A February 26, 2025 Sense about Science announcement highlights one of their online events being held during British Science Week March 7 – 16, 2025 (more about the week further on),
Join us for an exciting Science Council Lunch & Learn session on Thursday 13 March [2025] where Sense about Science will discuss how Responsible Handover can help scientists use AI and data science tools safely and effectively.
Emerging technologies such as AI are changing how we do research, whether that be conducting literature reviews, planning experiments, or automating routine tasks. Without better training for researchers, especially those without the technological expertise to understand how tools such as AI work, there is a real risk of these tools being introduced into the lab without researchers being ready. Our webinar will illustrate the questions to ask of these tools before introducing them into research and how the Responsible Handover framework can be turned into clear guidance that scientists can follow across all disciplines.
This webinar is part of British Science Week, a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths. It provides a platform to stimulate and support teachers, STEM professionals, science communicators and the public to produce and participate in science and technology-based events and activities. We hope you can join us.
Responsible Handover makes sure we ask and answer the necessary questions to implement AI and data science tools safely and effectively
In this session, Sense about Science will explain how they are supporting AI developers, research funders, scientists, and others involved in AI tool development. Their aim is to ensure tools are funded and used safely and effectively by implementing the Responsible Handover framework.
AI and data science tools are emerging faster than quality assurance and implementation knowledge. As a result, we actually risk stifling their scientific capabilities. In some cases AI tools are being implemented inappropriately and inadvertently causing harm. In others, opportunities for positive impacts are missed when tools are omitted due to concerns about assurances and whether the right questions have been asked.
As a tool is developed, there are key knowledge transfer or handover points where vital information about its likely strengths and weaknesses in different contexts should be discussed. But these conversations are prone to slip through the cracks. This is likely to occur when the number of users of a tool grows or there is a big difference in technical expertise between tool adopter and tool proposer.
This results in a gap between high-level ethical principles and technical domain specific guidance. This can be overcome with a general, practical governance framework.
Chair: Prof Della Freeth, Chief Executive of the Science Council
Speaker: Dr Sameh ElBadry, Project Officer, Sense About Science
Sense about Science is a UK “independent charity that promotes the public interest in sound science and evidence,” according to the organization’s homepage. An October 29, 2024 Sense About Science announcement arrived in my email box (also online here),
Unfortunately, we don’t yet live in a world where it is safe for researchers to always speak out openly and honestly about research findings, even when it is important for society that they do so. We need to be able to ask difficult and sometimes uncomfortable scientific questions if we are to make decisions that affect the lives of many on the best available evidence.
Fortunately, however, there are brave researchers around the world who bringing evidence to public debate despite the potential of facing harassment or intimidation. The Maddox Prize is awarded by Springer Nature and Sense about Science to individuals who have shown courage and integrity in standing up for sound science and evidence and encourages others to do the same.
This year the judges have shortlisted 8 inspiring individuals from all the nominations received. They are:
Patrick Ball for his rigorous statistical work identifying, cataloguing and prosecuting war crimes. Patrick founded the Human Rights Data Analyst Group (HRDAG) and has spent over thirty years producing analysis for truth commissions, non-governmental organisations, international criminal tribunals and United Nations missions.
Kelly Cobey for her work implementing open science and championing the need to reform research assessment. Kelly is an Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa, where she is also director of the Metaresearch and Open Science programme.
Sholto David for his active role in identifying fabricated studies and results and protecting the integrity of science. Sholto is an analytical scientist with a PhD in cell and molecular biology from Newcastle University.
Ann McNeill for her work on studying interventions to reduce threats posed by cigarette smoking. Ann is a Professor of Tobacco Addiction in the National Addiction Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London.
Ben Mol for his work exposing scientific fraud in obstetrics and gynaecology research and removing fabricated papers from the literature. Ben is a Professor of obstetrics/gynaecology at Monash University in Australia.
John Nkengasong for conducting epidemiological studies of the COVID-19 virus in Africa whilst he was the director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. His efforts played a huge part in protecting the African population from COVID-19 despite challenges such as testing in regions of conflict. John is a virologist currently serving as the Global AIDS Coordinator in the Biden administration.
Shiba Subedi for his dedication campaigning in Nepali society for better awareness and preparedness for earthquakes. Shiba currently works as a seismologist at the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology.
Carola Vinuesa for her work using genetic sequencing to prevent unwarranted accusation of parents that they have harmed their children. Carola is internationally renowned for her discoveries in genetic causes of autoimmunity, and currently works at the Francis Crick Institute in London.
