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A Guide to the Royal Society Of New ZealandA briefing for the Minister of RS&TOctober 2005The Royal Society represents an independent, informed and trans-disciplinary voice for New Zealand sciences, mathematics, social sciences and technology (S&T). We promote, invest in, and celebrate excellence in people and ideas in S&T and put them to work as an example and inspiration to New Zealanders. Current membership of Council is:
The Chief Executive is Dr Steve Thompson MRSNZ (Steve.Thompson@rsnz.org) We are passionate about science and technology, and about the issues surrounding it. Established under its own Act, the Royal Society is a channel for the S&T community to contribute their voices to national debate, a link to international S&T, a support for educators, an efficient manager of Government funds and a centre for raising awareness of S&T in New Zealand. We provide a focus for the voluntary work of many committed people throughout the country. Much work remains to be done to build a sound foundation for the appreciation and use of knowledge in New Zealand. We devote all of our own limited resources to pursuing this goal. We contribute to New Zealand’s social and economic growth and development in two distinct, but complementary ways. In our first role we operate as an independent body, established by Act of Parliament to promote a critical awareness of science and technology issues in New Zealand and to contribute to the education of young people. We work towards an informed and educated society – one which understands the opportunities and risks brought about by advances in science, and is able to make informed decisions about new technologies. We also provide professional services to scientists in the form of courses, support materials, and a code of ethics. Our strength lies in our membership. Our activities are supported by over 1300 members, 363 Fellows, 21 Companions, 50 societies, 10 branches, 10 affiliates, and a staff of 36 FTE in Wellington, with an operating budget of $5.4m, of which about $3m comes from MoRST in payment for our Funding and Investment Agent activities. In our second role, the Society acts as one of three Funding and Investment Agents (FRST, RSNZ and HRC) to administer funding on behalf of government. In 2005-6 we will invest $47m (incl GST) of RS&T funds in New Zealand’s underpinning knowledge base. We are not part of the State sector, but our roles as a Funding and Investment Agent and NGO link synergistically. Our communications, for example, provide publicity for successful research programmes, which in turn provide stories to enthuse the public. We are seen as balanced and unprejudiced on issues. Our members expect us to channel evidence-based strategic advice to government, and contribute to decision-makers’ knowledge of S&T issues. The Society believes that the sciences contribute markedly to the welfare of New Zealanders. At the same time, we believe that researchers and technologists must be responsible to society and that we must maintain an open dialogue about the issues arising from science and technology. Our activities cover a broad range across the innovation spectrum, from education and basic research through to end-user understanding. Figure 1: Approximate investments in the innovation spectrum
WHAT WE DOThe Society was established in 1867 as a body of excellence and enquiry into matters scientific. Our Act of 1997 mandates us to:
In fulfilling our mandate under the Act, we serve five main client groups:
As an integral part of our work, we provide services to government through administering the Marsden Fund, educational programmes, publishing, and public awareness contracts. Viewed under the headings of our Act, we operate by: 1. Awareness: The Society carries out many activities under its own mandate as an independent science and technology body, as well as activities supported by government. 2. Education: We inspire young people in S&T and assist teachers to teach inspiringly and authentically. Programmes include Teacher Fellowships, CREST, and National Waterways, a Science Communicators course, the S&T Promotion Fund, and our presentations of science in the media. 3. Expert Advice: The Society has established its own analysis unit, and works with stakeholders to achieve environmental, economic and social goals for New Zealand. Our members expect us to channel evidence-based policy advice to politicians and ministries, and contribute to politicians’ knowledge of S&T issues. 4. Supporting Excellence: We develop, recognise and celebrate excellence in research. We administer the Marsden and James Cook schemes to provide resources for our top researchers. Our Academy Council recognises and puts to work for New Zealand, the excellence embodied in the Fellows of the Royal Society. Royal Society medals honour the exceptional. 5. Supporting the Profession: Through our journals, courses, international activities and focus groups, we disseminate New Zealand research, and connect researchers together within New Zealand and abroad. 6. Professional Standards and Ethics: We have developed and published a Code of Professional Standards and Ethics. The code is binding on our members, and has been adopted by a number of other science institutions. 1. AWARENESS
