Professor James Wilsdon

MA (Oxon), DProf (Middlesex)

Information School

Digital Science Professor of Research Policy

Director, Research on Research Institute (RoRI)

j.wilsdon@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 7731 592796

Regent Court (IS)

Full contact details

Professor James Wilsdon
Information School
Regent Court (IS)
211 Portobello
Sheffield
S1 4DP

Profile

I am an interdisciplinary social scientist who works on the governance and management of science and research, and the relationship between evidence and decision-making. Over my career, in addition to academic posts at the universities of Sheffield, Sussex and Lancaster, I’ve worked in public policy, think tanks and at the UK’s national academy of science.

Since 2016, I’ve been based at the University of Sheffield, where I am now Digital Science Professor of Research Policy and Director of the Research on Research Institute (RoRI) - an international consortium of research funders, academic institutions, and technologists working to champion transformative and translational research on research.

Co-founded by the Wellcome Trust, the universities of Sheffield and Leiden, and Digital Science, RoRI aim to analyse and experiment with decision and evaluation data, tools and frameworks, in order to advance more strategic, open, diverse and inclusive research.

I am also vice-chair of the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA), which was set up in 2014 to share good practices and build capacity for evidence-informed decision making, and now has over 5000 members from 90+ countries.

In 2015, I was elected a fellow of the UK’s Academy of Social Sciences. I am also a founding member of the Forum for Responsible Research Metrics. I contribute regularly to the media, and serve on the editorial advisory panel of the open access journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.

From 2013 to 2017, I chaired the UK’s Campaign for Social Science, and from 2014-2015, I led an independent government review of the role of metrics in the management of the research system, published as The Metric Tide. I subsequently chaired an expert panel on Next Generation Metrics for the European Commission. I also directed the ESRC’s Nexus Network, a £1.7m initiative to link research and policy on food, energy and water.

Previously, I worked as professor of science and democracy in the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex (2011-15); director of science policy at the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of science (2008-11); head of science and innovation at the think tank Demos (2001-08); senior research fellow at Lancaster University's Institute for Advanced Studies (2006-08); special adviser to the UK Sustainable Development Commission (2000-01); and senior policy adviser at Forum for the Future (1997-01).

Research interests

My research interests include:

research on research and meta-research – particularly analysis of systems of funding, evaluation and assessment;
science and research policy in the UK, EU and internationally;
public engagement, equality, diversity and inclusion in research cultures;
evidence in decision-making and the politics and practice of scientific advice.

I'm a strong supporter of open access, and aim whenever possible to publish my own work in OA formats. I’m also on the editorial advisory panel of Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, an interdisciplinary open-access journal for the social sciences.

Currently, I am working on four projects:

1. Research on Research Institute (RoRI) (http://researchonresearch.org/)

Policymakers, funders and universities worldwide are grappling with how to manage and support more dynamic, diverse and effective research systems. There is a need for more rigorous analysis of how these systems are performing, and a willingness to test new approaches and learn from elsewhere. Co-founded in 2019 by the Wellcome Trust, the universities of Sheffield and Leiden, and Digital Science, the RoRI consortium will undertake transformative and translational research on research (also known as meta-research, science of science or meta-science). By analysing research systems and experimenting with decision and evaluation data, tools and frameworks, we aim to advance more strategic, open, diverse and inclusive research.

For its incubation phase, until the end of 2021, RoRI will be based at Wellcome’s offices in London. The RoRI consortium has five objectives:

To support, expand and build capacity for interdisciplinary, mixed-methods research on research in the UK and internationally;
To connect academic capabilities to the data and analytical resources of RoRI’s consortium of strategic partners;
To co-design, experiment and apply new tools, indicators, funding modes, prioritisation and evaluation frameworks;
To critically evaluate RoR methods and support engagement with data and evidence about research systems by decision-makers and society;
To create an independent space for learning, networking and collaboration between researchers, policymakers, funders & technologists.

2. International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) (https://www.ingsa.org/)

INGSA was set up in 2014, to provide a forum for policymakers, practitioners and researchers to share experiences, build capacities, and develop new approaches to the use of scientific evidence in informing policy at all levels of government. INGSA’s secretariat is based at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. At Sheffield, I coordinate INGSA’s knowledge hub, which undertakes comparative research, case studies and other activities to support the INGSA network as it grows.