The organizers for this lecture (the last in a series of three [Science, Scepticism and Free Speech] produced by the UK’s Sense about Science organization with the Free Speech Union) must have been thrilled by its timeliness when they realized that the May 29, 2024 lecture was to be delivered not long after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the UK’s snap July 4, 2024 election.
“Science Under Pressure: Restoring Public Confidence” was featured along with the first two lectures in my March 11, 2024 posting but I noticed a change to the description. Here’s the latest information about the lecture from a May 27, 2024 Sense about Science announcement (received via email),
When healthy scientific scepticism turns into a refusal to accept well-evidenced truths, we end up rejecting a method that has delivered some of societies greatest advances, from modern medicine to mobile communications. But when science cannot be questioned or scientific uncertainties openly explored, we lose the basis for rational discussion and progress.
Join us at 7.30pm [BST] on Wednesday for a lively discussion between our director, Tracey Brown, and Toby Young, General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, on what is needed to improve the relationship between science, the public and democratic decision-making. [emphasis mine] Following our Science, scepticism and free speech lectures – now available to watch online – the discussion will provide plenty of opportunities for audience questions and critical thinking.
After the initial presentation by both speakers, you will be able to submit questions online during the event. We look forward to you joining us for thought provoking discussions.
In case you were wondering, “democratic decision-making” is an addition. Here are some logistical details which the organizers did not include in this last email, from my March 11, 2024 posting,
…
In-person tickets for each event are £10 for FSU [Free Speech Union] Members, £16 for members of the public, £12 for under-25s. Tickets include a glass of wine on arrival.
… The Hall, Art Workers’ Guild, 6 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AT.
Tracey Brown OBE [Order of the British Empire] is the director of Sense about Science, where she has turned the case for sound science and evidence into popular campaigns, including AllTrials, a global campaign for the reporting of all clinical trial outcomes. Tracey leads Sense about Science’s work on transparency of decisions, to ensure the public has access to the same evidence as decision-makers. This has included drafting the Principles for the Treatment of Independent Scientific Advice, and the Transparency of Evidence framework, now internationally emulated. In 2022 she led the What Counts? inquiry, and a national survey of the public’s experience of policy information during the pandemic, calling for all policy announcements to meet an evidence transparency standard. Tracey is honorary Professor, Science, Technology and Engineering in Public Policy at UCL [University College London].
Toby Young is the General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, a non-partisan, mass membership public interest body that stands up for the speech rights of its members. He co-founded four schools and a multi-academy trust in West London, served as a Fulbright Commissioner and is the author of four books, the best known of which is How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2001). He is an associate editor of the Spectator, where he’s written a weekly column since 1998, and Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Sceptic. He was formerly an Associate Editor of Quillette and is the author or co-author of three peer reviewed academic articles.
I received a March 1, 2024 announcement (email) from Sense about Science about a new lecture series starting in late March 2024,
Critical thinking, open inquiry and the freedom to question have been fundamental to the development of the scientific method and the expansion of knowledge. To explore these ideas further, we’re pleased to invite you to a series of lectures and discussions we are running in partnership with the Free Speech Union.
In Science, Scepticism and Free Speech, Professor Alan Sokal and Professor Paul Garner will make the case for why we should care about science but also question it, concluding with our director Tracey Brown and Toby Young discussing the relationship between science, the public and democratic decision-making.
Events will take place at 7.30pm on 27 March, 27 April and 29 May [2024] at the Art Workers’ Guild in central London. Tickets include a glass of wine, and each event will include plenty of time for audience questions.
f you can’t attend in person, we will send you a Zoom link to join online, free of charge, shortly before each event. Please put the dates in your diary now.
We are holding a series of three lectures and discussions in partnership with The Free Speech Union, a public interest body that stands up for the speech rights of its members and campaigns for free speech more widely.
Critical thinking, open inquiry and the freedom to question have been fundamental to the development of the scientific method and the expansion of knowledge. The ideal of objectivity and the goal of truth require the discipline to abstract itself from individuals, from interests and from sentiment, all of which may explain why science is always subject to pressures on its integrity.
SCIENCE, SCEPTICISM and FREE SPEECH is a unique series of three events – two lectures from eminent scientists and a final session bringing together public figures concerned with the relationship between science, the public and democratic decision-making. Each session will include plenty of time for audience Q and A.
