In January 2026, Sciencewise and Involve ran a roundtable on the role of the public in shaping the agenda of transformative technologies.
Bringing together leaders from UK universities, research funders, civil society, and policymakers, the discussion focused on how the scientific community could start a more open and inclusive discussion with the public about the investment principles and research priorities underpinning transformative technologies, meaningfully considering tensions and challenges as well as potential benefits. Attendees included the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Innovate UK, ARIA, and the Royal Academy of Engineering
Transformative technologies are described as disruptive, foundational innovations that fundamentally alter existing paradigms, industries, and human potential. Key areas of interest include next-generation nuclear energy, and quantum systems. As an area of increasing government interest and financial investment in the UK, innovation has the potential to impact upon society in profound ways. However, the transformational potential means there is a need to consider how investment, adoption and deployment are done in a societally responsible and ethical manner.
Key messages from the discussion included:
- The use of public funds in scientific areas which have the potential for impacts upon society in disruptive ways, and on timescales more rapid than previously conceived, also carries the risk of contributing to an ongoing declining trust in institutions.
- The distribution of funds, impact of programmes, and research collaborations in this sector are more skewed towards a global approach. Considerations of global contexts in public dialogue and engagement must be a priority.
- A shift in mindsets is still needed towards the value of public engagement as being centred upon impacting and shaping more socially responsible governance of research areas in contrast to top down models which can be perceived as tokenistic.
- There is a need to build a better coordinated system between the Transformative Technology research funders and the engagement community to ensure social responsibility is grounded in ensuring trustworthiness of decisions, regulation, and priorities.
- There is also a need for the sector to better evidence outcome driven impact showcasing how people’s involvement and feedback can influence research and innovation.
The full summary of the discussion is available to download here.
