Welcome to the Defence Science blog, bringing you the latest on programmes, projects and people from the Defence Science Technology Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) community. The blog covers science disciplines from psychology to physics, and engineering from nanotechnology to naval architecture. The endeavours discussed offer business opportunities to entrepreneurs and innovators, and present some of today’s harshest technical challenges to the best minds in academia.
Celebrating recent achievements in defence science, Professor Vernon Gibson FRS, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Ministry of Defence, said:
“MOD’s outstanding community of highly talented and motivated scientists and engineers successfully addresses an incredible diversity of scientific and technical challenges.
"This year I have been delighted to see science and technology grow both in stature and importance across all of defence. We have worked on delivering the commitments in the White Paper National Security through Technology and I think we are making good use of the budget that MOD has committed to spend on Science and Technology.”
Awarding commendation certificates to scientists, engineers, analysts and medics from the Armed Forces, from industry, from academia, from the civil service and from international research organisations, Prof Gibson noted:
“It is for new scientific breakthroughs and for discovering new ways of exploiting both military and civilian technologies that I know that I can rely on you all and the rest of the scientists and engineers across MOD, and our partners in industry and academia.
"The breadth of science and technology has an influence that extends beyond the boundaries of our laboratories, and indeed beyond the world of defence itself. For me, most importantly though, the nominations reinforce the importance of the role that Science and Technology plays in Defence.”
Looking to the future and his desire to maximise the impact of science and technology for the defence and security of the UK, in a cost effective and efficient way, Prof Gibson said:
“The world of defence is constantly changing which makes keeping an eye on the technology horizon for potential threats an extremely challenging task, and one of great concern for the government. On the other hand, there are increasing opportunities through scientific and technological advances to better support our Armed Forces, both on the front-line and on the return home.
"Over the years, the defence S&T community has made many advances, some of which have benefited the civilian sector, and indeed, our Armed Forces have often benefited from civilian technology.
"It is important that Defence Science and Technology continues to be recognised for the importance of the role it plays in supporting and enabling both the Armed Forces of today and the role it will play in enabling our Armed Forces of the future.”
Read more on the awards ceremony in Defence Codex 16.
Read more on the year to come here in Defence Science blog, or through our homepage Defence Science and Technology.