You are welcome to attend the entire series or individual events. It will also be possible to join online for free – sign up to our mailing list and we’ll send you a link shortly before each event. Join our mailing list to watch online
In-person tickets for each event are £10 for FSU Members, £16 for members of the public, £12 for under-25s. Tickets include a glass of wine on arrival.
The individual events:
What is Science and Why Should We Care?
Wednesday 27 March, 2024, 7.30pm, The Hall, Art Workers’ Guild, 6 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AT.
With Professor Alan Sokal,Professor of Mathematics, University College London and Professor Emeritus of Physics, New York University.
Professor Sokal will draw out the unique contribution of the scientific method to human progress and address contemporary trends which threaten to undermine it, in particular, politicisation and censorship.
Wednesday 24 April, 2024, 7.30pm, The Hall, Art Workers’ Guild, 6 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AT.
With Professor Paul Garner, professor emeritus in Evidence Synthesis in Global Health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
Professor Garner will argue that scepticism is integral to good science and make the case for using the tools of science to hold authority to account. Building on the themes of Professor Sokal’s first lecture, Professor Garner will share noteworthy examples where an insistence on robust evidence and research has led not only to scientific breakthroughs but to the exposure of malpractice.
About our speaker
Professor Garner stepped back from full-time employment in 2022 but continues as emeritus. He supports academic staff carrying out systematic reviews on infectious diseases, developing further research on post-viral syndrome, and continued collaborative work in developing guideline methods. He was previously Coordinator of the Centre for Evidence Synthesis in Global Health, Co-ordinating Editor of the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group, and Director of the Research, Evidence and Development Initiative. Professor Garner is also on the Board of Trustees of Sense about Science.
Science Under Pressure: Restoring Public Confidence
Wednesday 29th May, 2024, 7.30pm, The Hall, Art Workers’ Guild, 6 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AT.
In this concluding conversation, our two speakers, Tracey Brown, Director of Sense about Science, and Toby Young, General Secretary of the Free Speech Union and Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Sceptic, will reflect on the issues raised in the earlier lectures and debate how the relationship between science and the public might be improved. When does healthy scepticism become a refusal to accept well-evidenced truth? How can we uphold science without succumbing to ‘scientism’? How can the public distinguish between relevant expertise and those who merely have strong opinions and loud voices?
About our speakers
Tracey Brown OBE is the director of Sense about Science, where she has turned the case for sound science and evidence into popular campaigns, including AllTrials, a global campaign for the reporting of all clinical trial outcomes. Tracey leads Sense about Science’s work on transparency of decisions, to ensure the public has access to the same evidence as decision-makers. This has included drafting the Principles for the Treatment of Independent Scientific Advice, and the Transparency of Evidence framework, now internationally emulated. In 2022 she led the What Counts? inquiry, and a national survey of the public’s experience of policy information during the pandemic, calling for all policy announcements to meet an evidence transparency standard. Tracey is honorary Professor, Science, Technology and Engineering in Public Policy at UCL.
Toby Young is the General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, a non-partisan, mass membership public interest body that stands up for the speech rights of its members. He co-founded four schools and a multi-academy trust in West London, served as a Fulbright Commissioner and is the author of four books, the best known of which is How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2001). He is an associate editor of the Spectator, where he’s written a weekly column since 1998, and Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Sceptic. He was formerly an Associate Editor of Quillette and is the author or co-author of three peer reviewed academic articles.
As promised, here’s more about the hoax that Professor Alan Sokal perpetrated, from the Sokal affair Wikipedia entry, Note: Links have been removed,
The Sokal affair, also called the Sokal hoax,[1] was a demonstrative scholarly hoax performed by Alan Sokal, a physics professor at New York University and University College London. In 1996, Sokal submitted an article to Social Text, an academic journal of cultural studies. The submission was an experiment to test the journal’s intellectual rigor, specifically to investigate whether “a leading North American journal of cultural studies—whose editorial collective includes such luminaries as Fredric Jameson and Andrew Ross—[would] publish an article liberally salted with nonsense if (a) it sounded good and (b) it flattered the editors’ ideological preconceptions.”[2]
The article, “Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity”,[3] was published in the journal’s spring/summer 1996 “Science Wars” issue. It proposed that quantum gravity is a social and linguistic construct. The journal did not practice academic peer review and it did not submit the article for outside expert review by a physicist.[3][4] Three weeks after its publication in May 1996, Sokal revealed in the magazine Lingua Franca that the article was a hoax.[2]
The hoax caused controversy about the scholarly merit of commentary on the physical sciences by those in the humanities; the influence of postmodern philosophy on social disciplines in general; and academic ethics, including whether Sokal was wrong to deceive the editors or readers of Social Text; and whether Social Text had abided by proper scientific ethics.