3. S4D4C – Using Science In/For Diplomacy For Addressing Global Challenges (https://www.s4d4c.eu/)

This 3-year, €2m EC/Horizon 2020-funded project is exploring the changing role of scientific evidence and advice in European diplomacy, in addressing shared global priorities such as climate change, global health and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Led by the Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI) in Vienna, the University of Sheffield is one of ten partners from across Europe which together form the S4D4C consortium.

4. ASPECT - A social sciences platform for entrepreneurship, commercialisation and transformation (https://aspect.ac.uk/)

I am the University of Sheffield’s academic lead in a new £5m consortium, set up to promote business engagement and entrepreneurship from social science research. Supported by Research England’s Connecting Capability Fund and led by the LSE, ASPECT is a novel collaboration between leading universities and businesses to develop the commercial potential of social sciences. It aims to bring together the best social science ideas with leading businesses and entrepreneurs to create new products and businesses which can solve pressing social challenges and improve productivity, key aims of the UK’s Industrial Strategy.

Publications

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Featured publications

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Books

Wilsdon J (2015) The Metric Tide: Independent Review of the Role of Metrics in Research Assessment and Management. SAGE Publications Ltd.
Wilsdon J & Miller P (2014) Introduction: Digital Futures: An agenda for a sustainable digital economy.
Wilsdon J () Digital Futures. Routledge.

Journal articles

Montana J & Wilsdon J (2021) Analysts, advocates and applicators : three discourse coalitions of UK evidence and policy. Evidence & Policy: A Journal of Research, Debate and Practice.
Wilsdon J (2020) For science, Brexit isn't done yet. Science, 367(6478), 605-605. View this article in WRRO
Wilsdon J & de Rijcke S (2019) Europe the rule-maker. Nature, 569(7757), 479-481. View this article in WRRO
Wilsdon J (2017) Brexit must preserve advisory networks.. Nature, 543(7647), 591-591. View this article in WRRO
Wilsdon JR (2017) UK science, post-Brexit. Science AAAS, 355(6331), 1243-1243. View this article in WRRO
Green JMH, Cranston GR, Sutherland WJ, Tranter HR, Bell SJ, Benton TG, Blixt E, Bowe C, Broadley S, Brown A , Brown C et al (2017) Research priorities for managing the impacts and dependencies of business upon food, energy, water and the environment. Sustainability Science, 12(2), 319-331. View this article in WRRO
Gluckman P & Wilsdon JR (2016) From paradox to principles: where next for scientific advice to governments?. Palgrave Communications, 2. View this article in WRRO
Wilsdon JR (2016) Science advice for Europe. Science, 353(6297), 327-327. View this article in WRRO
Wilsdon J (2015) Forskningens plass i politikken. Stat og styring, 25(03), 20-21.
Didier C, Duan W, Dupuy J-P, Guston DH, Liu Y, Cerezo JAL, Michelfelder D, Mitcham C, Sarewitz D, Stilgoe J , Stirling A et al (2015) Acknowledging AI's dark side. Science, 349(6252), 1064-1064. View this article in WRRO
Wilsdon J (2015) We need a measured approach to metrics. Nature, 523(7559), 129-129. View this article in WRRO
Wilsdon J (2015) Watchdogs of the European system. Science, 348(6238), 947-947. View this article in WRRO
Wilsdon J (2014) The Past, Present and Future of the Chief Scientific Advisor. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 5(3), 293-299.
Wilsdon J (2014) From foresight to hindsight: the promise of history in responsible innovation. Journal of Responsible Innovation, 1(1), 109-112.
Stilgoe J, Lock SJ & Wilsdon J (2014) Why should we promote public engagement with science?. Public Understanding of Science, 23(1), 4-15. View this article in WRRO
Doubleday R & Wilsdon J (2012) Beyond the great and good. Nature, 485(7398), 301-302.
Wilsdon J (2008) The new geography of science. Physics World, 21(10), 51-53.
Wilsdon J (2007) China: the next science superpower?. Engineering & Technology, 2(3), 28-31.
Kearnes M, Grove-White R, Macnaghten P, Wilsdon J & Wynne B (2006) From Bio to Nano: Learning Lessons from the UK Agricultural Biotechnology Controversy. Science as Culture, 15(4), 291-307.
Wilsdon J (2004) The politics of small things: nanotechnology, risk, and uncertainty. IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, 23(4), 16-21.
Miller P (2001) Digital Futures â An Agenda for a Sustainable Digital Economy. Corporate Environmental Strategy, 8(3), 275-280.
Weinstein N, Chubb JA, Haddock G & Wilsdon JR () A conducive environment? The role of need support in the higher education workplace and its effect on academics' experiences of research assessment in the UK. Higher Education Quarterly. View this article in WRRO
Alakeson V & Wilsdon J () Digital Sustainability in Europe. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 6(2), 10-12.

