"When we were considering whom to invite to deliver the 2008 Zuckerman lecture we found ourselves regularly coming back to the impact that the EU's Framework Programmes have had on science and innovation, not just in Europe but globally. And so were inevitably drawn to the leader of these programmes, Commissioner Janez Potocnik"
Great George Street, London
17 March 2008
I am delighted to welcome you all here this afternoon for the 2008 Zuckerman Lecture.
These lectures are held annually in honour of Lord Solly Zuckerman, one of the most distinguished scientists of the 20th century. Lord Zuckerman was indispensable to British science for more than sixty years, working first as an anatomist in Birmingham and zoologist and later as a scientific adviser to successive governments. Prime Minister Harold Wilson appointed him as the UK's first Government Chief Scientific Adviser in 1964, and between this time and his official retirement in 1971 Solly Zuckerman was the country's main scientific trouble-shooter. In those crucial years some of the biggest world events were related to science - for example China's nuclear proliferation in 1964, legalised abortion here in this country in 1967 and the moon landing in 1969. The issues of particular concern to Solly Zuckerman in those days still strike a chord with us today - the maintenance of a regular supply of well-qualified scientists, engineers and technicians, environmental protection and the prevention and control of animal diseases. Many of Solly Zuckerman's ideas - the need for independent science advice, evidence based policy making and cross disciplinary working are all still very much at the heart of government science and indeed British science generally.
Of course, science is recognised as a global endeavour and it is with this in mind that each year, a senior international figure in the science world is invited to give the Zuckerman lecture to an audience drawn from industry and the scientific community as well as Government departments and indeed Parliament.
When we were considering whom to invite to deliver the 2008 Zuckerman lecture we found ourselves regularly coming back to the impact that the EU's Framework Programmes have had on science and innovation, not just in Europe but globally. And so were inevitably drawn to the leader of these programmes, Commissioner Janez Potocnik.
Commissioner Potocnik is one of a team of 27 European Commissioners, one from each Member State, who have been working together since November 2004. Each Commissioner has his or her own field of responsibility and Commissioner Potocnik's field of responsibility is Science and Research. His main objective is to improve the situation for research and researchers in the EU because as we know, research leads to knowledge and Europe needs new knowledge for growth and for enhanced quality of life in a globalised world. Although Commissioner Potocnik was nominated for his current post by the Slovenian Government, his role as Commissioner is completely independent from any national government and he is thus well placed to give a wider overview on the impact of science in Europe.
Commissioner Potocnik has done much to raise awareness of the importance of research across the EU and beyond, some of you will no doubt remember his important contribution to the successful UK launch of Framework Programme 7 (FP7) in February of last year, and we are delighted to have him here with us again this afternoon. Sometimes in this country there's a tendency to characterise European politics as being composed of 'faceless bureaucrats' - one look at The Commissioner's lively website and blog will put paid to that idea - I must remember to ask him how he managed to get a galaxy called after him whilst he was in Chile. The Commissioner's enthusiasm for using scientific developments as a force for good really comes across from talking to him and I'm sure this will resonate in his address this afternoon. The Commissioner is going to talk to us on the key issue of 'Europe's global challenges: the knowledge-based response' so without further ado I will hand you over to him.
Please join me in welcoming Commissioner Janez Potocnik.
