Dstl aims to supercharge science

22nd June 2021 - 10:00 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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Supercharging Science will take place on the 22 July 2021. (Photo: Government Office for Science)

Dstl chief executive, Doug Umbers, has written an open letter urging the best minds in the country to work with Dstl to combat future threats.

Doug Umbers, interim chief executive of Dstl, has released an open letter urging the best minds in industry, academia, engineering, science and technology to work with the UK agency to combat future threats.

Umbers began by highlighting the ‘crucial role’ science and technology had in developing a response to coronavirus ‘at breakneck speed’.

The response to coronavirus should be the rallying cry, inspiring experts to apply this level of determination and efficiency to future challenges.

These challenges range ‘from hostile states and terrorist groups to global challenges such as pandemics and climate change.’

Dstl will provide major resources to the UK science and technology community. It plans to spend 'in the region of an extra £1 billion [on R&D] over the next four years to tackle the threats we face beyond COVID-19'.

Umbers finished with a call to action, the supplier event Supercharging Science, where industry leaders, relevant organisations and motivated individuals can discover opportunities to get involved with Dstl’s plan for the future.

This open letter follows Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement that the UK should strive to obtain ‘science superpower status’. This goal has been reinforced by the Integrated Review, which promised the country would spend 2.4% of its GDP on R&D by 2027.