Professor Jan Zielonka discusses the changing landscape of Europe’s politics which he believes is marked by a shift from traditional divides to a clash between liberals and sovereigntists.
Post-Brexit environmental paths diverge: Scotland commits to EU standards, but the UK’s stance remains ambiguous. Professor James Curran delves into this divide, highlighting challenges and threats to maintaining parity with Europe’s environmental benchmarks.
Kirsty Hughes FRSE takes a look at the Scottish government’s new paper on ‘An Independent Scotland in the EU’. She notes that the paper tackles some tricky issues head-on, but there are gaps too.
Professor Roger Crofts argues that the environment is our shared responsibility and highlights challenges post-Brexit: declining standards, political influences, and the need for unified action. We must talk early, talk often, and collaborate globally to protect our planet.
Professor Paul James Cardwell delves into the aftermath of Brexit’s impact on higher education. From the farewell to Erasmus+ to the birth of Turing, it’s a complex horizon. Will the UK seek to re-join Erasmus?
Dr Deval Desai writes about the intersection of academic freedom and human rights, and how restrictions on one can impede the other.
Professor Katy Hayward on ‘bord-inary’ challenges; Brexit’s border changes that are causing friction in the UK.
Dr Dmitry Fedosov discusses John Barbour’s monumental 14th-century poem, “The Bruce,” which chronicles Scotland’s War of Independence.
Joël Reland says the subtle regulatory shifts persist post-Brexit, impacting laws, trade, and business complexity. He believes vigilance is key as new regulatory barriers emerge.
Dr John Nugent is investigating the enigma of neutrinos, abundant yet elusive fundamental particles.
Professor Jeffrey Sharkey FRSE argues that Brexit has had a negative impact on the performing arts, causing visa issues and reduced earnings, which is driving some artists to consider leaving the industry.
Professor Sarah Prescott discusses the effects of Brexit on international study, language education, and student opportunities, including the transition from Erasmus to the Turing Scheme.
Professor Murray Pittock FRSE, recaps on the 5th Scotland-Europe Initiative workshop on Higher Education.
Dr Moriba Jah, a space environmentalist, highlights Scotland’s potential to lead in space environmentalism and sustainability, emphasising the importance of addressing space debris and promoting sustainable practices.
Professor Camilla Toulmin writes about Africa-Scotland relations and her work on sound policies and substantial action.
David Gow reflects on the The EU and the Brexit Negotiations RSE and Europa Institute event with Professor Brigid Laffan and Dr. Stefaan de Rynck.
Professor Michael Keating discusses challenges for shared regulatory competences after Brexit.
Professor Michael Keating argues that the promise of Brexit was to ‘take back control’ and establish the sovereignty and supremacy of the UK Parliament and people.
With Brexit’s impact on borders, Dr Kirsty Hughes FRSE discusses what might lie ahead for the England-Scotland border in the instance of an independent Scotland.
Lessons for Scotland’s potential EU membership. Katy Hayward discusses the Windsor Framework in relation to the Irish/Northern Irish Protocol for border management.
Scotland leads the way in promoting a tertiary education system. What do we need in securing a prosperous future for learners & society?
Professor Chris Quine considers how woodlands can provide for future generations while responding to the climate and biodiversity crises and the needs of society.
Financial services post-Brexit; Rebecca Christie remarks that the UK still expects preferential treatment, while the EU demands reciprocity.
Professor Victoria L. O’Donnell explores the growth and challenges of online universities, emphasizing the need to redefine perceptions and value of online degrees amidst a competitive and evolving educational landscape.
Graham Bishop argues that three years after leaving the EU, the UK finance sector still awaits the promised gains.
Professor Rebecca Kay discusses policy options for Scotland to increase inward migration and boost economic growth and diversity.
Professor Raffaella Ocone stresses that collaboration between the UK and EU is vital for successful energy transition and reaching Net Zero goals.
There is still time to act in ways that will protect natural ecosystems, but solutions require a more nuanced understanding, argues Professor Anne Magurran
Professor Mehul Malik highlights the research making quantum leaps toward more secure communications.
Professor Graeme Ackland highlights the debate around claims of room-temperature superconductivity breakthroughs.
Alexa Green reflects on their transition within higher education and shares her thoughts on the future of tertiary education.
Professor Sergi Pardos-Prado discusses the challenges of implementing a bespoke Scottish immigration policy.
Peter McColl discusses citizen participation in policymaking to solve the issue of retrofitting insulation in homes for energy efficiency.
