Interview: Mission Possible

For our first interview in a new series, Anastasia Bektimirova sat down with Ben Johnson, former Adviser to the Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary, to chat about bridging government and innovation networks to seize the UK’s edge in science and technology.

They discussed:

  • What the new Government’s five missions mean for DSIT and its interaction with the sector

  • How to better deploy expertise and evidence into government

  • What needs to happen to make UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as effective a delivery partner as possible

  • Stakeholder engagement beyond public consultations and roundtables

  • How the science and technology community can get the Government excited and compelled to invest resources

  • Moving from being comparatively good to objectively good at research commercialisation

  • Strategic advantage in science and technology beyond economic growth