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SGR Events and Conferences

SGR organises events and conferences (roughly every year) on issues of concern in science and technology. We are also involved in organising other conferences. Below is a list of the more recent ones. Online reports are available for some of the presentations/workshops.

SGR also takes part in other conferences and events - for information on any such forthcoming events, click here

2008 SGR Conference and Annual General Meeting

held on 25th October 2008, at Alan Baxter & Associates, London

Summarised by Alasdair Beal

Introduction

Over 70 delegates attended this stimulating event. Stuart Parkinson (Executive Director of SGR) welcomed delegates, and thanked Alan Baxter and Associates for providing the venue.

There were two main speakers - Kate Macintosh and Sandy Halliday - and ten posters presented by researchers and others (see list). SGR's AGM took place at the end of the day.

Social Housing: From Paternalism to Cooperatives

Kate Macintosh (Vice Chair of SGR) spoke on 'Social Housing: From Paternalism to Cooperatives'. Kate traced developments in social housing from 1920s initiatives such as St Pancras Home Improvement Society and Liverpool City Architect's Department. Karl-Marx-Hof in Vienna was a very influential development at the time. Liverpool planned to build 5000 units per year up to 1936. After World War II, a flagship scheme was Churchill Gardens, Pimlico - 1700 homes, with shops, pubs and community centre, all heated by waste heat from Battersea Power Station. London City Council Architect's Department was established in 1949 and other cities followed suit, leading to a series of ambitious schemes.

However, imported ideas such as large-panel high-rise blocks of flats led to crude and insensitive schemes. This trend was only ended following the partial collapse of Ronan Point in Newham in 1968. More modest scale and individually designed developments from the same era have survived much better. In the 1970s design consultation with tenants led to schemes like Byker in Newcastle. In the 1980s and 1990s, housing coops like Coin Street in London produced excellent developments. However, council houses have been sold off cheaply to private owners, housing associations and 'arm's-length' management organisations, with local authorities receiving only a fraction of the money raised. If there is a revitalisation of council housing it is important that lessons from the past successes and failures are learned.

Kate's talk stimulated a lively discussion, covering space standards, design and energy conservation.

Making Sustainable Building and Places

Sandy Halliday (Gaia Research, Edinburgh) spoke about 'Making Sustainable Building and Places', with examples of interesting projects in Germany where sustainability is treated as part of the design and function rather than a separate subject. The 1968 Club of Rome report, 'Limits to Growth,' showed that there are limits to economic growth - but not to development if we conserve and recycle resources. The 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment - which took place in Stockholm - discussed the effects of pollution and the need to consider the environment along with development.

Sandy outlined the principles of 'appropriate development'. The key to energy saving in buildings is not gadgets like rooftop wind-turbines and solar photo-voltaic panels - it is good design and construction. She advocated 'eco-minimalism' as an antidote to 'eco-bling'. The fabric of the building should be made airtight, then ventilation used as required. More should be spent on the roof and cladding, less on mechanical services, and toxic and polluting materials should be designed out. Sandy has written the 'Green Guide to the Architect's Job Book'. 'Green' buildings need not cost more.

She also showed how the Fairfield community had been regenerated as a housing cooperative. Involving children in design can be interesting. The design of Acharacle School was based on lessons learned on Norse and German visits. Schools in Europe constructed under PPP (Public Private Partnership) score badly on eco-efficiency, just as they do here.

SGR AGM

SGR Chair Phil Webber welcomed delegates to the AGM. The minutes of 2007 AGM were accepted. Director Stuart Parkinson reported on the year's campaigning - bad Government decisions on Trident nuclear missile replacement and new nuclear power but some effective campaigning on various fronts by SGR. Activities included submissions to government commissions, lectures, recruitment stalls at events and many letters sent to press and decision makers. By the end of September 2008 SGR had 983 members.

Treasurer Patrick Nicholson reported that it had been a tight year financially and thanked staff for voluntarily accepting a temporary reduction in paid hours.

A proposal for SGR to allow organisations to affiliate was accepted. The nominated officers and committee were elected. Alan Cottey, who stepped down from committee, was thanked for his past work and also for organising this year's successful poster exhibition.

In discussion, SGR's increasing public profile was welcomed. We also discussed a variety of suggestions for reaching larger audiences, especially young people.