Tackling energy security and net zero targets, Professor Peter Cameron on the importance of collaboration with the EU on energy policies.
Dr Thomas Sampson discusses the impacts of the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement two years after it took effect and Britain left the single market and customs union.
Professor Isla Myers-Smith highlights the issue of climate change on tundra ecosystems.
As part of the RSE Scotland-Europe Initiative Professor Sarah Hall discusses Brexit and ‘missing’ financial services jobs in Scotland.
Professor Ryan Gilmour explains that while ‘synthetic’ organic chemistry may be controversial, it’s behind the development of many vitally important medicines.
Emma Congreve, Deputy Director and Senior Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the Fraser of Allander Institute discusses the impact of Brexit on trade in goods, services and labour.
Professor Gill Reid highlights the new research which could reduce the amount of radiation required in medical imaging.
Professor Matthew Cartmell looks to 19th-century science to help measure Earth’s effect on spacetime as predicted by Albert Einstein.
Is there a way to break the constitutional deadlock in Scotland, a path forward that could unite pro-independence and pro-UK parties and supporters?
Covid-19 has disrupted Higher Education models and practices, exacerbating the challenges which the sector already faced.
Colin Graham reflects on provocations encouraging a systemic view of education and curricula that looks outwards beyond tertiary education
Professor Maria Dornelas FRSE, held a workshop asking what is the purpose and future of Higher Education (HE)?
Professor Neil Gow highlights how climate change may be creating a new threat from potentially life-threatening, drug-resistant fungal infections.
Prof Jim Gallagher on the Brown Commission’s substantial constitutional change, which lies on the horizon for an incoming labour government.
Scots are increasingly polarised around issues of sovereignty, which have become central to contemporary Scottish politics.
Hear from Fiona Heatlie, a member of the Young Academy of Scotland, on her involvement with Gaelic medium education and her journey with Gaelic.
Professor John Gillies FRSE on his life growing up in North Uist and his journey rediscovering the language during the renaissance of Gaelic. / An t-Àrd-ollamh Iain MacIllIosa FRSE a’ bruidhinn mun bheatha aige a’ fàs suas ann an Uibhist a Tuath agus an t-slighe aige gu bhith ag ath-lorg a’ chànain aig àm ath-bheòthachadh na Gàidhlig.
Julie Fowlis FRSE, describes how Gaelic is woven into the fabric of Scotland and how stories contained within the landscapes of North Uist have inspired her.
What checks and processes might be necessary to manage the Anglo-Scottish border in the event of independence in the EU?
Scottish tech sector leader Carolyn Jameson reflects on how the industry has evolved and looks to opportunities ahead to be more creative in solving economic and societal challenges.
Dr Martin Zeilinger discusses disruptive technologies in the arts and how blockchain technology enables artists to directly control the circulation and monetisation of their work.
In a system of fiscal devolution, where should the balance of financial risk lie: with the UK government or the devolved institutions?
An independent Scotland would have two viable currency choices: continued use of £GBP or the establishment of a new Scottish currency.
Five examples of how public opinion data can help us to understand Scottish constitutional attitudes.
Dr Vaishak Belle discusses the potential for learned algorithms to be biased and discriminate against certain groups, while looking at what lies ahead for addressing ethical challenges for artificial intelligence.
Dr Eve Poole considers the importance of reflecting human agency, values, and our ‘junk code’ in developing advanced artificial intelligence.
Dr Neil McDonnell takes us into the metaverse, highlighting the potential for extended reality to enrich the quality and accessibility of educational content.
Professor Andrew Manches considers the effects of technology and increasing screen time on children – questioning our fears and dystopian visions about its proliferation in children’s lives.
Professor Lee Cronin questions the hype around AI, highlighting some fundamental misconceptions, but looks to a future where it could have a key role in drug discovery.
Dr Atoosa Kasirzadeh contrasts the opportunities and ethical challenges with the advancement of machine learning and generative AI.
Professor Erik Gauger argues that better understanding photosynthesis could inspire engineered solutions for developing clean and inexpensive energy.
Kenny Kemp highlights the innovation and influence of Robert Bryson FRSE and sons in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Professor Dorothy H Crawford states that vaccines against cancer-causing viruses are a growing source of hope.
Professor Fiona Macpherson explores perceptual diversity and introduces The Perception Census.
Professor Barbara Webb highlights how engineers are learning from the powerful circuits of an insect’s brain in technological innovation.
Professor Nicola Stanley-Wall shines a light on the unsung heroes of the microbial world, explaining how a greater understanding of how tiny life forms work together could lead to remarkable scientific breakthroughs.
