National Enabling Technologies Strategy Expert Forum
Summary of Third Meeting – 21 July 2011
At the third meeting of the Expert Forum, Members responded positively to the range of projects that have been funded under the Strategy, including funding to other Commonwealth agencies to undertake projects to understand health, safety and environmental issues related to nanotechnology including risk management and regulation, studies addressing applications of enabling technologies such as in relation to food security and sustainability and industrial uses of biomass, and international collaboration through the OECD. The Chair reported on international developments in foresighting including the relationship between qualitative methods and quantitative methods such as social media analysis and data mining, the latter more useful for shorter time frames of 6-7 years.
Agenda items discussed included the development of a collaborative project with CSIRO Futures, progress on the Enabling Technologies Roadmap study, developments in planning the Expert Forum’s annual foresighting event, ‘Three technologies that will change the way we live’ as part of the Adelaide Festival of Ideas in October, and the Expert Forum’s program of industry uptake foresight workshops. Workshops on uptake in building products and in assistive technologies for the aged have been completed, with the report on building products now available as a download from the Innovation website. A short DVD based on the workshop has also been produced. A further workshop is being developed on uptake in the food industry, and research undertaken to examine uptake in energy efficiency. The Expert Forum is also working with the NETS Stakeholder Advisory Council to develop the terms of reference for a proposed Regulatory Review to complement the Enabling Technologies Roadmap study.
Members also discussed how to improve the web presence of the Expert Forum’s role in foresighting, building on the media experience of the Strategy’s Public Awareness and Community Engagement program. Other discussion focused on the need to link research management to translational research and technology transfer, in promoting the uptake of new technologies in industry. An important factor is researchers building long terms relationships with the industry sector to support realtime problem solving. In line with this approach, CSIRO is working with the Chemical and Plastics Industry to undertake an industry-led roadmap of their industry.
The next meeting is scheduled for 7 October 2011, in conjunction with the Expert Forum’s annual public foresighting event.