Posters

Abstracts and Speakers Biographies

Previous Conferences and Events

2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001  2000 1998  1997  1996  1995

2007

SGR Conference and AGM 2007

Fighting over the Leftovers: Resource Depletion and the Potential for Conflict

Saturday 6th October, 10.00-16.30
Conference Summary
Abstracts and Speakers Biographies

2006

SGR Conference and AGM 2006

Positive futures: Successful applications of ethical science, design and technology
Case studies of positive contributions made by science, design and technology to peace, social justice and environmental sustainability

(Saturday 21st October)
Summary of Conference
Abstracts and Speakers' Biographies

Professor Sloboda's Presentation (PDF, 1.99MB)

Dr Webber's Presentation (PDF, 2.02MB)

Dr Parkinson's Workshop slides + notes (PDF, 161KB)

2005

 

SGR Conference and AGM 2005

Science, design and technology: pursuing an ethical agenda

(Saturday 22nd October)

This was a joint event with Architects and Engineers for Social Responsibility (AESR). The AGMs of both organisations were held back-to-back in the morning, with main speakers in the afternoon.
Summary of Conference Plenary Abstracts and Plenary Speakers

Professor Barnham's presentation (Powerpoint, 2.48MB)

Professor Webb's presentation
(Shockwave, 1.39MB)

Mark Whitby's presentation

 

SGR is very grateful to The GAEIA Partnership for sponsoring this event 

The GAEIA Partnership    

 

 

Soldiers in the Laboratory

Military involvement in science and technology — and some alternatives

A new report by Scientists for Global Responsibility was launched at the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday 19 January 2005 (read the Launch Report here)

The report documents the power and influence of the military in science, engineering and technology (SET) in the UK over the past 15 years, and investigates whether some reallocation of the resources that the military currently devotes to weapons-related SET would contribute better to the goals of peace, social justice and environmental sustainability.

Speakers included:
DR IAN GIBSON
Chair of the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology
DR CHRIS LANGLEY
Author of the Report, Scientists for Global Responsibility
PROFESSOR STEVEN ROSE
Dept of Biological Sciences, Open University
Chair:
DR STUART PARKINSON
Director, Scientists for Global Responsibility

VENUE:
Committee Room 7, Palace of Westminster
(i.e., the building commonly known as the Houses of Parliament)

The Report and Executive Summary can be downloaded as PDF documents. Paper copies of the full (81-page) Report can also be ordered from the SGR Office at £13.75 inc. P&P, or at a specially discounted rate of £8.25 inc. P&P to Members of Architects and Engineers for Social Responsibility (AESR), Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) and International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES). Please send your order and payment to:

Scientists for Global Responsibility
P O Box 473 • Folkestone CT20 1GS
E-mail: info@sgr.org.uk

2004

SGR Conference and AGM 2004

From Greed to Need:
Reshaping consumption and technology for a sustainable world

(Saturday 15 May 2004)

At the Johannesburg Summit in 2002, governments of the wealthier countries committed to promote sustainable consumption patterns in their countries as one way of tackling the growing environmental crisis and global inequality. Since then the UK has drawn up a strategy - but this only scratches the surface of the issue. The conference looked at how deeper changes can be achieved.

Conclusions reached during the workshops were integrated into SGR's response to the current Government consultation on its sustainable development strategy.
Summary of Conference Plenary Abstracts and Plenary Speakers
Workshops
Interviews with speakers

2003

Nuclear Weapons: Issues for UK Policy - Conference and AGM 2003
(13th September 2003)

Extended Summary Report on the 2003 Conference and AGM

Guest Speakers

The Risk of Nuclear Terrorism
Dr Frank Barnaby, Oxford Research Group

An End to the UK's Nuclear Weapons?
Professor John Finney, University College London and British Pugwash Group

2002

SGR Meeting on 'Knowledge - Common Heritage, Not Private Property' (10th November 2002, London, UK)

A discussion meeting organised by Scientists for Global Responsibility and supported by the UK National Commission for UNESCO, a summary of which can be read here.

New Security - Global and Regional Priorities (23-24 May 2002)

Seminar organised by the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES) in co-operation with SGR, Dept of Peace Studies, Bradford University. The seminar was arranged so that member groups of INES could discuss security issues in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. In particular it was focussed on discussing alternatives to militarisation, including conflict prevention, disarmament and peace in the context of sustainable development. A summary is available here.

