Sense about Science
Sense about Science describes it its role as being to "encourage a rational, evidence-based approach to scientific and technological developments". According to the Daily Telegraph, it is "a group that studies public attitudes to risk" (see Risk management). [1]
It has a very close relationship with the Royal Society. For example, it has set up a Working party on peer review which meets at the RS, and is chaired by a member of the RS. The working party also includes members of the Institute of Ideas. [2]
It has helped publicised a variety of pro-GM stories in the media, including the Broom's Barn trials. It co-ordinated an open letter from UK scientists to the Prime Minister, following a series of largely unfavorable GM articles in the media [3].
Related, via Global Futures and common personnel, to the Institute of Ideas and the LM group. Additionally, the domain name senseaboutscience.org.uk was registered by Rob Lyons, who is also web master for Spiked online.
Staff
- Director Tracey Brown
- Assistant Ellen Raphael
Both are former employees of Regester Larkin, a Risk management PR company.
Funding
- Halifax
- Unilever
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Social Issues Research Centre
Has funded lots of anti-GM research such as a survey on the cost of vandalism to sugar beet trials at Broom's Barn GM research centre.
Trustees
Advisory council
- Dame Bridget Ogilvy
- Sir Peter Lachmann
Funders
- Association of the British Pharmaceutial Industry (ABPI)
- Amersham plc
- BBSRC
- The Biochemical Society
- BP plc
- Mr D. Brydon
- Prof A. Dixon
- The Society for Endocrinology
- The Society for General Microbiology
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Halifax Bank of Scotland
- ISAAA
- John Innes Centre
- The John Innes Trust
- Mr M. Livermore
- Oxford GlycoSciences plc
- Blackwells Publishing
- Dr M. Ridley
- Social Issues Research Centre
- Unilever plc.
External links
- David Derbyshire, "Fluoride, fluoride everywhere...", Daily Telegraph, 29 May 2003
- Andy Rowell and Bob Burton, "Rising Rhetoric on Genetically Modified Crops", PR Watch, Volume 10 No 1, First quarter 2003.
- Sense about Science - GM Watch profile, November 7, 2003
- Andy Rowell, The alliance of science, The Guardian, March 26, 2003
- "The Royal Society: best of British science or corporate rentboy?", GMWatch Newsletter Number 6, 8 February 2003
