The Prime Minister’s Chief Science AdvisorSir Peter Gluckman

Waikato Management SchoolFriday 10 May 2013

Briefing for scientific community‘National Science Challenges: Announcement and next steps’

Challenge Criteria

• Each National Science Challenge will target a high-level goal which, if achieved, would have a major and enduring public benefit for New Zealand.

• There is wide public consensus that the Challenge will address an issue or opportunity of wide public importance for New Zealand.

• Scientific research is central to addressing the Challenge.• New Zealand has the broad scientific capability and

capacity to undertake the challenge successfully.• There is sufficient external motivation and linkages for the

research results to be successfully implemented to achieve the Challenge goal.

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Challenge Features

• A strong, virtual governance structure (new or existing), with clear leadership and accountabilities across the researchers and institutions involved in the Challenge.

• A broad portfolio of multi-disciplinary research activity that will involve collaboration across a number of research providers.

• A number (eg 2 to 6) of inter-related research themes that are integrated and co-ordinated to provide a plausible pathway to achieving the Challenge.

• The relevant expertise available across the science sector in New Zealand to achieve the Challenge.

• Clear links with international research activity that support the achievement of the Challenge.

• Strong collaboration between researchers and intended end-users of the research activity, including, where appropriate, obtaining investment from end-users in the Challenge’s research.

• Relevant existing research included into the scope of the Challenge.

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The NSC process to date• Submissions sought from public and academic community

• Ministerial instructions to panel – criteria and features

• Panel read submissions

• Panel:

– Reviewed criteria

– Discussed opportunities and risks for NZ which science could address

– Brain stormed ‘”headline” challenge topics

– Reviewed these to deal with criteria, overlaps, framing iteratively while referring back to submissions until <15 challenges

– Panel then worked iteratively in subgroups and in group as a whole to flesh out themes and examples of components

– Developed 12 challenges and one leadership challenge

– Panel also considered other aspects, ommissions and other content in the submissions

– Panel developed report – presented to Minister on March 28

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Outcomes

Cabinet approved 10 challenges by combining 2 and one (better houses, towns & cities) has been deferred.

Budget doubled from $60 million new money to $133.5 million new money over 4 years.

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National Science Challenge Reportwww.msi.govt.nz www.pmcsa.org.nz

1. Background

2. Consultation

3. Characteristics and features of a challenge

4. Panel Process

5. Submissions – public and scientific

6. Recommended Challenges

7. Readiness to proceed

8. Other notes on the twelve Challenges

9. Common themes underpinning the Challenges

10. Māori and Pasifika interests

11. A Challenge for New Zealand’s leadership – the “Science and Society” Challenge.

12. Other points the Panel wishes to bring to Government’s attention.

13. Communication of outcomes

14. Next steps in the development of the challenges

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National Science Challenges

• Aging well – harnessing science to sustain health and wellbeing into the later years of life

• A better start – improving the potential of young New Zealanders to have a healthy and successful life

• Healthier lives – research to reduce the burden of major New Zealand health problems

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National Science Challenges

• New Zealand’s biological heritage – protecting and managing our biodiversity, improving our biosecurity, and enhancing our resilience to harmful organisms

• Life in a changing ocean – understanding how we can exploit our marine resources within environmental and biological constraints

• The Deep South – understanding the role of the Antarctic and the Southern Ocean in determining our climate and our future environment

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National Science Challenges

• Our land and water  – Research to enhance primary sector production and productivity while maintaining and improving our land and water quality for future generations

• High value nutrition – developing high value foods with validated health benefits

• Science for technological innovation – enhancing the capacity of New Zealand to use physical and engineering sciences for economic growth

• Resilience to nature’s challenges – research into enhancing our resilience to natural disasters

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For each challenge

The panel developed

•A detailed description of the opportunity•A statement of the science goal for the Challenge•A statement of the societal goal for the Challenge•The recommended scientific themes are described along with examples of the expected research components•Comments on readiness•Other relevant comments

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New Zealand’s Biological Heritage – protecting and managing our biodiversity, improving our biosecurity, and enhancing our resilience to harmful organisms

The leadership challenge

….. there is a Challenge for the leadership of New Zealand to take concrete steps to address deficits in the public and policy understandings of science, to address issues in STEM workforce development and to foster a more innovative and aspirational use of science in the nation’s development.

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Challenge Implementation• Initial meetings of officials and experts led by MBIE

together with Panel members to frame the Challenges further and develop an overall implementation plan

• Workshops/sandpits with key participants to identify themes, research elements and research participants for each Challenge

• Development and formal (including external scientific) review of detailed research and business plans prepared by the Challenge lead(s), in conjunction with their research participants and relevant stakeholders

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