Ben Johnson

Appreciate your efforts on this as always Hetan. On this occasion I understand the event will be chaired by the lead author (a woman), and not a panel either- more like lightning talks. I did check these details with them before posting this, but not otherwise involved (and can't make the event).

I’ll do a detailed Substack take on the DSIT R&D allocations soon — but, on the surface read, it looks like positive news on funding levels and prioritisation. Outstanding Qs: intra-UKRI allocs (esp Dual Support); OLS-IS vfm; ARIA ramp-up readiness; AI implementation pathway

UK Post-16 White Paper – implications for research Some quick thoughts.

Some quick thoughts on the UK post-16 white paper's implications for research: www.ersatzben.com/p/uk-post-16...

What Actually Counts as Interdisciplinary Research? A data-driven look at which funders support knowledge integration

Interdisciplinary work here: www.ersatzben.com/p/what-actua...

Emergent Ventures winners, 46th cohort - Marginal REVOLUTION William Wu, NoVa, piano, Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff. Olga Niekrasova, Kyiv, animated film. Anhelina Leshak, Ukraine/GWU, general career support. Myles Fritts, Florida, fish and genetics. Luzia Bruckam...

Delighted to be a winner in the latest round of Emergent Ventures! marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevo...

I will be pursuing R&D data analytics for policy, building on the work I've been doing on interdisciplinary metrics.

@ersatzben.bsky.social asks for #Science policy not to weaken standards, but rather to rediscover a form of democratic splendour: demonstration statecraft that inspires awe by visibly delivering on ambitious goals.

The Counter-Reformation of science: how to make magnificence democratic British research has perfected discipline and outsourced magnificence. The fix is to practise demonstration statecraft – visible proofs of capacity that pair theatre with delivery.

A great piece from @ersatzben.bsky.social on the importance of bold, aesthetic, mission-oriented directions in publicly funded research.

betterscienceproject.substack.com/p/the-counte...

The Counter-Reformation of science: how to make magnificence democratic British research has perfected discipline and outsourced magnificence. The fix is to practise demonstration statecraft – visible proofs of capacity that pair theatre with delivery.

British research has perfected discipline and outsourced magnificence. The fix is to practise demonstration statecraft – visible proofs of capacity that pair theatre with delivery.

A new essay by me for the Better Science Project:
betterscienceproject.substack.com/p/the-counte...

What if – hear me out – some people just sincerely think digital ID would be a good idea for public policy and that the trade-off with civil liberties is worth taking, and a weird quasi-conspiracy isn't required?

Thanks, Hetan!

Do feed into this very interesting project looking at the different available R&D interventions

We've built an R&D toolkit for policymakers A new suite of interactive tools to help policymakers strengthen UK innovation.

And we cover more in this short article by toolkit creators Helen Ewles (@helvisew.bsky.social), @sanjushdalmia.bsky.social , @pedroserodio.com and me. Special thanks to @freddieposer.com for brilliant coding + design!

🔗 ARTICLE: britishprogress.org/articles/wev...

This is a beta version and we need your feedback!

Explore the toolkit, test the features, and let us know what you think. Your input will help us improve this resource for the whole policy community.

🔗 TOOLKIT: rd-toolkit.britishprogress.org

Another dimension is ‘flexibility’:

🔄 Agile tools like Contracts for Innovation allow for rapid pivoting away from unpromising R&D paths.
🔒 But for others, like AMCs or Catapults, deliberate inflexibility and "funding lock-in" is a strategic feature to build investor confidence.

A key insight from our work is the ‘targetability’ trade-off:

🌊 Some tools like tax reliefs are great for general stimulus but poor for strategic targeting.
🎯 Others like innovation prizes are more "surgical" for solving specific challenges.

📈 Public & private R&D are partners, not rivals.

UK analysis suggests an average return of around 40% on public R&D, and research indicates that for every 10% increase in government-funded R&D, private R&D investment increases by an estimated 5-6%.

Our analysis shows why public R&D is so vital. Knowledge spillovers mean private firms systematically underinvest in R&D. The evidence shows social returns from private R&D can be more than 4x higher than private returns, creating a clear rationale for public investment.

What’s inside? 🛠️

➡️ In-depth, evidence-based profiles of 9 major R&D policy tools.
➡️ A comprehensive framework for evaluating returns on R&D investment.
➡️ An interactive calculator to generate benefit-cost ratios (BCRs) for R&D spending.

The challenge: Driving innovation is crucial for the UK’s growth and security, but policymakers face a complex choice from a wide array of policy tools.

Our toolkit is designed to help navigate these critical decisions.

🚨🔧 NEW R&D POLICY TOOLKIT LAUNCHED 🪏🚨

Excited to launch a new @BritishProgress product: an interactive toolkit for UK R&D analysts and policymakers!

🔗 rd-toolkit.britishprogress.org

Thread below🧵

Read the full report here:
britishprogress.org/reports/refo...

The narrow path ahead requires political will, new leadership, and sustained focus. But the prize is huge: a reformed ATI delivering decisive national advantage through sovereign AI capabilities.

Turing cracked Enigma for Britain and her allies. His Institute should do the same for our time.

Success isn't guaranteed. Organisational reform is hard.
We propose a 36-month implementation plan with clear phases and KPIs.

Critically, EPSRC must use its funding leverage to enforce change, or risk policy failure.

The reformed ATI would complement the AI Security Institute:
🎯 ATI: "AI for defence & national security" - developing capabilities
🛡️ AISI: "Security of AI" - evaluating risks & safety

Together, this could give the UK the most sophisticated public AI architecture in the Western world.

Our plan has 5 core reforms:
1️⃣ Governance reconstitution - new Board with D&NS expertise
2️⃣ Leadership renewal - new CEO with turnaround experience
3️⃣ Research strategy refresh - focus on D&NS, end health/environment missions, build new Observatory
4️⃣ Funding reform
5️⃣ Build security capabilities

Why now? AI is reshaping warfare globally. Ukrainian forces use AI for artillery. US DARPA trials AI-piloted F-16s. China tests swarming autonomous drones.

The UK needs sovereign AI capabilities - not dependence on overseas commercial labs.

The SoS letter provides a clear mandate: transform ATI into a vital D&NS asset.

This returns the Institute to Alan Turing's legacy. His work at Bletchley Park shortened WWII by 2-3 years. The Institute bearing his name should match that ambition and sense of national purpose.

The standout exception? Its defence & national security work - which has been supporting the UK defence and intelligence communities with behind-the-scenes breakthroughs.

Ministers now want D&NS to be the main focus.

Since 2015, the Turing has received £200m+ in govt funding but struggled with mission drift, thinly spread research, and governance misaligned with national priorities.

Research has visibly not kept pace with the AI frontier.

🚨 NEW REPORT 🚨

The Alan Turing Institute has visibly struggled, and is now at a critical juncture. The Secretary of State has intervened. What happens next?

A new report for @britishprogress.bsky.social by me and @jujulemons.bsky.social sets out a plan: 🧵