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Policy@Manchester Articles: Science and Technology
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Science, industry, and government must pull together to solve our plastic addiction

By Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Science and Technology Posted:

Mike Shaver is currently Professor of Polymer Science at the University of Manchester in the School of Materials. In this article Mike explores how we should be viewing the use of plastic and also how we can avoid the potential environmental problems from plastic alternatives. Sustainable alternatives to plastic need thoughtful analysis of the whole […]

Beyond technology: addressing the social and sustainability challenges of next generation industrial systems

By Filed Under: Digital Futures, Industry 4.0, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

This week’s annual gathering of the World Economic Forum in Davos will discuss prospects for ‘Globalisation 4.0’, with participants debating how to match a global economy increasingly driven by new technology and the movement of ideas, people, and goods, with citizens around the world looking to ‘take back control’. Professor Philip Shapira from the Manchester […]

Messy but meaningful – how to make interdisciplinary water-energy-food-environment research more influential

Alice LarkinClaire Hoolohan By and Filed Under: Cities and Environment, Digital Futures, Science and Technology Posted:

UK academia is arguably at the forefront of the kind of inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary research needed to tackle global grand societal challenges. This distinctive mode of research aims to be policy-relevant and impactful, but by its nature is often messy, complex and difficult to communicate. Here, a group of academics from The University of Manchester […]

Expert reaction – Environmental Audit Committee report

Claire Hoolohan By Filed Under: Cities and Environment, Digital Futures, Energy and Environment, Science and Technology, Urban Posted:

The Environmental Audit Committee launched its report on heat-related deaths and included a series of recommendations for the Government. Dr Claire Hoolohan Research Fellow at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, considers how suitable recommendations in this report around water use are, and what additions she’d like to see. Claire’s current project, working with […]

Brexit risks supply problems for nuclear medicine

By Filed Under: Brexit, Europe, Science and Technology Posted:

As the UK moves towards the intended ‘exit day’ of March 29th, 2019, some of the details of the foreseen – and unforeseen – consequences of Brexit are becoming clearer. One of these is the UK Government’s stated aim to withdraw from Euratom, and the likely effects or otherwise of Brexit upon medical isotope supply. […]

New approaches needed for nuclear

By and Filed Under: All posts, Digital Futures, Energy and Environment, Industry 4.0, Science and Technology Posted:

Nuclear power is an essential part of the low carbon energy mix and in this piece for Policy@Manchester Professor Juan Matthews and Dr Neil Irvine explain why new approaches are needed to reduce its cost. Nuclear power needs to become cheaper, safer and more flexible. It needs to contribute to a wider usage of energy […]

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Artificial Intelligence and the public interest

By Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

Dr Barbara Ribeiro of the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research reflects on what the Industrial Strategy White Paper means for artificial intelligence and considers whether prioritising AI funding is really in the public interest. The Government expects a positive impact of AI on household budgets over the next 13 years Any expectations in terms of […]

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Autumn Budget 2017 – We Need to Talk about Blue Skies Science

By Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Budget 2017, Science and Technology Posted:

Ahead of the Chancellor’s Budget Anna Scaife, Co-Director at Policy@Manchester and Professor of Radio Astronomy in the School of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Manchester, highlights the need for government to increase funding for fundamental scientific research in the UK. The UK lags behind most of the world in terms of its research […]

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Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and the Internet of Things

Steve Furber By Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Science and Technology Posted:

Computers are everywhere with a myriad of consumer, automotive, medical and communications devices hosting microprocessors and the Internet of Things will result in an increase in reliance on this technology. In this blog, Steve Furber, Professor of Computer Engineering, discusses the challenges for Dr Patrick Vallance, the new Government Chief Scientific Advisor on artificial intelligence, […]

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Countries, community and currencies

By Filed Under: All posts, Science and Technology, Urban Posted:

David Birch talks about the ideas behind his new book, ‘Before Babylon, Beyond Bitcoin’, covering and questioning a multitude of concepts from trust to identity to nation states to currencies. Trade cannot exist without trust, and it is hard to trust strangers As society scales beyond the ability and trust of individuals, we have to […]

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