Gwyddoniaeth a’r Cynulliad 2018
Scientists and Welsh Assembly members met in Cardiff on 22 May at the Senedd and Pierhead for our annual Science and the Assembly meeting.
Designed to foster close relations with the National Assembly and the Welsh Government, Science and the Assembly is organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry, on behalf of, and in cooperation with, the Welsh science and engineering community, and is sponsored by Assembly Members David Rees, Nick Ramsay and Simon Thomas.
Our deputy chief executive, Paul Lewis who is originally from Cardiff, spoke passionately about the day's theme, "Science and Industry in Wales", which he said: "Could easily refer to Wales’s past and absolutely must describe and define its future."
Giving thanks
In introducing our keynote speaker, Professor Peter Halligan, Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales, Paul Lewis paid tribute to his predecessor Professor Julie Williams, who was a valuable supporter of this event in her term as Wales' Chief Scientific Adviser. Paul also gave thanks to Julie James AM, Leader of the House and Chief Whip, as well as our sponsoring Assembly Members, who all spoke at our evening reception.
Key themes
In summarising at the end of the day, Paul thanked the speakers and noted the key themes of the day:
- Securing funding in a competitive environment and using such funds wisely. That follows welcome news from the Prime Minister this week, as she pledged to keep the UK within EU-funded science programs, known as Horizon Europe, when it leaves the EU.
- Forming genuine partnerships between academia, government and employers to capitalise on the many opportunities for science and engineering in Wales.
- Investing in people to secure the skills and talent needed in Wales (and indeed across the rest of the UK) including those coming from overseas to realise the full potential of the sector.
- Science and the Assembly has a key role in voicing the needs of Wales’ science, engineering and technology community.
Looking forward to 2019
We’re pleased to say that, building on the success of this year’s meeting, we’re already looking forward to our 15th Science and the Assembly – at the Senedd in 2019 – look out for more news later in the year.
