Royal Society co-hosts science diplomacy roundtable in Moscow

The Royal Society and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research will hold a high-level event on 18-19 May 2017 in Moscow to bring together key UK,  Russian and international scientists and experts from leading research organizations, universities, ministries, advisory bodies and the local research community.

The roundtable is expected to cover different dimensions of science diplomacy, interactions between science and foreign policy, focusing in particular on experience accumulated by Russia and the UK. The expert discussion will address a number of issues, including how science can be factored in the policy generation process and used to enhance national and international interests; science diplomacy in the face of global challenges; science diplomacy and infrastructure; potential avenues for further development of science diplomacy, and others. The participants are invited to share their personal experiences of science diplomacy. 

The Royal Society delegation includes the following speakers: 

• Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff FRS, former Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society (co-chair) 
• Professor Polina Bayvel FRS, Professor of Optical Communications and Networks, University College London
• Jonathan Brenton, Minister Counsellor (Prosperity), British Embassy Moscow
• Professor Geoffrey Boulton FRS, Regius Professor of Geology and Mineralogy Emeritus, University of Edinburgh
• Dr Jo Dally, Head of Policy (Research), Royal Society
• Professor Robin Grimes, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 
• Professor Helga Nowotny, former President of the European Research Council 

The Royal Society has strong links with Russia and the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). Fellows have been interacting with Russian scientists since the 17th century, when Edmond Halley advised Peter the Great on the Russian navy, and on support for the sciences. The Society also funds mobility grants for researchers from the two countries to work together. The Royal Society and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) have an agreement to jointly fund collaborative research between British and Russian scientists. 96 projects have been supported since 2007. Russian scientists are also eligible for the Society’s Newton International Fellowships programme, which is aimed at the very best early stage post-doctoral researchers from all over the world, and offers support for two years at UK research institutions.

Venue: Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO); Moscow, Vernadsky avenue, 76. 
Time: 18-19 May, 2017