The Research & Development Society
Society News
Tony Hart joins RDS Board
June 2023
The RDS Board is pleased to announce that Tony Hart has joined the Board of the RDS. This follows the decision to re-focus the RDS as a Commercialisation Think-tank focussed on understanding how science and technology-enabled innovations are translated to deliver significant commercial impact.
Tony worked for a number of leading ICT corporates in the UK and US, Digital Equipment Corporation, Research Machines PLC, Intel Corporation and Cisco Systems, in the SME networking, videoconferencing and IPTV sectors across the UK and Europe. Since 2005 he has worked as a consultant and interim Business Development Director for a wide range of technology companies in sectors as diverse as education, internet TV, smart meters, social enterprise and sustainability, building on close links with academia and the digital technology sector across the UK. He was also Head of Smart Oxford, working with public and private sector organisations to develop Oxford as a smart city, energising an ecosystem to support businesses across the region.
Iain Simpson, RDSChair said ‘We are delighted that Tony Hart has joined the RDS Board to support our strategy to become a leading think-tank in the commercialisation of UK Research & Innovation’.
Tony Hart said ‘I am very pleased to join the RDS leadership team to accelerate thinking about how our strong science and technology base can be harnessed to create significant commercial and social impact’.
R&D Society refocusing on the commercialisation of R&D
R&D Society Press Release
March 2023
The R&D Society, is refocusing its activities to become the UK’s leading independent think-tank on the commercialisation of R&D and the voice of industrial R&D in the debate around how science and technology can best support economic growth in the UK.
We make evidence-based recommendations for the commercialisation of science and technology, which help policymakers and businesses understand the impact that their policy and innovation decisionshave on the UK’s economic growth.
The government has repeatedly championed Britain as a “science and technology superpower”, rightly highlighting our universities’ world-leading artificial intelligence and life sciences research.
But such research can improve lives, deliver value to our society andstrengthen our economy ONLY if it is commercialised and applied in the real world.
It is time to focus on action.
For Government, thismeans engaging with industry and other stakeholders to build an effective Commercialisation Infrastructure. Government’s role is to develop and implement effective policies, allocate public sector resources and implement interventions that enable businesses to commercialise innovation from multiple sources.
For Businesses, this means working to increase the likelihood of success in bringing to market new products, processes and services.For Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) practitioners in both the public and private sectors, this means getting involved in the debate and sharing your views with other members of the R&D Society.
Dr Iain Simpson, Acting Chairperson of the R&D Society commented “To ensure the UK can deliver economic growth through being a science and technology superpower, we need to identify and address the weakest links in our innovation ecosystem. The Society looks forward to making its contribution to realising this vision, by acting as a voice of Industrial R&D and providing evidence-based recommendations that support the commercialisation of science and technology”
Read our vision statement here
Strategic collaboration with Triple Chasm Company
June 2022
We are delighted to announce a new partnership with the Triple Chasm Company focussing on developing a better understanding of the innovation landscape in the UK.
The R&D Society and the Triple Chasm Company share the same goals of improving the translation of ideas into commercial, social and environmental impact. The research collaboration is focused on generating practical insights for innovative high-growth companies, enabling them to better focus their efforts.
The R&D Society will promote Triple Chasm research and tools to its membership resulting in better data-driven decisions, leading to faster, more sustainable growth.
Iain Simpson, Chairperson of The R&D Society said:
"We seek to maintain UK as one of the most attractive global environments for R&D, with a particular emphasis on realising its potential to impact social and economic wealth. With this in mind we are delighted to form a strategic partnership with the Triple Chasm Company to support applying its research-based methodologies to develop a better understanding of the innovation landscape in the UK linking the micro, meso, and macro factors that ensure economic growth and sustainability."
Dr Phadke, CEO of the Triple Chasm added:
“We are delighted about this new partnership which should enable more rigorous evidence-driven approaches which go beyond simple macro-economic notions of market failure, productivity gaps, and volatile investor sentiment.“
HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh
Patron of the Research & Development Society
April 12 2021
The Research and Development Society is saddened to learn of the death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on April 9, 2021. We offer our sincere and heartfelt condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and all the Royal Family at this difficult time.
His Royal Highness was a patron of the R&D Society; our former and long-standing Administrative Secretary, Clive Jones notes in a history of the Society that “In 1969 steps were taken to obtain the Patronage of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh. After lengthy negotiations with Buckingham Palace, His Royal Highness eventually attended an Evening Meeting held at The Royal Society in May 1970 and thereafter kindly consented to become the Society’s Patron”.
