Foundation for Science and Technology

This week we are discussing STEM careers and the barriers faced by those from lower socio-economic groups to a successful career in STEM. To help us explore some of the issues is Lexie Papaspyrou, Project Manager for the Tech Futures Task Force at the Sutton Trust.

This week, we are joined by Antoinette Nothomb, co- founder of Cyanoskin, a female-led start-up that has created an algae-based paint designed to capture Co2 from the outside of buildings. We explore why algae is a sustainability superhero, big plans for the future, and her thoughts on UK and EU policy on decarbonising buildings.

This week we are joined by Foundation Future Leader, Dr Adam Berlie who helps us explore the weird and wonderful world of muon instrument research at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. We also talk about neurodivergence and inclusivity in research, the magic of hobbies, and transferable, 'soft skills' into STEM.

This week, we are exploring the interface of Government and the research ecosystem in the modern age. The Foundation's Chief Executive and former Civil Servant, Gavin Costigan discusses this and the significance of knowledge brokers. For this episode, we are delighted to welcome guest host, Keegan Schroeder, science and engineering fast streamer at DEFRA.

This week we are discussing astrophysics, how to better understand changing clouds, their impact on Earth's climate, making the most of open data, unconventional career paths and the power of ‘paying it forward.' With me to discuss all of that is Dr Jacqueline Campbell, Co-Founder & Partner Scientist at asterisk labs, ARIA R&D Creator and Schmidt Science Fellow. This is the second in a series of space-related podcast episodes leading up to our evening discussion on space missions and their impact on UK space science and industry, in April.

This week, we explore the Space Technology Industry in Northern Ireland with Robert Hill, manager for the Northern Ireland Space Cluster and Chair of the Northern Ireland Space Special Interest Group. Robert is also Chair of Matrix, the Northern Ireland Science Industry panel, which in March 2025 published a report on the space industry in Northern Ireland.

This week we are discussing women and girls in tech; barriers, progress, skills and schooling. Here explore some of the issues is Dr Claire Thorne, co-chief executive of TechSheCan, one of Computer Weekly's Top 15 Most Influential Women in UK Tech 2024, and more recently a council member of the The Foundation for Science and Technology.

This week we are discussing engineering biology, some of the standout innovations coming out of the sector, what the inclusion of it into the Government's ‘Critical Technologies' list means, and the role of intellectual property. With me to discuss all of that is Linda Bedenik, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager at the BioIndustry Association (BIA) and a 2025 Foundation Future Leader.

This week we discuss social mobility and closing the gap on careers in science and technology for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. With me to explore some of the issues is James Adeleke (FRSA), founder of Generation Success and co-opted member of the Education Board at the City of London Corporation.

In this episode we are discussing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in careers in science and technology. To explore some of the issues and where things could be improved are two members of the Foundation Future Leaders cohort of 2024. They are: Dr Lauren Thomas-Seale, Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham and Sam Islam, Systems Engineering Consultant at the Energy Systems Catapult.

In this podcast, we are in conversation with Yann Sweeney, Senior Editor for Computing and Robotics at Nature. We discuss recent developments in AI, how the UK and other countries are pursuing the opportunities it brings, and current developments in the area of regulation.

This week, our guest is Wendy Jarrett, Chief Executive of Understanding Animal Research. She discusses how, when, and why animals are used in research in the UK, along with the regulations governing this practice. Additionally, she addresses the controversies surrounding animal research and its future.

This week we are chatting with Dr Jing Jill Zhao, Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Construction Technology at UWE in Bristol. We discuss her research in a human-centred framework to deliver Net Zero in affordable housing. Also the progress and barriers to low carbon living in the UK. What more can be done to support the everyday person to achieve this?

This week we are discussing engagement between academics and policy professionals – and some of the recent programmes and activities in this area in the UK. Here to discuss that is Sarah Chaytor, Director of Research Strategy & Policy at University College London.

Ahead of COP29, Professor Nathalie Pettorelli from The Institute of Zoology at the Zoological Society London (ZSL) joins us to explore how climate change and global biodiversity loss intersect, how solutions can address both, and how policy decision makers can do more.

This week we talk to Charles Harris, PhD student at The University of Cambridge who is looking at marrying the lessons learnt by 2024 Chemistry Nobel Prize winners and their game-changing AI tool for predicting protein structures called AlphaFold with generative modelling and drug discovery.

Our guest this week is Nicole Brown, Head of Research Ethics and Integrity at University College London (UCL)'s Institute of Education. Nicole discusses what academic teams need to do next to make Science and Technology more inclusive for those with disabilities, chronic illness and neuro divergence. She also looks at issues with disclosure, the importance of role models and the far reaching benefits of progress in this area.