Chapters

Flanagan K & Wilsdon J (2018) Powerhouse of Science? Prospects and Pitfalls of Place-Based Science and Innovation Policies in Northern England, Developing England’s North (pp. 121-138). Springer International Publishing
Wilsdon J (2017) Responsible metrics, Higher Education Strategy and Planning (pp. 247-253). Routledge View this article in WRRO
Wilsdon J (2014) Dot-com ethics: E-business and sustainability, Digital Futures: Living in a Networked World (pp. 72-93).
() Sustainable Reform and Development in Post-Olympic China Routledge
Wilsdon J () Dot.com ethics: E-business and sustainability, The Ecology of the New Economy: Sustainable Transformation of Global Informatio (pp. 61-71). Greenleaf Publishing Limited

Conference proceedings papers

Wilsdon JR (2018) The Brexit experience — evidence, expertise, and post-truth politics. Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales, Vol. vol. 151(part 1, 2018) (pp 45-49). Sydney, Australia, 29 November 2017 - 29 November 2017. View this article in WRRO
Carpenter T & Wilsdon J (2015) Metrics and Assessment. Insights the UKSG journal, Vol. 28(2) (pp 33-38)

Reports

Wilsdon J, Aukes E, Ordóñez-Matamoros G & Kuhlmann S (2021) Global resilience through knowledge- based cooperation: A New Protocol for Science Diplomacy
Wilsdon J, Allen K, Buklijas T, Chen A, Simon-Kumar N, Cowen L & Gluckman P (2020) Tracking global evidence-to-policy pathways in the coronavirus crisis: A preliminary report
Weinstein N, Wilsdon J, Chubb J & Haddock G (2019) The Real-Time REF Review: A Pilot Study (Executive Summary) View this article in WRRO
Jones R & Wilsdon JR (2018) The Biomedical Bubble: Why UK research and innovation needs a greater diversity of priorities, politics, places and people View this article in WRRO
Chambers D, Preston L, Salway S, De Saille S, Topakas A, Booth A, Dawson J & Wilsdon JR (2017) The Diversity Dividend: does a more diverse and inclusive research community produce better biomedical and health research? View this article in WRRO
Wilsdon J, Cairns R & O’Donovan C (2017) Sustainability in turbulent times: lessons from the Nexus Network for supporting transdisciplinary research View this article in WRRO
Wilsdon J, Bar-Ilan J, Peters I & Wouters P (2016) Next-Generation Metrics: Responsible Metrics & Evaluation for Open Science View this article in WRRO
Wilsdon JR, Allen L, Belfiore E, Campbell P, Curry S, Hill S, Jones RAL, Kain R, Kerridge S, Thelwall M , Tinkler J et al (2015) The Metric Tide: Report of the Independent Review of the Role of Metrics in Research Assessment and Management View this article in WRRO

Working papers

Wilsdon J, Curry S, de Rijcke S, Hatch A, Pillay DG & van der Weijden I (2020) The changing role of funders in responsible research assessment: progress, obstacles and the way ahead. RoRI Working Paper, 3.
Chambers D, Preston L, Topakas A, de Saille S, Salway S, Booth A, Dawson J & Wilsdon J (2017) Review of diversity and inclusion literature and an evaluation of methodologies and metrics relating to health research. View this article in WRRO
Weinstein N, Wilsdon J, Chubb J & Haddock G () The Real-Time REF Review: A Pilot Study to Examine the Feasibility of a Longitudinal Evaluation of Perceptions and Attitudes Towards REF 2021. View this article in WRRO

Presentations

Wilsdon J The changing landscape for research policy and funding.
Wilsdon J & Angus C Open Research Conversation: Visualising CoVid data.

Teaching interests: I would be pleased to hear from prospective PhD students, particularly those looking to work on: the politics of scientific advice; research on research; or the role of metrics in research management and governance. Currently, I co-supervise two Grantham Scholar PhD students: Kaisa Pietila and George Asiamah.