12 4 / 2022 // LEOPOLDINA / NEWS
“ Effective science advice builds on trusted national and international networks ”
Part 4 in a series of articles on policy advice in the field of tension between science , politics and media
Molecular biologist Mona Nemer is Chief Science Advisor of the Canadian government . She was involved in the policy advisory process of the G7 science academies . For the series of articles , she writes about networks and partnerships in policy advice and Canada ‘ s experience in the pandemic .
BY MONA NEMER *
This past summer , I had the honour of representing Canada at the G7 Science Ministerial in Frankfurt am Main / Germany . Among the many top ics discussed were how to work together through science to address global challenges and promote peace and pros perity amid ongoing social and political strife in many parts of the world . This culminated in a communiqué that affirmed a collective commitment to support progress toward an equitable world , and to protect the freedom , integrity and security in science and research .
Developing policies to meet these glob al aspirations and commitments requires a well-organized science advice ecosystem both within and among nations . This includes , in addition to national and subnational science advisors , science academies , associations and international networks . Each plays a distinct and complementary role in gathering evidence , convening experts , and communicating with decision-makers and the public .
Effective science advice requires estab lished trust and communication between science advisors and policy makers on the one hand and between scientists and the public on the other . Mobilizing the scientific community during an emergency is essential for evidence-informed policy and is greatly facilitated by networks and collaborations built in peace time . In Canada , the relations we built prior to the pandemic proved instrumental in setting
“ We must maintain a respectful and constructive dialogue with the public to enhance their understanding of science and earn and maintain their trust .”
Mona Nemer Molecular biologist and Chief Science
Advisor of Canada
Image : Peter Thornton | Office of the Chief Science Advisor
up more than a dozen ad hoc groups of experts to advise the gov ernment on the evolving science of the new virus and its implication for manag ing the pandemic . Another grassroots effort brought together an extraordinary research community to rapidly disseminate credible knowledge to inform public health guidance and communicate with the public . The unprecedented mobilization of scientists shone a bright light on research .
At the international level , science advisors came together to share data , identify knowledge gaps and ensure the best advice to our respective governments . Early in the pandemic , we issued a collective call to scientific journals to immediately make all COVID-related research freely available to everyone , and this was realized within a few days . The value of openness cannot be overstated – not only in accelerating the pace of research , but in helping to empower the public to make informed decisions in the face of rising disinformation .
All the more reason , then , that the international science community should encourage sharing of best practices and the development of universally accepted principles for science integrity and research governance . Aligning our policies
of Canada
to support equitable access to quality data and special infrastructure will accelerate discovery and promote the development of trusted networks and collaborations that will serve us well as we tackle global challenges . It will also help us be prepared and respond to future emergencies . As we strengthen science and science advice , we must maintain respectful and constructive dialogue with the public to enhance their understanding of science and , above all , earn and maintain their trust .
For over 50 years , Germany and Canada have benefitted from science and technology cooperation through an agreement that has effected more than a thousand joint research projects . Our bilateral relations are set to expand multilaterally when Canada joins Horizon Eu rope as an associate member . Let ’ s build on these invaluable assets and extend them to researching and sharing best practices of public communication and science advice . This will help our readiness to tackle the many global challenges ahead for the benefit of society .
* Mona Nemer is a molecular biologist and was Vice-President of the University of Ottawa / Canada until 2017 , when she became Chief Science Advisor of Canada .