In 2008, Sokal published Beyond the Hoax, which revisited the history of the hoax and discussed its lasting implications.
This list of events, which are in date order (more or less), comes courtesy of the UK’s Sense about Science organization. Self-described as “… an independent charity that promotes the public interest in sound science and evidence,” their November 13, 2023 announcement (received via email) offers a good range of events focused on science, evidence, and understanding the science you’re getting.
Greenwich (England) and Glasgow (Scotland) Skeptics pub talks
Here’s more from the Sense about Science November 13, 2023 announcement,
Greenwich and Glasgow Skeptics pub talks
Want to engage with us about the importance of evidence? We have two public talks coming up, which can be a great opportunity to learn more about our work, meet some of our team and explore how everyone can use evidence as a tool to improve our lives.
Greenwich SitP is currently the only branch of SitP in South East London. The idea is simple: Once a month, we all meet up in a pub to hear a guest speaker and enjoy a drink or three
Our chosen pub is the Davy’s Wine Vaults (161 Greenwich High Road, SE10 8JA) and usually we meet on the second Tuesday of every month. Talks will begin at 7:30pm. Although the talks are free and open to all, we would appreciate a small contribution towards covering speakers’ expenses (suggested donation: £3).
Our Next Talk
The Power of Asking for Evidence
Munkhbayar Elkins & Tushita Bagga Sense about Science
…
14 November 2023 Tuesday 19:30
…
In a time of misinformation, purchasable blue ticks, and spurious claims to be ‘following the science’, how do we ask the right questions of information we find from social media, companies, and politicians? 66% of people think it’s important the government shows the public all the evidence used to make policy decisions. And yet, the sources of data used in policy making become more complex, modelling and big data being two key examples. But you don’t need to be an expert to ask the right questions. This talk will cover how to ask about the data behind the issues that matter to you, be that climate change or local healthcare policies. With examples of how people asking for evidence have made a real difference, we’ll show you how you can too, and why this is more important than ever in the lead up to a general election next year.
Munkhbayar is senior research and policy officer at Sense about Science, with a BA in International Relations and an MSc in Security Studies. He works closely with decision-makers, world-leading researchers and community groups to raise the standard of evidence in public life. He wants to promote transparency of evidence standard across government to ensure accountability and to equip society with the right skills to scrutinise 21st century decision-making.
Tushita serves as a Policy and Campaigns Officer at Sense about Science, where she works on the upcoming Transparency of Evidence Standard campaign and is responsible for co-ordinating the annual Evidence Week event at UK Parliament. She recently completed her master’s degree in social policy research at the London School of Economics. Her previous work has focused on the role of ethics in academics interacting with marginalised communities and in news media representations of public health approaches to addressing the opioid epidemic. Tush is passionate about the accessible dissemination of social science research to the public and is driven to enable the masses to critically analyse complex policy concepts.
NB: This talk replaces the one which was originally advertised.
A week later on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, this same talk will be given by a different speaker in a Glasgow (Scotland) pub,
The power of asking for evidence – Annie Howitt (Sense About Science)
November 21 [2023] @ 8:15 pm – 10:00 pm
In a time of misinformation, purchasable blue ticks, and spurious claims to be ‘following the science’, how do we ask the right questions of information we find from social media, companies, and politicians? 61% of people think it’s important the government shows the public all the evidence used to make policy decisions. And yet, the sources of data used in policy making become more complex, modelling and big data being two key examples. But you don’t need to be an expert to ask the right questions. This talk will cover how to ask about the data behind the issues that matter to you, be that climate change or local healthcare policies. With examples of how people asking for evidence have made a real difference, we’ll show you how you can too.
About the speaker: Annie is the Communities officer at the charity Sense about Science. During her PhD researching pancreatic cancer, she realised that so much of our understanding of cancer biology and treatments is inaccessible to the people it affects the most. That’s how she found Sense about Science, which works with researchers to equip the public, policymakers and media with good questions and insights into evidence, particularly on difficult issues. Recently, Sense about Science has published What Counts? (a scoping inquiry into how well the government’s evidence for covid-19 decisions served society), guides to understanding data science and AI. It also runs Evidence Week in Parliament at Westminster and in Holyrood, bringing together policy makers, researchers and the public, and, in partnership with the journal Nature, the John Maddox Prize for courageously advancing public discourse with sound science.