Ray Perman highlights the work and influence of founding Fellow James Hutton in establishing geology as a modern science, stating that Hutton should be considered a titan of the Scottish Enlightenment.
Professor James Curran looks toward COP15 and what can be done about a biodiversity crisis in Scotland.
Professor Brian Gerardot describes how quantum physics is on the cusp of an astonishing revolution in low-energy technology.
Large Hadron Collider: Higgs boson is far from the end of the exciting discoveries about the fundamental nature of the universe.
Dr Will McDowall looks at different scientific advisory systems in a comparative perspective to highlight how different governments draw on expertise and evidence.
Professor Maggie Gill explains what can be done now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from homes and to ensure we have more resilient housing.
Professor Sarah Skerratt reflects on the importance of collaboration and listening to a diverse range of perspectives in advancing useful knowledge.
Professor Martin Hendry FRSE peers into the Curious programme and shares his scientific journey through storytelling as a teenager.
Professor Alis Oancea introduces the idea of research-impact nexuses to capture the ‘hard-to-assess domains’ of research impact.
Professor Diane Stone looks at the various forms of engagement of HEIs in transnational governance and the challenge of demonstrating impact.
Professor David Price states that pregnant mothers’ mental health is crucial to the future of their babies’ brain health, particularly during an important period of development in the womb.
Professor Ronan O’Carroll argues that human behaviour is a crucial but undervalued factor in tackling major threats to public health.
Karen Anderson explains how
the built environment can impact the quality of people’s lives and sense of wellbeing.
Professor Helen Hastie states that to build trust in robots, they need to recognise the needs, intent and emotional state of humans.
Professor Jim Gallagher illustrates the need for new thinking on tackling the drug deaths crisis in Scotland.
Professor Jamie Davies explores how ‘Easter eggs’ in the code of life could revolutionise healthcare with living robots that patrol the body and repair it.
To seek asylum and freedom from persecution is a fundamental human right, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and celebrated as such on World Refugee Day.
Dr John Boswell and Dr Jess Smith consider the perspectives of leaders in the executive branch, whose priorities, and processes ‘set the tone’ for the actors in policy work.
Professor Jim Gallagher FRSE outlines his thoughts on what it means for academic engagement in policy when politics and polity are in flux.
Dr Audrey MacDougall, Chief Social Researcher, reflects on why the issue of research and evidence in policy so problematic.
Jill Rutter on how, in a non-rational world, can research impact policy? When most policies are unable to follow the ‘rational’ ROAMEF cycle.
Professor Dan Wincott provokes further debate on territorial policy impact. The UK governs territory through complex political institutions and systems.
Professor Sir Geoff Mulgan lays out six observations on learning about the conditions for effective use of evidence
Dr Silvia Paracchini highlights that while the amount of genetic data now at our disposal has brought us some groundbreaking insights, the findings are not without their dilemmas for society and there is a need for clarity on how it is used going forward.
Professor Ravinder Dahiya explores new scientific interventions that could promote faster recovery from injury and more effective treatment delivery with ‘smart bandage’ technology.
Professor Nasar Meer explores policy impact concerning racial equality and the role that ‘epistemologies of ignorance’ may play in policy inequality.
Professor Roy Burdon explains how the environment can leave its footprints in our DNA, whether a natural or artificial cause.
Professor Jeremy Peat, RSE VP for Business, reflects on a series of economic issues related to constitutional change and the Scottish independence debate.
Professor Eleonora Belfiore explores the resistance against the impact agenda within the arts and humanities academic community
The Universities Policy Engagement Network looks at the challenge of bringing about positive change for equity, diversity and inclusion in academic-policy engagement.
Dr Ellen Stewart on why engagement with citizens has the potential to improve research and increase its relevance to policy and practice.
Professor Stephen Reicher reflects on the importance of exchanging knowledge between disciplines in addressing the challenge posed by Covid-19.
Are current approaches to impact addressing the demands for interdisciplinary approaches, and do they call for more diversity?
Dramatic progress against this deadly disease has faltered. Professor Heather M Ferguson FRSE on how to get it back on track.
Professor Alex Murphy FRSE writes about bringing STEM opportunities to the most remote locations in Scotland.
As a growing sector, it also offers exciting opportunities for the future, and Scotland is at the forefront of these opportunities.
Sitting among the many aspirations that we have for space exploration is one enduring question – is there life beyond Earth?
Professor Claire Dunlop sketches three blind spots of policy impact which learning accounts bring into focus.