His passion for reserach and development spanned a whole spectrum of activities; he served as Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh from 1953 to 2010 and the University of Cambridge from 1976 until 2011; played a key role in establishing the Royal Academy of Engineering, commissioning the Prince Philip Medal which is awarded biennially by the Academy to an engineer of any nationality who has made an exceptional contribution to engineering as a whole, through practice, management, or education. He had a strong interest in the industrialisation of science and engineering, visiting research centres and laboratories, mines and factories, engineering facilities and industrial sites with the objective of understanding and contributing to the improvement of British industry, a key area of focus for the R&D Society.
I was fortunate enough to meet him at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party in 2015 and experience his ability to combine both interest and wit when speaking on a subject. After asking about the Society, he then went on to ask me what I did for my day job. When I explained that I worked in medical devices, he was quick to quip that he has “been on the wrong end of a few of those in his time”.
He will be sadly missed not only by those who had the fortune to be acquainted with him, but by a much wider population throughout the world who appreciate the enthusiasm and support he has given to so many important causes. Those of of us who experienced his passion and support for research and development, know that his legacy in this field will be more enduring. His recognition of the importance of the application of science to industrial output is particularly pertinent at the present time, as the UK government works to redefine its industrial strategy around a new “Plan for Growth” initiative. His ability and willingness to challenge the status quo will be sorely missed.
Iain Simpson
Chairman
Research and Development Society
The Research and Development Society Privacy Policy This privacy policy sets out how The Research & Development Society (The R&D Society) uses and protects any information that you give us when you use this website. We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement. We may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 08 April 2018. Any personal information we hold about you is stored and processed under our Privacy Policy. Our policy complies with UK law accordingly implemented, including that required by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which comes into force on May 25 2018. 1. Data Controller The data controller is The Research and Development Society, registered in England with company number 01014555 and registered address 7 Quidditch Lane, Lower Cambourne, Cambridge CB23 6DD. 2. What information we collect about you We may collect the following information: • name and job title • company name • contact information including email address • demographic information such as postcodes, preferences and interests • other information relevant to surveys, calls for evidence and policy input that we participate in and which are relevant to the objectives of the Society 3. What we do with the information we gather We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and for the following reasons: • Internal record keeping. • We may use the information to improve our products and services • Send you updates from The R&D Society • Direct marketing purposes in the form of newsletters or event information. • From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email, phone, fax or mail. We may use the information to customise the website according to your interests. 4. Security We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. To prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online. However, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. We will always do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted over the internet. 5. How we use cookies A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer's hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences. We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system. Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us. You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website. 6. Links to other websites Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question. 7. Controlling your personal information You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways: • if you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us at admin@rdsoc.org • You may instruct us to provide you with any personal information we hold about you. 8. Third parties The R&D Society will not share your information for marketing purposes with companies outside of The R&D Society unless we have your permission to do so. In facilitating and processing your personal information we may disclose your details to any of our employees, officers and selected third parties insofar as reasonably necessary for the purposes as outlined in this privacy policy. We use MailChimp as our marketing automation platform. (include the links to Mailchimp’s Privacy Policy and Terms) Your personal data will be transferred to MailChimp and processed by MailChimp. Mailchimp will perform processing activities such as the collection (via sign up forms) and storage of personal data, and the transfer of personal data to certain of MailChimp’s sub-processors. In addition, we may disclose your personal information to third parties: - To the extent that we are required to do so by law or in accordance with any legal proceedings. - In the situation that The R&D Society merges or works in partnership with other organisations, provided their privacy terms are equivalent to those of the R&D Society. 9. International data transfers Information that we collect may be stored and processed in and transferred between any of the countries in which we operate to enable us to use the information in accordance with this privacy policy. Information which you provide may be transferred to countries (including the United States) which do not have data protection laws equivalent to those in force in the European Economic Area. 10. Removal of your information If you wish us to remove personally identifiable information from our website, you may contact us using the details below. This may limit the service we can provide to you. 11. Retention period for personal data Except as otherwise mentioned in this privacy notice, we keep your personal information only for as long as required by us: • to provide you with the services you have requested; • to comply with other law, including for the period demanded by our tax authorities; • to support a claim or defence in court. 12. Complaints If you complain about any of the content on our website, we shall investigate your complaint. If we feel it is justified or if we believe the law requires us to do so, we shall remove the content while we investigate. If you are in any way dissatisfied about how we process your personal information, you have a right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office. This can be done at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ 13. How to contact us Please contact us if you have any questions about our privacy policy or information we hold about you. If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect. You can contact us by email at admin@rdsoc.org or write to us at The R&D Society at 7 Quidditch Lane, Lower Cambourne, Cambridge CB23 6DD