Who controls science and technology?

SGR produces a range of resources on the issue of 'Who controls science and technology?' This includes the power of vested interests (especially the military and private corporations), openness and democracy in science, and public engagement and participation. Two of our main projects focus on military influence on science and technology, and corporate influence on science and technology.

Take arms firms out of the Big Bang Fair

Over a dozen SGR members, including Secretary Dr Charalampos Tsoumpas and Sponsor Prof David Webb are among the signatories of a letter to The Guardian newspaper protesting about arms industry sponsorship of the The Big Bang science fair.

12 March 2014
 

Nuclear weapons over wind turbines? UK R&D policies are warped

Weapons of mass destruction get five times as much public research cash in the UK as renewable energy. Time for a rethink, says Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR

Article in New Scientist, 10 February 2014

 

Rethinking security: from projecting power to preventing problems

Dr Chris Langley, SGR, examines how two factors - the embrace of corporate partners by science and technology university departments and the erosion of distinctions between the military and the police - have contributed to disturbing security trends in the UK and elsewhere. The root causes of insecurity meanwhile go unaddressed.

Article published on openDemocracy website, 19 December 2013
 

Top books on science, technology and politics from the last 21 years

Dr Stuart Parkinson picks his choice of the best non-fiction books of recent years to mark SGR’s 21st anniversary.

Article from SGR Newsletter no.42, autumn 2013; published online: 19 December 2013
 

Scientists criticise arms industry sponsorship of Edinburgh science festival

Press release and open letter, 13 December 2013
 

Military R&D: Is it helping or hindering our security?

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, argues that contrary to popular belief there are numerous reasons why military research and development is not helping to improve security, and makes the case for alternatives.

Presentation at York University, 23 October 2013
 

From Militarism to Sustainability

Campaigning for ethical engineering and science in the UK

A chapter, written by Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, in a new book entitled Peace Engineering: When personal values and engineering careers converge

1 September 2013
 

The Big Bang Fair: A distorted view of the value of science

Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, argues that the UK's leading science and engineering fair for young people - which this year runs from 14 to 17 March - is distorted by the prominent involvement of arms corporations,  oil companies and other controversial sponsors.

Article published by the New Left Project, 14 March 2013
 

Challenging corporate influence within science communication

Dr Alice Bell argues that corporate sponsorship of science communication has gone too far, and announces a new campaign to challenge it.

Article from SGR Newsletter no. 41, autumn 2012 (published online: 2 November 2012)
 

The decline of UK military R&D

Latest official statistics show that UK government spending on military research and development has fallen considerably over the last ten years – something that SGR has been calling for. Dr Stuart Parkinson, SGR, assesses the significance of the changes.

Article from SGR Newsletter 41, autumn 2012 (published online: 22 October 2012)