In this research seminar, Laura Smillie will talk about how and why the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission involves experts to understand what influences political decision-making in the 21st century.
Covid-19 is clearly a complex policy challenge – and one where science can really offer immense benefits to decision-makers. And this seems to have worked at first glance, judged by how visible scientists have become in the media, often standing right beside political leaders the world over. And yet, a recently published global survey among scientists shows how variable the uptake of scientific advice has been seen by the scientific community. Moreover, policy responses often differed between countries even as scientific reviews and research is shared across borders.
This is why we need to understand the drivers of political decision-making. Through its multi-annual research programme Enlightenment 2.0, the JRC wants to understand the way in which facts, values, interests, concerns and social relations drive political behaviour and decision-making as well as the interplay between individual and group decision-making. We seek to understand these drivers to make our political systems more trustworthy and responsive to citizens.
If political institutions at the EU and Member State levels are to improve transparency, openness, and accountability, the Enlightenment 2.0 research programme seeks to provide the interdisciplinary scientific underpinning to optimise the evolution of these political decision-making processes.
Laura Smillie leads the European Commission’s multi-annual research programme Enlightenment 2.0. The programme is identifying the drivers of political decision-making – exploring the extent to which facts, values, social relations and the online environment affect political behaviour and decision-making. With over 20 years of experience working at the science/policy interface – having worked on both sides of the fence – Laura works every day to bring the very best possible evidence into the EU’s political decision-making process.
Prior to joining the Commission in 2017 Laura has worked as a research institute director, as well as for the profit and not-for-profit sectors. In 2010 she was appointed the Senior Communications Adviser to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Laura has developed and published a model for optimising the communication of scientific risk and uncertainty; she is also the founder and former Chair of the Crisis & Risk Communications Working Group of the European Association of Communication Directors.