Independent scientific advice in Portugal and the academies
The great challenges that have changed science, from pandemics to changes from artificial intelligence to fake news, have brought it to the fore. They also highlighted the challenges in the way science and knowledge, through independent scientific advice, are incorporated into public policies and political decisions.
Society, in general, shares a generalized perception of the importance of science and technology in their lives, despite the “ludisms” that we also witness. However, there is still uncertainty in the way science informs, serves and contributes to the definition of policies, that is, to what extent does science for the definition of public policies and which institutions of the system and technology that for does it help?
These were recently highlighted in the study “Science for Policy in Portugal” promoted by the Joint Research Center of the European Commission (FCT).[1] Pointing out some fundamental measures, the study also identifies an anomalous situation: the limited role of Portuguese scientific societies and academies not providing scientific advice, in promoting reflection and studies and in establishing bridges and links between the scientific community and policy makers. . In a recent article in the Diário de Notícias [2] MEP Maria da Graça Carvalho also reinforced the importance of independent scientific advice. More recently, during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the FCT [3]the first of FCT Luís Magalhães argues that the national contribution to the top of the international production of knowledge has to be supported by “… instruments of observation, analysis, prospection and consultation with the scientific community”, different from the current ones, in strong interaction with institutions and with individuals, policies that contribute to the definition of public areas in emerging areas.
Universities, research associates and laboratories have the scientific and technical skills to support an important part of this advice. However, also institutional perspectives are not always ideal for meeting, form of challenging, independent disciplines to reflect on greater complexity or future studies of higher interdisciplinarity.
In countries, it is up to scientific universities to lead this process of reflection, produce studies and, like many prospective ones, systematize knowledge on a given scientific topic or synthesize the consensus of the scientific community. These funded studies, supported by transparent and consistent processes, support the political, or scientific/technical decisions of public institutions, including institutions. In the case of the National Academies of the United States[4] role is enshrined in law passed by Abraham Lincoln on serving amie and the work of the National Academy of the federal government. In the United Kingdom, the Royal Society studies are exemplary in the way they systematize and contextualize themes from the scientific realm of complex complexity.[5].
In Portugal, the Lisbon Academy of Sciences is also prepared to respond to these challenges and to elaborate these questions and perspectives. Founded on December 24, 1779, it was designed in the same way as European societies that were produced during the Enlightenment. Among some of its illustrious foreign correspondent partners are Benjamin Franklin, Ramón y Cajal, Louis Pasteur, and Albert Einstein, among more than a dozen Nobel Prize winners. Re university of two more scientific institutions of knowledge and culture, institutions of more institutions in the country. It has a long tradition of its only ones in Portugal and, over two centuries of existence, it has reflected critically on science in Portugal, as illustrated in its memoirs, and has led initiatives of high impact in Portugal – the genesis of the also Vaccine Institution. at the beginning of the century. XIX and the leadership of academic Ricardo Jorge at the end of the century. 19th century in the context of the bubonic plague[6] they are paradigmatic exemplars, appropriate to the times they are paradigmatic.
The opportunity to establish an Academy of Sciences in Lisbon as a central entity in independent scientific advice is unique. The approval of its new statutes, at the end of 2021, allows the expansion of its activities. It reinforces the strong movement of openness and connection to society, already evident in a set of recent initiatives, from new conference cycles to the Young Scientists Seminar. In the new statutes created new sections, in Sciences and main in our society, as Information Technologies or Technologies, Knowledge and Societies; The increase in academics of the Academy of Sciences of Lisbon accelerate the involvement of a diversity of scientists from Lisbon and a diversity of scientists from Lisbon committed to inscribing this objective is not greater in its program of activities.
Given that future challenges in Portugal and Europe are expected to require more science, study and reflection, the role of independent scientific advice will be even more important; the Academy of Sciences can play a central role in this advice, similar to what it already does for the Portuguese, finally reinforcing the motto of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences “If what we do is not useful, glory is in vain”.
Instituto Superior Técnico and Academy of Sciences of Lisbon
[1] Simões, Vítor Corado (2021), ‘Science for Policy in Portugal’, Discussion Paper prepared for the workshop Science for Policy through the EU: Portugal, organized by the Joint Research Center (JRC) of the European Commission and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Portugal, November.
[2] https://www.dn.pt/opiniao/ainda-nao-aprendemos-a-quantificar-incertezas-14408759.html
[3] https://youtu.be/jspp_cL0zwo
[4] https://www.nap.edu
[5] https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/publications/
[6] http://www.acad-ciencias.pt/document-uploads/1159870_[2020]-rueff,-j.-(coord)—sars-cov-2-com-intro.pdf