NERC Policy Placement Secondment to support Defra's Chief Scientific Advisor

Making evidence-based policy decisions relies on assessing the totality of the evidence from all sides of the policy debate. The UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for policy on the natural environment, marine and fisheries, food and farming, animal and plant health, and rural communities. The broad remit of Defra means their evidence needs are substantial and cross multiple disciplines. Strong links between government and the wider research community are therefore particularly important for improving the access and use of evidence in policy development and evaluation.

The Defra Chief Scientific Advisor (CSA) and strategic evidence and analysis teams are responsible for Defra's approach to the acquisition and use of evidence to inform strategy, policy and operational delivery. The fellowship will work with Defra's CSA to promote knowledge exchange between academic organisations and Defra to provide research-informed evidence to develop and review policy.

The aims of the fellowship are to: i) Help drive improvements in the evidence base and its use in Defra by providing high-quality, strategic analyses of challenging science-policy issues; ii) Work with the CSA and Defra evidence teams to support the development of Evidence Statements for science-policy issues; iii) Support the development of other innovative approaches to the management and use of evidence in Defra as it develops the Evidence Investment Strategy; iv) Provide the CSA and Defra with assessments of emerging scientific issues of importance to Defra's remit; v) Act as a conduit between Defra evidence teams and the wider academic community, and facilitate new links and networks.

The outcome of the fellowship is improved use of evidence for policy decisions. Specifically, the outcomes and impacts of the fellowship are: i) A series of assessments of high-profile science policy issues to support the CSA in improving the use of science and evidence in Defra; ii) The development of Evidence Statements in partnership with Defra evidence teams to enable policymakers to benefit from the widest and most comprehensive evidence base; iii) The development of innovative mechanisms for the management and use of evidence in Defra, including arrangements for working with external experts; iv) New and strengthened links between Defra and the wider research community.