…
This is event is free to attend, although we will be asking for donations at the end of the talk. Participants are under no obligation whatsoever to donate, however please rest assured that the money we collect doesn’t end up in anyone’s pocket – it is used to fund our overhead costs, and travel/accommodation for our speakers who come from further afield.
Accessibility: The Admiral Woods Bar now has a functioning lift which can take wheelchair users (or others who are unable to manage stairs) down to the function room. There is also a disabled toilet in the function room too. To help us accommodate you if you require to use these facilities we recommend you email us in advance: contact@glasgowskeptics.com
Venue
The Admiral Woods Bar 29 Waterloo Street Glasgow, G2 6BZ United Kingdom + Google Map
UNESCO (Global) Media (and) Information Literacy Week 2023: a webinar on Thursday, November 16, 2023
According to their November 13, 2023 announcement, Sense about Science will be chairing a panel discussion,
UNESCO [Global] Media [and] Information Literacy week webinar
Join us online as we chair a live panel discussion on what infrastructure is needed for people to access sound evidence, find trustworthy sources, and engage in informed debate.
Note: Presumably these are morning hours, i.e., 9 a.m ET.
Speakers
Host: Ning Zou, Chair, Information Literacy Section, IFLA|Associate Director for Student Academic Services and Learning Design at Harvard University Graduate School of Education
Panel Chair: David Schley, Deputy Director, Sense about Science
Angeline Djampou, Head, Knowledge and Publications Management Unit, UN Environment Programme
TBC Deborah Jacobs, Stichting IFLA Global Libraries (SIGL) Board of Directors
Stephen Wyber, Director of Policy and Advocacy, IFLA
Theme and Focus
When the introduction of disposable beverage containers increased litter in the US, the response of producers was to launch a keep America beautiful campaign that placed the blame on consumers – the end users. In many countries it has taken over half a century for regulators to step in and deal with the problem of waste by, for example, prohibiting the use of free plastic bags or by making retailers take back unwanted packaging. But we still largely blame consumers for waste, despite them having little choice in practice about how goods are packaged.
Are we at risk of doing the same for consumers of information, overwhelmed by the volume of material available but not in control over what content is presented to them– by blaming poor information literacy for the spread of false information and misunderstanding?
While empowering citizens with information literacy is unquestionably good, is it enough? Or are we setting people up to fail in an attention economy where information providers surface content that maximised engagement, with no interest in whether it is accurate or useful? Is it fair to blame someone for naïvely sharing bad information when they are only fed corroborating material, or should we challenge the absence of regulation and oversight of how information is curated by social media platforms and search engines?
What infrastructure is needed for people to access sound evidence, find trustworthy sources, and genuinely engage in informed societal debate?
Join the IFLA Information Literacy Section and the School Library Section co-sponsored Global MIL Webinar and have a rich conversation with the invited panelists.
Royal Statistical Society (RSS) workshop on developing accessible health statistics on Monday, November 20, 2023
This is the last event noted in the November 13, 2023 Sense about Science announcement,
Royal Statistical Society workshop on developing accessible health statistics
On Monday 20 November 2023, our Deputy-director David Schley will be part of a panel discussing how organisations producing health statistics across the UK can ensure their data is accessible and meaningful to the public.
This is a hybrid event at the Royal Statistical Society, run by the Official Statistics section but open to the public for a fee.
During this afternoon of discussion, we will be exploring with our panels the approaches and challenges faced by organisations producing health related statistics across the UK to ensure the numbers and messages produced are accessible and meaningful to the public and other users.
In the first session (1-3pm), the panel will cover work across government departments and organisations to create a coherent system to produce comparable statistics across the four nations of the UK. They will touch upon the importance of presenting a coherent picture across the UK, at national and subnational levels, the data challenges, including how the definitions used can change the meaning of the statistics produced and how the public understand them. We will hear the experiences from people working in that area to improve the coherence of our statistical system to those that used these statistics to inform policy.
Our panel will include the head of the Office for Statistics Regulation Ed Humpherson, Lucy Vickers, Deputy Director – Statistics & Data Science at the Department for Health and Social Care, Julie Stanborough, Deputy Director for Health and Social Care Analysis at the Office for National Statistics with colleagues Michelle Waters and Heidi Wilson who work together with colleagues across the four nations on improving the UK-wide coherence on health statistics. They will be joined by William Perks (Head of health, social services and population statistics, Welsh Government), and colleagues from Scotland and Northern Ireland. We are also looking to bring into the discussion the perspectives from local authorities around the challenges of low-granularity meaningful statistics.
