Science, technology and society

Developing the evidence base, governance models and policy insights needed to deliver equitable outcomes

As new technologies are rapidly developed and deployed, policymakers, businesses and individuals are grappling with their potential uses, limitations, benefits and harms.

Building on the expertise of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics and the Ada Lovelace Institute, we will work with researchers and other partners to ensure that advances in science and technology are aligned with the public interest. To do this, we are interested in research that:

• Develops effective and agile models of governance capable of securing public trust and maximising societal benefits
• Builds evidence on whether key technologies work, how they are being used in practice, and with what human impact
• Investigates the relational and social dimensions of science, technology and social change
• Examines the choices facing policymakers and practitioners in sectors such as education, health, justice, welfare and social care, including how to mitigate emerging inequalities.

What we’re interested in

These are particular questions we are interested in exploring. We welcome proposals that address them directly or explore adjacent issues. If your work aligns with our aims, we’d like to hear from you.

• How can we identify, foster and support regulatory frameworks to be based upon ethical principles so that they both encompass rapidly developing science and reflect changing societal values?
• How are evolving technologies reshaping the nature of work; and what can we learn from how the use of data and AI technologies is affecting the workforce in different parts of the public sector?
• How can new science and technology be adopted in an equitable way, with a clear understanding of its impact on different groups in society?
• How are technologies affecting people’s sense of identity and agency, and the ways they communicate and relate to one another?
• How can futures, foresight and horizon-scanning tools be deployed to improve policies and systems?