Professor of Materials Physics and Innovation Policy at the University of Manchester. Nanotechnology, polymer physics, regional economic growth.
Thanks to @PradyuPrasad & @Tom_Westgarth15 for this rich discussion - on productivity slowdowns, is the Great Stagnation real? (yes, but wasn't inevitable & isn't irreversible) - on the differences between science & technology - why geographies of innovation matter & lots more
Excellent thread, not least for reminding us that "bionic duckweed" should be a universally understood term of art in innovation policy. If electric trains/trams had only just been invented, we'd be rushing to implement this great novel decarbonisation technology.
"What does it mean when you accidentally meet a target?" Great piece from @JoshMartin_econ on the effect of the big upward ONS revisions to business R&D stats. "The poor productivity performance of the UK remains, and measuring R&D differently doesn’t change that."
A really interesting piece from @RianCFFWhitton asking the question why steelmaking in the UK has declined so much compared to other developed countries. It's not just inevitable decline of a sunset industry - the EU, Japan, Korea & USA remain large producers...
A great piece from @AndyWWestwood on the growing international importance of place based industrial strategy, especially in USA through CHIPS act. Interests of national security & political stability now coinciding with economic imperatives. We need to get this right in UK.
The UK faces economic & energy crises, public services are collapsing, & international environment dangerous & unstable. UK lacks state capacity to deal with this polycrisis. Good piece from @arisroussinos from a Conservative perspective: crucial issues, whatever one's politics.