The Science Council’s CPD Awards, “A Celebration of Science” and Sir Gareth Roberts Lecture 2022

The Science Council’s CPD Awards, “A Celebration of Science” and Sir Gareth Roberts Lecture 2022: “Powering the Future- A research and innovation system for the 21st Century” A report by Michael Brookes

Image of a clock tower and a tube station entrance at night

The University and its technical community were represented by Michael Brookes (Technician Champion – Faculty of Medicine and Health) at the Science Council’s annual Sir Gareth Roberts Lecture. This was held at the Institute of Mechanical Engineering headquarters in London on the 21st November 2022. Dame Ottoline Leyser gave this lecture where she reminded the audience that Sir Gareth Roberts reported on the state of British Science research 20 years ago. In her lecture she insisted that many of the issues he highlighted still exist in research today. She described the perception of the lone working researcher as an anachronism, that modern day research involves collaboration of many people requiring a variety of skills. A chef on an Antarctic survey ship was given as an example of someone crucial to research work to illustrate the point that people of all backgrounds are crucial to effective and pertinent research. 

An underlying message was that the UK needs to build its research primarily on the funding coming from the UK government and that collaborative work will help to spread those funds between many organisations. Technicians weren’t specifically mentioned but the unsaid message was that all people in research are recognised under the Science Council’s professional registration scheme.

Following the lecture, CPD awards were presented to registered scientists regarding their commitment to continuing professional development over the last year. With it being the first face to face presentation since the Covid lockdowns, the winners from 2020 and 2021 were mentioned. Then the awards to the winners in the: Chartered Science Teacher, Chartered Scientist; Registered Scientist and Registered Science technician categories were presented. The winners came from: the Association of Science Education; Association of Neurophysiological Scientists and the Institute of Science and Technology. Five further commendations were given. This year, unfortunately, there was no one from the University of Leeds but next year it could be anyone reading this article who is registered with a professional body in the Science Council.
 

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