After a break, the second session (3.30-5.30pm) will discuss how we communicate statistics to users in a sensitive and accessible manners. The language of statistics, especially in the health context can be extremely technical and emotionally charged with words such as ‘risks’, ‘hazards’ and ‘uncertainty’. Those terms have a very specific meaning for a statistician which differs from the one the general public gives to these words. In this session, our panellists will share their experience in communicating sometimes complex concepts to a wide audience, balancing transparent and accurate reporting with accessibility. They will share what they have tried, what worked and what did not and ideas to communicate clearly in that area, in a time where misleading information spreads fast and that mistakes in communication have the potential to damage the trust users have in the organisations producing the statistics.
The second panel will include both statistics producers (ONS engagement hub lead, and Lucy Vickers from DHSC, William Perks from Welsh Government) and the head of the Office for Statistics Regulation Ed Humpherson, individuals that champions promoting public understanding of statistics (David Schley from Sense about Science, Rhian Davies a RSS Statistics Ambassador), and charity and users groups.
When the introduction of disposable beverage containers increased litter in the US, the response of producers was to launch a keep America beautiful campaign that placed the blame on consumers [emphasis mine] – the end users. In many countries it has taken over half a century for regulators to step in and deal with the problem of waste by, for example, prohibiting the use of free plastic bags or by making retailers take back unwanted packaging. But we still largely blame consumers for waste, despite them having little choice in practice about how goods are packaged. [[emphases mine]
Are we at risk of doing the same for consumers of information, overwhelmed by the volume of material available but not in control over what content is presented to them– by blaming poor information literacy for the spread of false information and misunderstanding? …
Hopefully, there’s something to your taste in this range of upcoming events.
Sense about Science, headquartered in the UK, is in its own words (from its homepage)
Sense about Science is an independent campaigning charity that challenges the misrepresentation of science and evidence in public life. …
According to an October 1, 2019 announcement from Sense about Science (received via email), the organization has published a new guide,
Our director warned yesterday [September 30, 2019] that data science is being given a free pass on quality in too many arenas. From flood predictions to mortgage offers to the prediction of housing needs, we are not asking enough about whether AI solutions and algorithms can bear the weight we want to put on them.
It was the UK launch of our ‘Data Science: a guide for society’ at the Institute of Physics, where we invited representatives from different sectors to take up the challenge of creating a more questioning culture. Tracey Brown said the situation was like medicine 50 years ago: it seems that some people have become too clever to explain and the rest of us are feeling too dumb to ask.
At the end of the event we had a lot of proposals for how to make different communities aware of the guide’s three fundamental questions from the people who attended. There are many hundreds of people among our friends who could do something along these lines:
* Publicise the guide * Incorporate it into your own work * Send it to people who are involved in procurement, licensing or reporting or decision making at community, national and international levels * Undertake a project with us to equip particular groups such as parliamentary advisers, journalists and small charities.
Would you take a look at the guide [1] here and tell me if there’s something you can do? (alex@senseaboutscience.org)
There are launches planned in other countries over the rest of this year and into 2020. We are drawing up a map of offers to reach different communities. I’ll share all your suggestions with my colleague Errin Riley at the end of this week and we will get back to you quickly.
In recent years, phrases like ‘big data’, ‘machine learning’, ‘algorithms’ and ‘pattern recognition’ have started slipping into everyday discussion. We’ve worked with researchers and experts to generate an open and informed public discussion on patterns in data across a wide range of projects.
Data Science: A guide for society
According to the headlines, we’re in the middle of a ‘data revolution: large, detailed datasets and complex algorithms allow us to make predictions on anything from who will win the league to who is likely to commit a crime. Our ability to question the quality of evidence – as the public, journalists, politicians or decision makers – needs to be expanded to meet this. To know the questions to ask and how to press for clarity about the strengths and weaknesses of using analysis from data models to make decisions. This is a guide to having more of those conversations, regardless of how much you don’t know about data science.
Sense about Science has posted a job for a Research and Public Engagement Coordinator according to a June 13, 2017 notice I received via email. Here’s more from their job vacancy webpage,
Sense about Science is a unique campaigning charity that challenges the misrepresentation of science and evidence in public life. We advocate openness and honesty about research findings, and work to ensure the public interest in sound science and evidence is recognised in public discussion and policymaking.
