Grace Piddington

Huge thanks to my host team and the @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social for the opportunity of a lifetime. I am looking forward to making the most of my last few weeks!

💭 I am very grateful to have been able to keep my research moving while in post, but it definitely does feel like two full time jobs. Making sure to capture insights when they happen has helped me keep track of both roles.

💭 Pace is important. So is the ability to be responsive while keeping a line of sight to the aims and objectives of the work.

💭 Evidence is absolutely everywhere, one of those unique skills is being able to find the best quality evidence, synthesize it, and apply it. Quickly!

💭 There is a wealth of incredible talent in the civil service. The skillset is unique, and while there are definitely transferable skills from academia, I have learned so much from my host team.

A few thoughts as I come to the last few weeks of my placement in the @houseofcommons.parliament.uk Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee ⌛

#academicsky #publicpolicy #policysky #pasky

More broadly, the day was full of exciting papers and important discussions about the state of political studies. Current challenges, but also optimistic calls to action. Though I was only available to join the first day, I am looking forward to next year already!

Though I wasn't really talking about AI, understanding the landscape of actors involved with supporting the most vulnerable in our society to engage with an increasingly online world can inform discussions about mitigating risks of widening inequalities.

Fantastic day yesterday at the opening of #PSA25 🎉

I was very excited to share the initial findings from the first phase of my project with the @techpolicy.bsky.social panel discussing the potential impacts of AI

#academicsky #policysky @polstudiesassoc.bsky.social @uob-policystudies.bsky.social

Our Group CEO, @helenmilner.bsky.social responds to
the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's new Digital Inclusion Action Plan.

Read the full opinion piece at www.goodthingsfoundation.org/discover/dig....

On a personal note, as a topic that I am not only currently researching, but also massively passionate about, this has absolutely made my day/week/month!

I am over the moon to see this issue as a real priority of the current government.

This is a huge milestone, as the last DI strategy was published by the previous government in 2014 with limited evidence of progress against it.

Though there have been incredibly successful individual projects, there has been a lack of coordinated effort from the UK government in this time.

Digital Inclusion Action Plan

This announcement comes with a call for evidence from stakeholders to help consider what further actions the government can and should take to drive systemic change

Read more: www.gov.uk/government/c...

#digitalinclusion #digitalpublicpolicy #DSIT

Text on purple background with illustration of person using laptop computer. Text Reads: Digital Inclusion Action Plan. We're making sure everyone can be included in our digital world.

Huge announcement from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology this morning!

"Millions of people in Britain are set to gain greater digital skills, as ministers tackle the scourge of digital exclusion"

Read more: www.gov.uk/government/n...

#academicsky #policysky #digitalinclusion

NEW on Wonkhe: This week on the podcast the Welsh government has announced £18.5m in additional capital funding for universities - but questions remain over reserves, job cuts, competition law and student protection. https://bit.ly/3QsRrgM

Title: Orbital

Author: Samantha Harvey

Recommend: Yes

One sentence description: It's a book that begs you to consider perspective.

#booksky

The #Digital South Research Lab webpage is live ahead of tomorrow’s kickoff at Tilburg University.

Please take a look to learn more about our #team members, ongoing #research projects, and #calls for papers and abstracts.

www.tilburguniversity.edu/research/hum...

#AcademicSky #TechSky

Green graphic with portcullis logo and green background. An image of the House of Commons Chamber is overlayed in a green and beige colourway

MPs are now considering the second reading of the Data (Use and Access) Bill.

Watch the debate ⬇️
parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...

That is an excellent point! One of the questions on the call is:

"What should be the priorities for the digital centre of government? Are there any areas of the public sector that are particularly suited to or in need of digital transformation?"

Possibly space to address some concerns?

Policy making in the era of artificial intelligence | Institute for Government Technology is changing and so should the civil service.

The rapid rise of generative AI has the potential to fundamentally reshape how the civil service works.

Policy making is one area in which the scope for change could be most impactful, says @jordanurban.bsky.social www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

The new politics of AI: Why fast technological change requires bold policy targets | IPPR AI is fundamentally different from other technologies – it is set to unleash a vast number of highly sophisticated ‘artificial agents’ into the economy. AI

www.ippr.org/articles/new...

The call for evidence invites submissions on questions such as "what benefits will a digital centre offer citizens" and "what are the barriers to successfully establishing a digital centre of government"

#AcademicSky #DigitalInclusion #DigitalPolicy #DigitalTransformation #PASky #PoliSky

Committee launches inquiry into plans for a Digital Centre of Government - Committees - UK Parliament Today the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee launches its inquiry into plans for a digital centre of government.  

The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee has launched its inquiry into plans for a Digital Centre of Government.

The Government has set out to reform public services through digital technology to make them more efficient, personalized and accessible.

tinyurl.com/yk6hse2v

#AcademicSky

Headshot of Barbara McGillivray

Photo from a previous Turing seminar where people are sat in a room at tables watching the presentation.

Next Turing Seminar:

👉 Wednesday 12 February, 13:00 - 14:00
👉 University of Bristol, 43 Woodland Road Room G.01 LT
👉 Barbara McGillivray, Lecturer in Digital Humanities and Cultural Computation, Kings College London

No booking required, find out more here: tinyurl.com/47tz3vzr

Invitation to tender: Peer Research for ‘Digital Lives’ project Part of the Nuffield Foundation 'Grown up?' programme

Invitation to tender: Peer research partner for ‘Digital Lives’.

Support Ada's project looking at the lived experiences of 14–24-year-olds growing up with digital technologies.

🕛Deadline: 12 Noon, Wednesday 26 February 2025

Full tender document: www.adalovelaceinstitute.org/our-work/res...

Share your input on the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI & Global Dialogue on #AIGovernance 📢

This is part of an intergovernmental process to define terms of reference & modalities for these initiatives in the
@un.org.

➡️ Submit feedback by 14 Feb: input.un.org/se/3995D1A41...

Title: Autocracy Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World

Author: Anne Applebaum

Recommend: Yes

One sentence description: It's a book that's only become more true (sadly) since its publication in July 2024.

#booksky #nonfiction

Engaging people on data and AI: An unconference on giving people and communities a powerful say on public sector technologies Unconferences are participant-driven meetups that focus on sharing, learning and community building. This unconference is for people (particularly inside the public sector) who are interested in ensuring that public, community and worker voices are heard in decisions about data, digital and AI.

Are you working with communities concerned about public sector uses of data, digital & AI? Do they want to make their voices heard? Are you already engaging through participatory processes?

We're hosting an unconference in London on 20 March we think you'll love.
connectedbydata.org/events/2025...

Black Rod Sarah Clarke at the State Opening of Parliament

Sarah Clarke, the first woman to be appointed to the role of Black Rod in its 670-year history, will leave Parliament later this year after seven-and-a-half years in post.

Find out more www.parliament.uk/business/new...

Title: The Alchemist

Author: Paulo Coelho

Recommend: Yes

One sentence description: It's a book about people who believe in the same things but understand them differently.