Our guest this week is Rachel Youngman who has worked extensively in the legal profession, and in social justice particularly with young people and with refugees. For the last 10 years she has brought that society experience to science to help improve diversity and international collaboration. She is currently Chair of the Engineering Council's Committee and has been a member of the External Advisory Board of the Quantum Hub for Sensors and Metrology and until March, Deputy CEO at The Institute of Physics. Today we are discussing the importance of science and technology in society, science communication and the importance of making STEM a space for all.

In this podcast, Professor Sir Peter Knight, Chair of the UK National Quantum Technology Programme Strategic Advisory Board, discusses quantum technologies in the UK - what they are, how close they are to market, and what support might be needed from the UK Government.

To discuss all things quantum, our guest is Professor Hatef Sadeghi, Professor of Computational Quantum Engineering at the University of Warwick, a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and also a former Foundation for Science and Technology Future Leader. This is the first podcast in a short series to discuss quantum technologies, in advance of an event being organised by the Foundation for Science and Technology on 24th September at The University of Strathclyde.

Welcome back to the FST podcast! After a short summer break, we are back. This week, we are discussing Precision Health with Professor Rameen Shakur, Professor of Genomics and Precision Cardiovascular Medicine, Director of Brighton Integrative Genomics (B.I.G) Unit and Director of Centre of Research Excellence in Precision Health and Translational Medicine at the University of Brighton.

In this episode, we talk to Clara Nörenberg, ETH (Swiss Polytechnical) University mechanical engineering student. She is team leader for aCentauri - a group of students who have built a solar powered car from scratch. They have recently raced the car across an Australian desert but aren't technically racing fans. Our communications officer chats to Clara about how the car works and what she hopes to see in the future of sustainable engineering.

In this episode we talk to journalist and political commentator, Loretta Napoleoni about technology, capitalism, Artificial Intelligence and the risks of technological innovation ‘boxed inside profitability', particularly when it comes to sustainability and getting to NetZero.

Energy storage equalises the supply of renewables with the demand for electricity. This week we talk to Professor Seamus Garvey, Professor of Dynamics at the University of Nottingham about the different forms of energy storage, how it works, why it is the best way to ensure secure supply on the road to Net Zero, and what the future holds.

In the third of a special sequence of podcasts recorded at the fifth international conference of INGSA (the International Network for Governmental Science Advice), we are joined by Pascal Gatabazi, Chief Technical Adviser for the Ministry of Education here in Rwanda.

In this special sequence of podcasts recorded at the fifth international conference of INGSA – the International Network for Governmental Science Advice in Rwanda, we are joined by Dr Doyin Odubanjo, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Academy of Sciences, and Chair of INGSA Africa. We discuss the changing face of science advice in Africa, the challenges and effects of the pandemic and what the future holds for the science policy landscape across the continent.

Professor Rémi Quirion, Chief Scientific Adviser of Quebec and President of INGSA (the International Network for Governmental Science Advice) discusses the work of INGSA and INGSA's biennial conference taking place this week in Kigali.

In this episode, we talk to sleep therapist Dr Katharina Lederle about the science of sleep, circadian rhythms, and the experience of shift workers and cultural norms when it comes to getting rest.

In this episode, we talk to Dr Jack Stilgoe, professor in science and technology studies at University College London, about driverless vehicles. We discuss what technologies are being tested, future prospects, questions of control, risk and regulation. Professor Stilgoe researches the governance of emerging technologies, is part of the UKRI Responsible AI leadership team and was principal investigator of the ESRC Driverless Futures project (2019-2022).

In this episode, we talk to Dr Geoffrey Neale, Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow and Lecturer in the Composites and Advanced Materials Centre at Cranfield University. Dr Neale tells us about his work with composite materials within the aerospace and automotive industry and how they will help us move towards our NetZero goals here in the UK.

This week, we are discussing the Diamond Light Source, the UK's flagship synchrotron facility, based on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire. Diamond's first user beams were in 2007, and agreement has recently been reached for the Diamond II Upgrade.

This week, we are discussing nuclear fusion in the UK – from a technological, commercial and policy perspective with Warrick Matthews, Chief Executive Officer of Tokomak Energy.

A special edition episode broadcast live from the Northern Ireland Science Festival, we talk to leading expert on AI, Toju Duke. Toju is the founder of Diverse AI and author of “Building Responsible AI Algorithms”. She previously worked as Programme Manager for Responsible AI at Google. We talk about what responsible and diverse AI looks like and why it is significant.

