Professor Mariana Mazzucato, Professor in Economics at the University of Sussex, Joins The Innovation Debate 2012, The Royal Society, 20th November 2012
CHERTSY, England, November 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
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PROFESSOR MARIANA MAZZUCATO, Professor in Economics at the University of Sussex, where she holds the RM Phillips Chair in Science and Technology Policy, will join the distinguished panel of world-leading experts and chairman Professor Jim Al-Khalili for The Innovation Debate 2012, taking place on 20th November at 4pm at the Royal Society in London and webcast live at www.innovationdebate.com.
Together they will debate "How do we innovate in a time austerity?" and "Are we doing enough to nurture innovators of the future?"
Presenting her views on the current state of innovation, Professor Mazzucato - who is a member of Innovation for Growth (i4g), the European Commission's High Level Economic Policy Expert Group - said:
"If Europe is to move forward - not only getting out of the current recession, but also providing the foundations for long-run transformational growth - it needs a vision and mission oriented investments similar to those which in the 60s guided putting a 'man on the moon' and later the internet revolution, which, along with much of Silicon Valley was largely funded by the State.
"The new vision should be 'green' - transforming the way all sectors operate - and should be of scale and scope to compete with China's recently announced plan to invest $1.7 trillion in seven new emerging areas. This requires a new understanding of the State's role in the economy, getting over the static fear of 'picking winners'. We must build an 'innovation union' through a real coming together of the public and private sector, but also asking the private sector to step up to the challenge, invest not in short run areas which boost only today's stock price, but in long-run areas that will allow Europe to rise again and turn into a competitive new hub of innovation-producing what will hopefully be growth that is not only smart but also more 'inclusive' and sustainable."
Professor Mazzucato - whose speciality is industrial economics and the economics of growth - will join fellow-panellists who include: Professor Andre Geim, awarded the Nobel Prize in 2010 for his ground-breaking work on graphene, a one-atom-thick material made of carbon; Tudor Brown, former President of Cambridge-based semiconductor giant ARM Holdings; Professor Paul Workman, Deputy Chief Executive of the Institute of Cancer Research; Professor Paul Boyle, President of Science Europe, which promotes the collective interests of European research organisations and DR Beau Lotto, neuroscientist attached to University College, London's Institute of Ophthalmology.
In a tough economic climate, innovation needs to remain the lifeblood of science, technology and the economy. There is an urgent need to focus on how best to promote and nurture innovation - today and in the future.
That is why The Innovation Debate 2012 - organised and funded by Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. - is bringing together influential and respected figures from the worlds of science, technology, medicine, education, government, industry and the media to discuss how best to encourage and nurture scientific innovation. The aim of The Innovation Debate is to air crucial issues, draw positive conclusions and to move the agenda forward.
Everyone - professionals in science and technology, students and the general public - will have the opportunity to engage with The Innovation Debate through online media, taking discussions far beyond the walls of the Royal Society.
Join the Innovation Debate 2012
The Innovation Debate will encourage wider participation from the public and science community via the website www.innovationdebate.com. Everyone will have the opportunity to share their views on the critical challenges facing science and innovation raised by The Innovation Debate and to submit a question to the panel of experts. To watch the live webcast of the Debate from 4pm on November 20th 2012, register today at www.innovationdebate.com
Join the debate now at www.innovationdebate.com and follow us on Twitter @Innovatedebate #innovationdebate
About Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd.
Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd., located in the UK, is the European headquarters of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc. Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceuticals. The organisation's focus is to deliver outstanding R&D and marketing to continue growing in the world pharmaceutical market. Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. is responsible for 21 affiliate offices located across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, an R&D site and three manufacturing plants. The company employs approximately 4,300 staff across these regions. For more information about Astellas Pharma Europe, please visit www.astellas.eu.
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