We’ve changed many debates about science and evidence over the past 15 years by involving the public and researchers in challenging misleading claims; we started and lead the AllTrials campaign for all clinical trials to be registered and reported; we review the transparency of government’s use of evidence each year and run the Ask for Evidence public campaign. We help people use scientific questioning to navigate debates, from forensic genetics to radiation risks. Our direct approach to difficult subjects is ‘public led, expert fed’, and it is in high demand.
We now have a vacancy for a research and public engagement coordinator to provide research assistance and to support our public engagement programmes.
Duties will include:
Researching and writing engaging briefings and public resources on complex or challenging subjects.
Involving different sections of society in developing public resources – through research, workshops and testing – and liaising with them and with specialists to make these resources useful and accessible. A recent example is our work on child heart surgery outcomes.
Creating well argued, attractive communications and presentations.
Collaborating with our public engagement partners and managing joint schedules.
It’s a busy, lively office where we all muck in and no two days are the same. You will be working with the head of partnerships, who is responsible for public engagement projects and supporting other areas of the team’s work with research and assessment. You will also have scope to lead areas of work.
As well as a collaborative spirit and an appetite for responsibility, you will need:
A good degree and ideally either a PhD or equivalent research experience
Excellent analytical skills
A flair for clear, engaging writing and for editing
An understanding of debates about evidence and a keen interest in civil society engagement and the policy environment
The ability to plan well but adapt quickly
A very friendly manner.
You will also demonstrate:
The ability to organise and prioritise your work
Confidence, enthusiasm and initiative.
However, if you don’t have a CV that matches all these requirements but you are absolutely convinced you are right for the post, feel free to write to us to make the case. [emphasis mine] There is great scope in this job to develop the role and make it your own.
Starting salary £24,000 p/a. Central London (EC1R). Will include some travel and out of hours activity.
Application deadline: 10 am [presumably Greenwich Mean Time], Thurs 22 June. Interviews on Weds 28 and Thurs 29 June. Please let us know in your covering letter if you are not available for interview on those dates.
I don’t know what it would be like to work with these people but I’ve always felt the bit in their posting that I’ve highlighted indicates an openness to ideas and people that is rarely found in these types of notices.
Yesterday’s (Feb. 28, 2017) posting about the newly launched Cascadia Urban Analytics Cooperative grew too big to include interesting tidbits such as this one from Sense about Science, (from a Feb. 28, 2017 announcement received via email),
The House of Commons science and technology select committee announced
today that it will launch an inquiry into the use of algorithms in
decision-making […].
Our campaigns and policy officer Dr Stephanie Mathisen brought this
important and under-scrutinised issue to the committee as part of their
#MyScienceInquiry initiative; so fantastic news that they are taking up
the call.
In an increasingly digital world, algorithms are being used to make decisions in a growing range of contexts. From decisions about offering mortgages and credit cards to sifting job applications and sentencing criminals, the impact of algorithms is far reaching.
How an algorithm is formulated, its scope for error or correction, the impact it may have on an individual—and their ability to understand or challenge that decision—are increasingly relevant questions.
This topic was pitched to the Committee by Dr Stephanie Mathisen (Sense about Science) through the Committee’s ‘My Science Inquiry’ open call for inquiry suggestions, and has been chosen as the first subject for the Committee’s attention following that process. It follows the Committee’s recent work on Robotics and AI, and its call for a standing Commission on Artificial Intelligence.
Submit written evidence
The Committee would welcome written submissions by Friday 21 April 2017 on the following points:
The extent of current and future use of algorithms in decision-making in Government and public bodies, businesses and others, and the corresponding risks and opportunities;
Whether ‘good practice’ in algorithmic decision-making can be identified and spread, including in terms of:
— The scope for algorithmic decision-making to eliminate, introduce or amplify biases or discrimination, and how any such bias can be detected and overcome;
— Whether and how algorithmic decision-making can be conducted in a ‘transparent’ or ‘accountable’ way, and the scope for decisions made by an algorithm to be fully understood and challenged;
— DThe implications of increased transparency in terms of copyright and commercial sensitivity, and protection of an individual’s data;
The Committee would welcome views on the issues above, and submissions that illustrate how the issues vary by context through case studies of the use of algorithmic decision-making.
I looked at the submission form and while it assumes the submitter is from the UK, there doesn’t seem to be any impediment to citizens of other countries from making a submission. Since there is some personal information included as part of the submission, there is a note about data protection on the Guidance on giving evidence to a Select Committee of the House of Commons webpage.
Sense about Science is advertising for a Campaigns Manager. From the job posting webpage on the website,
Sense about Science is an independent campaigning charity that monitors and challenges the misrepresentation of science and scientific evidence in public life. We advocate for openness and honesty about scientific claims and findings, and mobilise the public to ask questions about science and evidence.
