UPCOMING EVENTS

In Conversation with Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser

• 2025
• The Royal Society and online

In this event, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser DBE FRS, the recently retired Chief Executive of UKRI, will be in conversation with Rt Hon Lord (David) Willetts FRS, Chair of the Foundation for Science and Technology. This wide ranging conversation will explore topics across UK science and technology, both looking back at Dame Ottoline's tenure in UKRI and looking forward to the future.

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AI and the Future of Work

• 2025

There is no doubt that artificial intelligence will have a transformative impact on the workplace and on workers. There is the potential for significant economic benefit, and many new types of jobs may emerge that don’t currently exist. Equally, other types of roles will change significantly and some will disappear completely. What are these changes likely to be, particularly in Northern Ireland, and how can companies and governments prepare? In this event, we will explore these issues, taking as a starting point the recent report published by Matrix (Northern Ireland’s independent advisory body on science and technology).

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Delivering the UK Life Sciences Sector Plan

• 2025
• Refinery, ARC West London, Manbré Road, W6 9RH

Life sciences is one of the UK’s key strengths, with strong and innovative companies both large and small complementing a world-leading university research base. On 16th July 2025, the government published the Life Sciences Sector Plan, looking to drive both economic growth and health innovation in the NHS. That plan comes with some ambitious targets - aiming to make the UK the top life sciences economy in Europe by 2030, and third globally by 2035. To achieve this, the plan has some key areas for action. In this event, we will discuss how the UK life sciences sector and the research community can work with government to deliver this sector plan and reach those ambitious aims.

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Opportunities and challenges in science, technology & innovation

• 2025
• Liverpool Hope University

Calling all early- to mid-career professionals working in roles related to science, technology and innovation, within the research community, industry, the civil service or elsewhere. This is our annual conference specifically targeted at you, and we have a fantastic line up for 2025. Our first plenary session focusses on regional science and technology - the role of "place" in decisions on S&T funding and how devolution within England changes that discussion. Our second plenary discusses barriers to successful S&T in the UK, looking at funding, research culture amongst other things. We have three breakout discussion sessions, focussed on the contribution of science and technology to health, energy and AI. And finally, we have a key note presentation from Professor David Nutt. The conference is free to attend and all are welcome, either in person in Liverpool, or online.

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