Figure 2: Royal Society impact on media awareness The Society is one of a handful of agencies that promote an understanding of the value of science, technology and innovation. Our main challenge is to promote an informed and critical awareness of S&T in New Zealand. We air S&T issues via newsprint, radio, television and other publications, and through events for the general public, including promotional projects and talks by local and international scientists. We publish this material online and through brochures, books and newsletters. At the national level, we carry out many activities under our own mandate as an independent body, as well as activities supported by MoRST. We place science personalities on radio, in public meetings and in print media. Our most recent survey of press coverage showed that, of the 150 or so science article published by New Zealand newspapers each month, about one third were stories seeded from information put out by the Royal Society. Last year, the Society’s DNA50 and Transit of Venus awareness and education events came to fruition. Private sponsorship supplemented government funding. The Transit project drew from all the activities of the Royal Society, from the James Cook Fellows, Marsden research, our science communicators course, and the Speaker’s Science Forum. Our theme for 2005 is e=mc2, strongly sponsored by the private sector. Awareness events also included Masterclass! Science, our visiting Distinguished Speakers, seminars on DNA in forensics, our annual Science Awards Dinner and the Speaker’s Science Forum at Parliament. Contestable Fund for Science and Technology PromotionWe manage a $420k Government Fund for S&T Promotion to support activities that promote positive values and attitudes towards science and technology at all levels of the community. Seven projects were funded in 2004, out of 70 applications. In 2004, the fund was effectively increased by 29% by commercial sponsorship obtained by projects. Science-Industry InterfaceTo promote New Zealand’s move to a high-tech, high-value industry base, we work for a mutual understanding between science and industry. We have teamed with NZTE to develop and implement a leadership model from the stories of contemporary business leaders. Our Science to Business Communicators course enables real communication between scientists and business people. 2. EDUCATIONThe Society envisages a New Zealand comprising a well-educated public that understands issues surrounding S&T and appreciates the benefits of discovery through research. We inspire young people in S&T and enable teachers to teach these subject areas in authentic and inspiring contexts. We promote S&T at the primary and secondary education levels and to the wider community. The Society is very active in schools, with its CREST, BP Challenge, science camps and fairs. These activities bring in some $240,000 from the private sector. The Ministry of Education funds a number of programmes for science and technology teachers, as well as the National Waterways Programme. We run programmes to keep educators abreast of S&T practice and to develop their knowledge and skills to inspire young people. We build networks and raise awareness of S&T careers to support students as they progress to tertiary education. We publish S&T-related resources for teachers, parents and students. We facilitate linkages among teachers, curriculum advisers, researchers, businesses and government to improve S&T education. Support for these activities is drawn from the private sector (eg. the Todd Foundation, BP, Genesis Energy), our own resources, and government assistance. Some examples of programmes we administer are: Talented Young New ZealandersWe encourage talented young New Zealanders into S&T careers, and encourage all to gain a solid grounding in S&T. We provide travel grants for school students to attend international educational events (62 last year), and maintain a Young Achievers database with 1000 names and growing. Science, Mathematics and Technology Teacher FellowshipsThese government-funded fellowships ($4.1m in 2005-06) give primary and secondary teachers a year off to improve their teaching through outside experience. The programme has operated for 10 years and is a highly valued part of the school sector. CREST – Creativity in Science and TechnologyPublicly and privately-sponsored CREST gives pupils experience in an investigation of their own choice, working with an outside expert on issues of significance in their lives. Students showcase their work at regional fairs and national competitions. Winners have gone on to international competitions. BP ChallengeThe privately-sponsored BP Challenge challenges teams to design and develop 'solutions' to problems. It develops problem-solving skills using simple problems and common materials. Realise the DreamRealise the Dream is a 5 day national celebratory and educational event for high S&T achievers in schools. It provides an incentive for achievement; encourages and acknowledges young people in their development of creativity, lateral thinking and entrepreneurialism; and supports parents and educators to inspire our future wealth creators. The principal sponsor is Genesis Energy National Waterways ProjectThis Ministry of Education-funded project supports environmental education using waterways. The scheme focuses on waterways monitoring, learning to gather environmental data, understanding the importance of maintaining waterways and taking responsibility for local environments. 