Show me the evidence
Thursday December 8th, 11.30 – 1.00pm
Committee Room 10, House of Commons
Chair and Speaker Biographies
Martin Belcher is Director of Programmes at the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP). INASP is a small UK based charity that works with partners to support global research communication through innovation, networking and capacity strengthening, focusing on the needs of developing and emerging countries. Martin is responsible for programmes direction with a particular focus on the monitoring and evaluation and impact assessment of all programme areas. Martin is a remote member of INASP staff and lives in Sweden.
Chandrika Nath works as an adviser at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST), briefing UK Parliamentarians on a range of scientific issues, specialising in the physical sciences and in international development. She also manages POST’s programme of capacity building activities in African parliaments, which currently focuses on a collaboration with the Parliament of Uganda. This has included a range of activities including research into evidence informed policy making, training of parliamentary staff in science communication and information literacy, and pairing of Ugandan scientists and MPs.
Kirsty Newman heads INASP's Evidence-Informed Policy Making programme. The programme aims to build the demand for research from policy makers and to support researchers to effectively supply policy relevant research information. After carrying out a PhD in HIV research at Edinburgh University, Kirsty worked for three and a half years as a malaria immunology researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Prior to joining INASP in 2009, she worked for a major UK science funder focusing on capacity building activities for research in Africa.
Ajoy Datta has been a research officer within the RAPID (Research and Policy in Development) programme at the Overseas Development Institute since 2008. To date he has contributed to RAPID's understanding of the political economy of research uptake with a focus on the role of think tanks (or policy research organisations) in developing countries. He also provides technical support on developing and implementing policy engagement strategies (including research communication) and is increasingly providing advice on monitoring and evaluating policy engagement. His work spans Africa and Asia with a focus on Vietnam, Zambia and Uganda. He has also worked in New Member States in Eastern Europe and countries in Central Asia.
Hon. Obua Denis Hamson is Chair of the Standing Committee on Science and Technology of the Parliament of Uganda and is also a Member of the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. He has been MP for Ajuri County - Alebtong District since May 2011. He is serving his second term in Parliament, having served his first term as youth MP for the northern region from May 2006 to May 2011. He was parliamentary commissioner from January 2009 to 2011. Prior to joining Parliament he worked as a social worker/para legal and was a senior clerical officer in the Office of the Vice President.
Bryn Morgan has been Director of Research at the Department of Information Services within the House of Commons since May 2009. The Department provides research, analysis and information services for MPs and their staff. Byrn joined the House of Commons Library in 1993 in the Statistics Section. During his time in the House of Commons he has worked in a number of research sections covering subjects including elections, local government finance, NHS and taxation statistics. He also managed the Public Information Office for a time.