Robert Smith

- Name
- Dr Robert Smith
- Title
- Research Fellow, Social Dimensions of Synthetic Biology
- Department
- Science Technology and Innovation Studies School of Social and Political Science University of Edinburgh
- Address
- G.14 Chisholm House High School Yards Edinburgh UK EH1 1LZ
- Telephone
- 0131 6504 258
- robert.dj.smith@ed.ac.uk
- Research Interests
- Science policy, synthetic biology, Emerging Biotechnologies, Public Value, Governance of Science and Technology, Collaborative Methods, Research Funding, Responsible Innovation, Science and Technology Studies, Biofuels
- URL
- http://www.sps.ed.ac.uk/staff/science_technology_and_innovation_studies/robert_smith
Biography
I work in the field of Science and Technology Studies and focus primarily on the social, political and ethical dimensions of the biosciences. I am especially interested in the ‘public’ parts of all this; what happens when biotechnologies — and the people making them — get out into the world. I’m currently pursuing these interests by participating as a social scientist in a field that attempts to make biology easier to engineer, Synthetic Biology. Here, I am focusing primarily on the relationship between research funding and public value; the ability of synthetic biology to address meaningful social and environmental challenges; and what happens when scientists try to automate important parts of their work. A lot of my research involves working closely with synthetic biologists, other social scientists, artists and policy makers; in unexpected spaces; and with lots of different kinds of increasingly large data (of the digital kind, funding portfolios), so I am fundamentally interested in method.
I joined The University of Edinburgh in April 2018 to work with Jane Calvert as part of the Engineering Life Project and Centre for Mammalian Synthetic Biology. This builds on two years worth of researching, intervening and scheming (sometimes with with synthetic biologists) at the Department of Global Health & Social Medicine, King’s College London. I completed my PhD at the University of Nottingham, during which I was interested in the development of a biofuel controversy in the UK, and particularly the way that groups — policy makers, NGOs, research funders, scientists and consultants — navigated and reacted to this controversy. I originally trained as a biologist and hold a BSc (Hons) in Animal Science.
I’d be very happy to talk to anyone in more detail about any of this!
Research
Research Interests
Science policy, synthetic biology, Emerging Biotechnologies, Public Value, Governance of Science and Technology, Collaborative Methods, Research Funding, Responsible Innovation, Science and Technology Studies, Biofuels
PhD Supervision
PhD Topics
Find out more about the programmes that I am involved with:
Publications
Policy Reports
Smith, R.D.J., Scott, D., Kamwendo, Z.T., Calvert, J. (2019) An Agenda for Responsible Research and Innovation in ERA CoBioTech. Swindon, UK: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and ERA CoFund
on Biotechnology.
Ellis, T., Rosser, S., Cai, Y., Smith, R., Freemont, P. (2018) Synthesing a Human Genome. What could go right? Report of a Wellcome Trust Workshop.
Smith, R.D.J., Samuel, G. (2018) Who’s talking about non-human Genome Editing? Mapping public discussion in the U.K. London: Sciencewise.
Smith, R.D.J.,, Marris, C., Berry, D., Sundaram, L., Rose, N. (2017) Synthetic Biology Biosensors for Global Health Challenges: Workshop report of the flowers consortium. London: King's College London
Journal Articles
Smith, R., Hartley, S., Jewitt, T., Middleton, P (Working) Integrating diverse knowledges into research funding organisations: Consequences for responsible innovation.
Ribeiro, B., Smith, R.& Millar, K. (2017) A mobilising concept? Unpacking academic representations of responsible research and innovation. Science and Engineering Ethics.23(1) 81-103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-016-9761-6
Raman, S., Helliwell, R., Mohr, A., Ribeiro, B., Shortall, O., Smith, R.& Millar, K. (2015) Integrating social and ethical dimensions into sustainability assessment of lignocellulosic biofuels. Biomass and Bioenergy (RCUK Bioenergy Manchester special issue). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2015.04.022
Boucher, P., Smith, R.& Millar, K., (2014) Biofuels under the spotlight: The state of assessment and potential for integration. Science and Public Policy, 41(3), pp.283–293. https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scu028
Doctoral Thesis
Smith, R.D.J. (2015) Constructing ‘the ethical’ in the development of biofuels. University of Nottingham.