Professional Development Policy Seminar for Engineers

In December, CSaP and the Engineering Department at the University of Cambridge co-hosted a Professional Development Policy Seminar for early-career engineers, introducing them to the opportunities and the realities of engaging with policy. Co-sponsored by the IET, 32 researchers from 7 universities – including Cambridge, Leeds, Birmingham, Imperial, UCL, Swansea and Nottingham – heard from engineering experts Ann Dowling, Robert Mair, Rob Phaal (from the University of Cambridge) and Ian Poll (from Cranfield University and Chairman of the Defence Scientific Advisory Council), and from policy professionals Brian Collins (former Chief Scientific Adviser for BIS and DfT), Jeremy Watson (Chief Scientific Adviser at CLG), Tony Whitehead (Director of Governance and Policy at the IET) and Chris McFee (Head of Civil Contingencies Team in the Government Office for Science).

You can read a write up from the Engineering Department's website here.

Seminar leads to Cabinet Office work placement for Engineering student

Marcos Pelenur, a PhD student at the Centre for Sustainable Development, Department of Engineering, has been invited to join the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) in the Cabinet Office for a three-month work placement starting in Spring 2012.

The BIT was established to help the UK Government develop and apply lessons from behavioural economics and behavioural science to public policy making. Marcos is currently supporting the BIT with the development of their upcoming Green Deal incentive trials through his primary research which investigates the link between household perspectives towards energy consumption and energy efficiency technology adoption. He was inspired to seek a work placement after attending the CSaP Professional Development Policy Seminar for Engineers.

“Using research to help the Government implement policies has been a fantastic experience so far. I look forward to the work placement, and I encourage others to consider collaborating with public policy makers.”

Banner image from Philip Bradshaw