Professor Christina Boswell on the ‘impact agenda’ in higher education first gained currency around a decade ago. And to be honest, a lot of that activity felt quite formulaic and box-ticking.
There is general support for the principle of policy impact: researchers and Higher Education Institutions should be encouraged to achieve policy impact from their research.
Professor Mark Woolhouse asks were Covid-19 lockdowns really the best course of action? Justified at the time as the best way to save lives.
Professor William Stimson FRSE on the breakthrough antiviral drugs that boost humans’ ‘interferon’ immune response to help tackle Covid-19.
We must take our cue from children when it comes to designing the early learning and childcare ecosystem that will help shape the rest of their lives.
Professor Anne Magurran FRSE calls to protect and restore Scotland’s biodiversity.
An African nation with a recent troubled past has a proud record of equality in parliament. We now have new resources that will shine a light on women’s experiences in Rwandan society before the colonial period.
Professor Ian Jackson on the genetics of ginger hair. The further north you were born, the more likely you are to have red hair.
Audrey Cumberford writes about why Scotland is well placed to capitalise on its strengths and make effective university-college collaboration the norm.
Professor Sean Mckee FRSE writes about how we are constantly surrounded by applied mathematical models every day, even if we don’t know it.
Professor Devi Sridhar looks to the prevention of future pandemics and a coalition built on preparedness and innovation.
Professor Malcolm Macdonald explains the threat ‘zombie’ satellites pose on the space industry and economy.
Professor Boyd Robertson highlights the use of drone technology in NHS Highland for transporting critical clinical supplies.
Professor Alison Phipps describes how the Scottish Crannog Centre inspires visitors to share stories and ponder the potential of restorative integration.
Dr Manuel Fernández-Götz shares research demonstrating the earliest cities developed north of the Alps between the 6th and 5th centuries BC.
Professor Mike Benton OBE discusses the new research that is helping shed fresh light on long-extinct species like dinosaurs.
Professor Francisca Mutapi explains how having a lack of diverse clinical trials and treatments may be costing lives and increasing health inequalities.
Professor Dame Anne Glover details the findings of the RSE Post-Covid-19 Futures Commission and how Scotland can emerge stronger from the pandemic.
Jan Webb and Professor Becky Lunn explore the future of domestic energy to achieve our net-zero ambitions.
Professor Russell Morris FRSE outlines the recent Science and the Parliament event, showing politicians what actions are needed to tackle climate change.
Jim Fairbairn OBE FRSE explains the government policies needed to support businesses and help them prosper post-Covid-19.
Professor Sir Ian Boyd FRSE describes how Covid-19 has shown how businesses must increase their resilience to survive potential crises.
Professors Philippa Saunders FRSE and Andrew Horne FRSE discuss how wearable tech could help improve the lives of those suffering from endometriosis.
An African nation with a recent troubled past has a proud record of equality in parliament. We now have new resources that will shine a light on women’s experiences in Rwandan society before the colonial period.
Caroline Gardner CBE, Chair of the Inclusive Public Service working group writes about the benefits of social prescribing.
Professor John Peter Renwick FRSE on the ground-breaking contribution he made to the 140-volume Complete Works of Voltaire, a French philosopher, historian and social reformer.
Jim King writes about the challenges of offering meaningful education opportunities within the prison system and why we should prioritise interventions that are creative, engaging, and relevant to the individual’s life and aspirations.
Dr James Mahon discusses the importance of relevant and industry-driven career-long professional learning (CLPL) to tertiary instructors.
Talat Yaqoob FRSE outlines the importance of public participation in government decision-making to avoid the next crisis
Professor Niamh Nic Daéid illustrates the need to increase public confidence and and trust in data and science-based decisions.
Professor Sir Ian Boyd explains key recommendations to take forward to help Scotland recover from the pandemic and build resilience.
Professor James Curran builds upon Freud’s two great outrages to look at what actions should come forth from COP26.
Professor Maggie Gill OBE writes on why we shouldn’t ‘just’ aim for net-zero in combatting climate change.
Professor Neil Vargesson FRSE looks at the history of thalidomide use in contemporary treatments and it’s safety 60 years on.
Professor Andrew Tyler discusses the role water plays in combatting climate change and its importance in public policy for the RSE Fellows’ Blog.
Professor Fiona Gilbert FRSE argues why the public should allow the use of their data within healthcare for the greater good.
Professor Clive Badman OBE details new proposals in the manufacturing process of medicines that could help solve future supply shortages.
Aileen Ponton, Chief Executive of the SCQF writes on how they are keeping pace with Scottish Education in the 21st Century.
