David Willetts MP to present IET Mountbatten Memorial Lecture 09 October 2013

This evening (9 October 2013), the Rt Hon David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, will be giving the IET's (Institution of Engineering and Technology) 2013 Mountbatten Memorial Lecture at the Royal Institution.

Entitled 'Eight great technologies – and more', it is due to be based on the minister's recent paper, in which he identifies the technologies expected to have wide-ranging significance and potential economic importance for the UK.

They are: satellites; robots; modern genetics; regenerative medicine; agricultural technologies; advanced materials; energy storage; and big data.

According to Willetts, the UK's research base is particularly strong in the areas identified. However, he also contends that for the UK to become a global leader, it will be necessary not just to invest in these new and emerging technologies, but also to get better at applying the research available.

"The very broad ranging science and research base in the UK is one of our greatest assets. Indeed, there is no other medium sized economy that has anything like our range of world-class research activity, and we need to make sure this tradition continues," states Willetts.

"There is a lot that government can and must do to continue to drive the development of world class technologies and scientific advances," he continues.

"I firmly believe that, by further investing in and applying these new and emerging, eight great technologies, we can grow our economy and be at the forefront of the global science race."

"The IET believes that the UK's growing engineering capability could significantly contribute to our ascent up the global economic leader board," comments IET chief executive Nigel Fine.

"Mr Willett's thoughts on the future technologies that will help us achieve this goal will give some valuable insights into the government's growing acknowledgement of the importance of the engineering sector to our wider society and economic growth."

The Mountbatten Memorial Lecture is one of the nine that comprise the 2013—2014 Prestige Lecture Series.

For more information, go to the link below.

Brian Tinham

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