many countries have science advisors,
only a few are based in Foreign Ministries• USA – Vaughan Turekian• Japan – Teruo Kishi• New Zealand – Peter Gluckman• Senegal - Aminata Sall Diallo• Poland - Marek Konarzewski• Oman - Yousuf AL-Bulushi• …. Watch this space(FMSTAN)LDSC – London Diplomatic Science Club
Imperial College
Event – explaining to
the LDSC how new
materials aretransforming society
and describing
opportunities forcollaboration withUK universities.

Science & Innovation Network
Around 100 SIN Officers in 39 countries and territories• Cover all aspects of science & innovation working together on SIN strategy.
• Both UK based staff and locally engaged.
• Work with Newton Officers, DFID and UKRI (in UK, China & India).
• Facilitate inward missions of UK scientists into their countries and outward
missions to the UK.

Science and innovation partnerships that promote the economic
development and welfare of developing countries.
People:fellowships, mobility schemes and joint centers
Programmes: research collaborations on development topics
Translation: innovative solutions on development topics£735m over seven years (2014-2021) + partner funding

MexicoBrazilKazakhstan
TurkeyChina
Egypt
Kenya India

Colombia
Chile

South Africa

SE Asia:
Indonesia
Malaysia
ThailandPhilippines
VietnamWhat is Science Diplomacy?
Science in diplomacy

Science informs policy objectives by providing
robust evidence or access to people &networks – science supports diplomaticcompetencies

Science for diplomacy

Science as a beach-head, leading to improved
political, social and economic links, builds
confidence – science builds diplomatic
relations

Diplomacy for science

Helping scientists to achieve their goals – diplomacy supports scienceBasedon: Royal Society
Report January 2010 “New frontiers in science
The Scienceof diplomacy
diplomacy”
RS Policy
document
01/10.diplomacy works – the discipline
Understanding
what andhow scienceWhy Science
is in theDiplomatic
Tool BoxRecent Publication
Turekian V., Gluckman P. D.,
Kishi T. & Grimes R. W.
“Science Diplomacy: A
Pragmatic Perspective fromthe Inside”
Science & Diplomacy, 6,(2017).

Why Science Diplomacy?
Science in
the Process
Science in
Diplomacy

The
Science ofDiplomacy

Diplomacy
for Science

Science forDiplomacy

Science Delivered witha Diplomatic Context
InternationalDevelopment

Actions that:Security• Advance a
country’s
needs

Prosperity
Environment
Resources
Healthy Living• Address crossboarderinterests• Meet global
needs andchallenges

Common National Concerns (Interlinked)
Food production

Minerals

Climatechange

Conflict &Terrorism

Demographics
is a driver
Ecosystems

Water
resource
Health &development

Energysecurity &supply

Key issues that drive Whitehall agenda

Infrastructure

Emergencies

The Economy

Science Policy

Science Advice:
Mitigating Risk

Foresight –Future of Flooding

The National
Risk Register

Our ability to respond to disaster risk relies
on a scientific value chain

Observations

Interpretation,
Risk Analysis &Communication
Forecast model output

Forecasts andadvice

UK-Spain Science Diplomacy & Science Advice• 2013 - 2017 Policy influencing& raising awareness: seniorvisits (ES Minister to the UK),
media, HMA and SIN
engagement and relationshipbuilding on the ground.
• 2016 Spain builds a network of S&I officers.
• 2017 UK/Spain Science Policy Advice event – FCO, POST &Royal Society engagement.
• 2018 - Spain aims to build asimilar structure, including POST.
• A similar science policy context
will lead to more bilateralcollaboration.

ScienceDiplomacywithArgentina:

• Agreed between Foreign Secretary Johnson & Russian
Foreign Minister Lavrov November 2016
• Officially launched on 27 January in Moscow• Public celebration of science links including lectures &events focused on hot topics or policy challenges:– high-level roundtable on antimicrobial resistance– 100 Years of Black Holes– ‘Science Café’ on cell physiology– Geological Institutes meeting– Bilateral Paleontology workshop

Giving Science Advice:
The ground rules
1. Clear roles andresponsibilities
2. Independence
3. Transparency andopenness
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/scientific-advice-to-government-principles

Championing science diplomacy

Questions?

@RobinWGrimes@UKSINet