Carl Gombrich writes about the benefits of problem-based learning and how it could benefit future approaches to education.
Jen Ross writes about digital futures for learning and how our perceptions have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paul Hagan and Rob Wallen write about college-university collaboration.
Gordon Flockhart writes about alternative pathways into engineering.
Professor Peter A Mossey FRSE explains how better clinician-patient communication through health coaching can improve disease prevention.
Sam Alberti writes how his favourite place to learn about the environment is in museums where objects provide insight on the current state of our planet.
Within just a few months, the extraordinary delivery of vaccines for Covid-19 was achieved for a virus virtually unknown just eighteen months earlier. When it was needed, synthetic biology began to deliver on its promise.
Emojis are now an endemic part of many – most – people’s lives, yet the modern digital emoji has only been around since the late 1990s.
When a massive star reaches its red supergiant phase, we know that the energy available from fusion has almost run out. The sudden pressure drop leads to a massive explosion, so bright that it would rival the moon. We expect this to happen to Betelgeuse in the next 10,000 years.
With Rubin we will be testing the latest exotic theories to explain the dark universe phenomenon, some of which are so far-reaching that we question even Einstein’s theory of gravity.
The lockdown in 2020 meant I no longer had access to the observatory. Instead, I created experiments at home, aiming to determine how physics and an understanding of the motion of soft materials can help reduce waste in production processes.
I’m always perplexed by the way we talk about phobias. An arachnophobe is obviously terrified of spiders, but does that necessarily mean that they hate them? And far from hating open or crowded spaces, I am sure there are agoraphobes who yearn to be able to embrace them.
The idea of eradicating AIDS, malaria, or indeed any infectious disease, is hugely appealing. Eradication means no more disease and subsequently, no need for interventions. So far, we have only eradicated one human disease: smallpox.
Numerous studies show that planning ahead allows individuals to die according to their wishes, and to avoid inappropriate treatments. Most people in Scotland now die with such plans in place, but many still miss the opportunity to influence many details.
The pandemic has demonstrated that women are expected to do far more around the home than men. Moving forward, the way to address this issue might involve looking at how societies behaved in the past.
The Scottish picture for endangered species is not encouraging. The most recent results published in 2019 using the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List methodology for 6413 species in Scotland showed significant declines.
Many disabled people are faced with hardship and poverty in their everyday lives and, faced with an often unhelpful benefits system, they struggle to get by. It’s time to listen to their needs and act.
As the Moon has no atmosphere and the Martian atmosphere is poisonous, would anyone living in such places experience freedom when they are so completely dependent on others for their existence?
Curriculum for Excellence began as a promising development and it is still laudable for its forward-thinking and holistic aims. It is not too late for these ambitions to be realised and used to build a world-class STEM education system.
Like other maritime nations, the wellbeing and national character of the people of Scotland have been greatly influenced by its coasts and waters ever since the first humans settled here. Yet, the marine environment remained very enigmatic with very limited knowledge until the late 19th century when marine science arose as a scientific discipline.
When I started medical school in 1975, periods (menstruation) were taboo and understudied. It is deeply concerning that this still remains the case four decades later – we must break the continuing shame and embarrassment when talking about periods.
The world is in a different place from 2015 – the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis has made the goals more urgent. We have almost all the science we need to make changes – renewable energy, biotechnology and biofuels, to name but a few. Yet, the biggest challenge we face this decade is how to bring about change in the hearts and mindsets of individuals, institutions and national systems. So, can social science help close the gap?
What is the biggest mental health issue of the day? It’s not COVID – which most people with and without mental illness are coping with admirably. It is, as ever, the stigmatisation of mental illness and the underfunding of mental health services. The two are clearly related, and despite some improvements in recent years, there remains a long way to go.
A recent report from the Scottish Government highlighted the disproportionate effect COVID-19 has had on a variety of groups, such as women, ethnic minorities, and low paid workers. So how can we prevent this pandemic from reversing the progress we have made towards workplace equality, diversity, and inclusion?
Traditional science and engineering methods control as many variables in an experiment as possible to increase confidence in narrow hypotheses. This directly opposes the broader needs of society during adverse events – where we cannot control changing circumstance.
As a mathematician and roboticist, I have been lucky enough to work on many complex projects like developing algorithms for a NASA humanoid robot to balance, navigate and manipulate objects autonomously; in preparation for deployment on Mars. However, I am fascinated with the question of how the latest advances in my field can help tackle some of the biggest and most intriguing healthcare challenges of our generation.