Canadian Science Policy Conference
A conference to discuss Science Policy in Canada is scheduled for Toronto, Oct. 28-30. Organizers lament the academic research community’s lack of influence on government science and research policy, and suggest that Canadian researchers would benefit by coming together to coordinate a vision for science policy. The policy conference has three stated objectives:
- to identify and discuss current Canadian science policy issues;
- to create networking opportunities in order to forge stronger links between scientists and policy-makers; and
- to lay the foundation for establishing a Canadian “Virtual Institute” for Science Policy Research.
I encourage those in the area to attend, and especially support the call for a “virtual institute”. Indeed, one of the challenges for Canadian science policy is the regionalism that results from the wide array of provincial funding opportunities. Generating a unified voice that is representative of researchers across the country will improve the impact of any policy recommendations and will ensure the widespread support of the academic community. Perhaps a series of regional mini-conferences or roundtables will help promote the participation of scientists Canada-wide, and will furthermore increase the visibility of the effort.