In this episode, we chat to Dr Melanie Garson, who is Cyber Policy and Tech Geopolitics Lead at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, as well as an Associate Professor in International Conflict Resolution & International Security at University College London. We look at cyber politics, conflict in the digital age, equal access, Artificial Intelligence as well as the challenges around physical infrastructure required for key digital technology.

During this month of February 2024, we will be having a series of discussions about digital technology and AI, in the run up to an event that the Foundation for Science and Technology is holding on 28th February in London. For the second of these podcasts, we are joined by Lord Clement-Jones, Liberal Democrats House of Lords spokesperson for Science, Innovation and Technology. Lord Clement Jones is the former Chair of the Lords Select Committee on AI, the current Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on AI, and a founding member of OECD's Parliamentary Group on AI, amongst several other roles.

During this month of February 2024, we will be having a series of discussions about digital technology and AI, in the run up to an event that the Foundation for Science and Technology is holding on 28th February in London. For the first of these podcasts, we talk with Jor-El Benjamin (JB)- tech entrepreneur and founder of Kryotech about his focus on digital privacy and equity. We also talk about his views on the regulation of Artificial Intelligence and his experience as a black CEO in the tech world.

In our first podcast of 2024, we discuss innovation in healthcare and in the NHS with Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Regius Professor for Medicine at the University of Glasgow and Chief Scientist (Health) at the Scottish Government.

In this podcast Stephanie Baxter, Head of Policy at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, discusses engineering skills and the results of their recent survey.

In this podcast we are joined by Beatrice Barleon, from Engineering UK, to discuss a recent inquiry into engineering and technology apprenticeships, led by Lord Willetts and Lord Knight. The report set to investigate the reasons behind the worrying decline in engineering, manufacturing and technology apprenticeships starts seen over recent years in the UK. Visit Engineering UK to find the report: https://www.engineeringuk.com/research-policy/fit-for-the-future-growing-and-sustaining-engineering-and-technology-apprenticeships-for-young-people/#:~:text=Led%20by%20former%20Labour%20and,recent%20years%20in%20the%20UK.

To coincide with National Engineering Day, we're joined by Stewart Edmondson, CEO of the UK Electronic Skills Foundation, to discuss the electronics industry, and in particular how to tackle skills shortages in this sector.

This week we are discussing healthcare technologies and in particular the challenges of bringing data systems into life sciences and the NHS. Our guest is Professor Clive Badman who has had an extensive career in life sciences and the pharmaceutical sector.

This week we are discussing chemistry, the defence industry and things that go BANG! To provide an insight into this area is Professor Jackie Akhavan – Head of the Centre for Defence Chemistry at Cranfield University, and an expert is explosives chemistry.

In this podcast we're discussing the challenges of delivering healthcare in rural and remote areas of Scotland with Dr Marion Slater, Consultant Physician, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Associate Postgraduate Dean for Medicine, North of Scotland.

In this podcast, Professor Adam Sobey discusses data-centric engineering. This is following a launch in July of a phase 2.0 Data-Centric Engineering Programme- a partnership between LLloyd's Register Foundation and The Alan Turing Institute. https://www.turing.ac.uk/research/research-programmes/data-centric-engineering

After a summer break, our podcast is back! To kick us off, we are joined by Dr Leslie Kanthan, co-founder and CEO of TurinTech, a London-based AI company. We are discussing all things AI, its rapid development, its potential to transform society, and how we might need to regulate it in the future.

In this podcast, we're discussing the innovation strategy published by the Scottish government last year. We're joined by Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principle of the University of Strathclyde, President of Royal Academy of Engineering and Co-Chair of the steering group for the innovation strategy.

Today, the UK Committee on Research Integrity has released their first annual statement. It highlights ongoing efforts to ensure UK research is trustworthy, ethical and responsible, and identifies areas for further work. Read it here: https://ukcori.org/our-work/annual-statement-2023/ To discuss the publication is Professor Rachael Gooberman-Hill, Co-Chair of the UK Committee on Research Integrity.

In this podcast, Paul Mason, Director of Innovation Policy at Innovate UK, discusses the work of the company, the importance of innovation in the UK and the progress yet to be made.

This week we are discussing the use of AI in healthcare with Professor Chris Holmes, Programme Director for Health and Medical Sciences at the Alan Turing Institute.

This is the third of a series of podcasts about semiconductors, in advance of an event being held by the Foundation for Science and Technology on 24 May on the UK Semiconductor Strategy. This week Ian Croston, General Manager of Coherent, discusses the company's recent scale-up, challenges facing the field and what he would like to see in the government's strategy.

This is the second of a series of podcasts about semiconductors. Scott White, Founder and Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives at Pragmatic, tells us about the company and their technology for making flexible, low cost transistors and chips.