The below video features the opening keynote speech from Professor Brian Collins, Director of the Centre for Engineering Policy at UCL and former Chief Scientific Advisor to two government departments (Transport 2006-11; Business Innovation and Skills 2009-11).

Professor Collins covered a wide range of issues, including the Haldane principle (the idea that research funding should be independent of political interference), introduced a case study about how government and scientists responded to the 2010 volcanic ash/civil aviation events, and fielded questions from the audience, including one about the difficulties of regulating controversial research at the international level.

What do you think? Please use the comment section below to pick up on any points…