3. EXPERT ADVICEThe Society has established its own strategic analysis unit, and works with stakeholders to advise on S&T issues in New Zealand. We work to support the government’s environmental and social goals and its Growth and Innovation Framework. Our members expect us to channel evidence-based advice to ministries, and contribute to politicians’ knowledge of S&T issues. We use our Fellows, members, experts and organisations to provide the facts and balanced, impartial advice on important issues for debate, eg. research funding and capability, S&T education, environmental and social issues. We produced three major advice papers last year on S&T Capabilities in NZ, large-scale equipment, and tax incentives for R&D. We prepared the Science Case for New Zealand’s investment in the Australian Synchrotron and ran a Biotechnology Futurewatch for MoRST. Currently we are hosting an expert panel on Sustainable Energy, considering the establishment of a national strategic science panel, and plan to conduct an assessment of basic research in New Zealand. We wish to develop a highly professional relationship with government, raising the profile of S&T and its contribution to the knowledge society. This will enable us to act as a link between science and government by translating and communicating areas of science that can inform policy and increase dialogue among society, government and S&T. 4. SUPPORTING EXCELLENCEFellows of the Royal SocietyFunded by members’ resources, the 363 Fellows of the Society play key roles in the Society’s Council, committees and expert panels. The Academy Council, which represents the Fellows, is currently initiating an assessment of the outcomes of investing in research excellence in New Zealand (FoRE project). The Marsden FundThe Marsden Council, appointed by the Minister and chaired by Dr Garth Carnaby, uses the Society to administer the Marsden Fund ($38.2m incl GST in 2005-06), which invests in the very best curiosity-driven research. In 2004/05, 47% of the funding went to the medical and life sciences, 34% to physical sciences, earth sciences and mathematics, 14% to the social sciences and 5% to the humanities. Although the fund represents less than 2.5% of NZ gross expenditure on R&D, it contributes more than 7.5% of publications. Marsden citation rates are nearly twice that for other New Zealand publications. The fund is a key tool in attracting and retaining talent in New Zealand. While the fund does not target applied research, applications do indeed arise. From 28 projects followed up in 2002/03, a third had actual applications in development. James Cook FellowshipsThe James Cook Research Fellowships allow 5 or 6 of our best researchers to concentrate on their chosen research for two years. The four Fellows recently finished published 50 papers and 2 books for an excellent return on the $0.72m for fellowships. New Zealand S&T Medals and AwardsWe administer the New Zealand S&T medals and Awards Dinner to recognise and reward excellence in our researchers. MoRST provides funding for the Rutherford, Silver and Bronze medals. We also award our own Pickering Medal for technology. Our Academy awards more specialised medals, for example the Te Rangi Hiroa Medal in social and economic policy and development. 5. SUPPORTING THE PROFESSIONWe encourage our members and constituent organisations to act as leadership models in using S&T knowledge in a balanced, impartial manner, and raise the esteem of S&T researchers. We develop evidence to strengthen research capabilities in New Zealand and help to promote scientific and technological careers and conditions of S&T workers. We promote excellence in all research, from basic to applied, celebrate New Zealand research successes; provide awards, scholarships and fellowships for S&T research and practice among young people, communities, and our established scientists and technologists. Our professional support activities include:
Scientific JournalsThe Society publishes 8 refereed scientific journals on contract to government ($542k for all publishing in 2005-06). They cover agriculture, botany, horticulture, geology, geophysics, marine, zoology, and social sciences. All journals are sold internationally, with 60% going overseas. We introduced online publishing in 2002, and have digitised the content of all journals back to 1994. International ActivitiesThe Society is developing its own strong relations with science organisations in Europe, the Americas and Asia. With government funding, we support membership of 32 international scientific unions, provide information about international funding, and manage government’s ISAT contestable fund for international visits ($560k in 2005-06). We also manage a small fund for MoRST to help organisations to bring international conferences to New Zealand. We use our own resources to help emerging scientists to attend their first overseas conference. Royal Society of New Zealand CommitteesAs well as housing an Academy, we are a federation of S&T societies. They combine resources with the Academy to form action-orientated committees in areas which the Society considers important. Examples of the committees’ work in 2004 were a forum on the PBRF and a survey of human resources in the NZ research sector. Current committees and panels are:
6. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND ETHICSScientific and technological operations and investigations, their application and their teaching, must be undertaken with integrity through the use of rigorous methods. Such investigations expand knowledge and it is the responsibility of all members of the Society to ensure that the application of that knowledge conforms to standards acceptable to the wider community, whether or not the members be self-employed, on the staff of private or public companies or of Government or private institutions, or whether they be natural and physical scientists, social scientists, medical scientists or practitioners, technologists, technicians or others. The Society has developed and published a Code of Professional Standards and Ethics. The code is binding on our members, and has been adopted by a number of other science institutions.
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