We are recruiting for this post to run the AllTrials campaign and parts of other Sense About Science campaigns and responsive work, reporting to the campaigns director. The AllTrials campaign for clinical trials transparency has already resulted in new regulations, commitments from organisations and support from thousands of people. We now need to build a vibrant international campaign, coordinating activity across the many groups championing trial reporting to change the culture of clinical trial reporting forever.
The role will include:
Day to day running of the AllTrials campaign:
Developing publicity and communications on the need for clinical trial transparency, including in the media, for supporters, in fundraising appeals and grant applications
Coordinating campaign responses to public and political consultations
Building and maintaining networks of organisations and experts, in the UK and globally, and coordinating activity
Liaising with the team at Sense About Science USA and helping to coordinate AllTrials work in the US
Organising and running meetings and communications with the AllTrials campaign steering group
Managing Campaign Support Officer, campaign interns and campaign volunteers
Supporting the Director of Campaigns in devising and implementing campaign strategies, deputising for the Director of Campaigns
Initiating responsive campaigns to new issues and linking our body of work to new discussions
Representing Sense About Science at meetings, giving talks, chairing sessions and writing articles
The successful candidate will be articulate, motivated and ambitious about social change. It is a busy office and no two days are the same so you need to be able to plan well but adapt quickly. The ideal candidate will need:
a higher degree in a related subject and a background in research
experience of building and maintaining networks
experience coordinating and delivering projects and a well-tested ability to prioritise
the ability to analyse situations and act when in uncertain territory
confident and personable communication and a demonstrable ability to produce good written material which is suited to public awareness campaigns
good judgment and negotiating skills
Salary c. £28K – £32K. Holiday: 28 days (inc public holidays), 1 additional day after each year in post, and discretionary Christmas break days. Central London (EC1R). Will include some international travel and out of hours activity.
Email a CV and cover letter to the assistant director Emily Jesper ejesper@senseaboutscience.org by midnight on Friday 18th March 2016 [emphasis mine]. Please call Emily if you want to discuss the post and your suitability: 020 7490 9590.
If you don’t have a CV that matches the requirements but you are absolutely convinced you are right for us and this role, feel free to write to us to make the case.
Good luck and don’t forget the deadline is March 18, 2016.
I received a notice yesterday (Sept. 7, 2015 which is Labour Day in Canada) about a job (deadline is Sept. 18, 2015 at 12 noon GMT or Sept. 18, 2015 at 4 am PST) with Sense about Science (UK),
Sense About Science is a charity that equips people to make sense of evidence. We are a source of information and we counter misinformation. We work with thousands of researchers and hundreds of organisations across civil society to run imaginative public campaigns that change debates.
We have a vacancy for a Campaigns & Policy Officer, which is an interesting and varied role to support Sense About Science’s campaigns – including AllTrials, Ask for Evidence and the Libel Reform Campaign – and our policy and responsive work.
Duties will include:
Monitoring social media, publicity and policy issues related to our work.
Conducting research for and writing briefings, presentations and reports.
Organising responses to public and policy consultations.
Being the first line of response to public enquiries, initiating responses to new issues and linking existing material to new discussions.
Giving talks, writing articles, and representing Sense About Science at meetings.
It’s a busy, lively office where we all muck in and no two days are the same. You need to be able to plan well but adapt quickly. As well as a passion for evidence, good team spirit and an appetite for responsibility, you will need:
A good degree; and ideally either a PhD or equivalent research experience.
Very good analytical skills.
An understanding of debates about evidence and a keen interest in civil society engagement and the policy environment.
A flair for clear, non-academic writing.
Confidence and a high standard of presentation.
Enthusiasm, ambition and diplomacy.
However, if you don’t have a CV that matches the requirements but you are absolutely convinced you are right for us and this role, feel free to write to us to make the case.
Starting salary c. £20K. 1 year fixed-term contract. Holiday 20 days. Central London (EC1R). Will include some travel and out of hours activity.
Email a CV and cover letter to the assistant director Emily Jesper: ejesper@senseaboutscience.org. Please do call Emily if you want to discuss the post or your suitability: 020 7490 9590.
*CLOSING DATE Friday 18th September 2015 12:00 (noon).
Shortlisted candidates will be required to complete a written task by 24th September. Interviews: 1st/2nd October. It is essential that you explore our work before applying www.senseaboutscience.org.