SGR 10th Anniversary Conference: Can Scientists be Trusted? (27th April 2002, London, UK)

Science today is at a crossroads. More and more questions are being asked about whether scientific research is 'ethical'. In a world increasingly geared towards economic globalisation, there is great pressure for scientific research to be geared towards corporate needs, often at the expense of wider social and environmental goals. Further, much existing funding of science and technology, particularly in the UK, comes from the military. And with the tragic events of September 11th, the pressure will be for this source of funding to expand.
- So can scientists now be trusted to contribute to a more just and sustainable society?
- If not, what changes need to occur?
- And how can we make sure these changes are not simply Public Relations exercises?

Keynote Speaker

‘What Does Society Need Science For?’
 Prof John Ziman FRS,
Professor Emeritus of Physics, Bristol University
Workshops

How should science be funded? - Dr Stuart Parkinson (Chair, SGR)
Biotechnology and the influence of vested interests - Eva Novotony (SGR)
Science Communication: Should Scientists Listen More? - Dr Christopher Langley, former Director of the Media Resource Service

Extended Summary Report on the 2002 Conference and AGM

2001

'No Star Wars: An International Conference to Keep Space for Peace' (May 4th - 6th, in Leeds, UK) 

Jointly organised with Yorkshire CND and with The Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space.

The conference was part of a weekend of events to give academics and peace activists an opportunity to discuss the proposed US National Missile Defence (NMD) system and UK involvement with the system.

Lectures covered a range of political, technical and legal aspects relating to the NMD system. Speakers included Atsushi Fujioka, Bruce Gagnon, Karl Grossman, Regina Hagen, Bruce Kent, Dave Knight, Edward Appiah-Brafoh, Hilde Varney, Cheong Wooksik, Stacey Fritz, Jeremy Corbyn, Caroline Lucas, Bahig Nassar, Lindis Percy, Alice Slater, Dave Webb, Philip Webber and Alla Yaroshinskaya.

The conference included workshops on

Extended Summary Report on the 2001 Conference and AGM

1999-2000

SGR Strategy Review

Starting in 1999, SGR embarked on a major internal review, whose purpose was to find the best ways of raising our level of activity in pursuit of ethical science and technology.

In 2000, instead of a conference SGR continued this internal review including 2 members 'awaydays'. This resulted in changes to the constitution and organisational priorities.

1998

'Genetics and Ethics' (November)

Keynote Speakers Prof Derek Burke
Former Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes 
'Genetically Modified Foods - What's the Problem?'
Dr Mae-Wan Ho
Reader in Biology, Open University 
'Biotechnology and the Social Responsibility of Science'
Guest Speaker Ben Matthews
SGR
The Climate Train
Workshops Genetic Engineering (Dr Helen Wallace, Greenpeace)
Transport and Climate Change (Dr Tim Foxon, SGR) 
Getting SGR better known (Dr Phillip Webber, SGR)

1997

'Sharing the Responsibility' (November)

Keynote Speaker Prof John Adams
Dept of Geography, University College London
'A Richter Scale for Risk?'
Workshops Non-Lethal Weapons - The Revolution in Flexible Tools for Political Control (Steve Wright, The Omega Foundation)
Climate Change - The Track to Kyoto (Dr Tim Foxon & Dani Kaye, SGR)
SGR & Grassroots Activity (Dr Phillip Webber, SGR)

1996

'New Science - New Danger?' (November)

Keynote Speaker Aubrey Meyer
Global Commons Institute
'Climate Change - The Inter/Intra-National Politics of Contraction and Convergence'
Workshops Wings of Death - Low-level Radiation (Dr Chris Busby)
Toxic Legacy - Military Bases (Dr Philip Webber, SGR)
SGR Policy 2000 (Dr Tim Foxon & Dr Jenny Nelson, SGR)

1995

'Ethics and Science: Getting the Message Across' (November)

Keynote Speaker Dr George Monbiot
Oxford University
'Science and the Environmental Ethic'
Guest Speaker Dr David Gladstone
'The Natural Step'
Workshops Science Matters (Dr Jenny Nelson, SGR)
Ethics Guide (Dr Philip Webber, SGR)
Electro-Magnetic Fields and Health (Alasdair Philips, SGR)

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