James Wilsdon is Director of the Science Policy Centre at the Royal Society.
The Royal Society Science Policy Centre (SPC) aims to strengthen the voice of science in UK, European and international policy. Its work is organised under four themes - sustainability, diplomacy, innovation and governance – and recent projects include ‘Geoengineering the Climate: science, governance and uncertainty’ (Sept 2009), ‘Reaping the Benefits: science and the sustainable intensification of global agriculture’ (Nov 2009) and ‘New frontiers in science diplomacy’ (Jan 2010).
James Wilsdon became Director of the SPC in September 2008, and coordinates the Society's UK and international policy work. From 2001 to 2008, James worked at the think tank Demos, first as Head of Strategy, then as Head of Science and Innovation. He was also Director of ‘The Atlas of Ideas' project, which explored the changing geography of science and innovation in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. He has researched and published widely on science and innovation policy, sustainable development, emerging technologies and the globalisation of research.
From 1997 to 2001, he was Senior Policy Adviser at the sustainability charity Forum for the Future. He has a first-class degree in philosophy and theology from Oxford University and a doctorate in technology policy from Middlesex University. He is also an Honorary Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Studies at Lancaster University, a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts, a Trustee of People and Planet, and a member of the RCUK Advisory Panel on Public Engagement with Research.
James is an experienced public speaker and has written for a variety of publications, including The Financial Times, The Guardian, Times Higher Education, SEED, China Daily, OpenDemocracy and Green Futures.
His publications include: The Atlas of Ideas: How Asian innovation can benefit us all (with C Leadbeater), Demos, 2007; China: the next science superpower? (with J Keeley), Demos, 2007; The new geography of science: UK research and international collaboration (with J Adams), Evidence Ltd., 2006; Governing at the nanoscale: people, policies and emerging technologies (with M Kearnes and P Macnaghten), Demos, 2006; Better Humans? The politics of human enhancement and life extension (edited with P Miller), Demos, 2006; The Future of Technology Assessment (with M Rodemeyer & D Sarewitz) Woodrow Wilson Centre, Washington DC, 2005; The Public Value of Science: or how to ensure that science really matters (with B Wynne and J Stilgoe), Demos, 2005; See-through Science: why public engagement needs to move upstream (with R Willis), Demos, 2004; Masters of the Universe: science, politics and the new space race (Demos, 2004); Digital Futures : living in a networked world, (Earthscan, 2001)