Robert Doubleday BSc MSc PhD

Temporary University Lecturer and Bye-Fellow of Girton College

ESRC Policy Placement Fellow at the Government Office for Science

Biography

Career

2006-2008 Senior Research Associate, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge
2004-2006 Research Associate, Nanoscience Centre, University of Cambridge
2000-2001 Visiting Fellow, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

Qualifications

PhD, Geography, University College London, 2005
MSc, Science and Technology Policy, University of Sussex, 1999
BSc, Chemistry, Imperial College London, 1997

Research

My research is primarily concerned with understanding the role of science and technology in contemporary societies, in particular the relationship between innovation and democracy in the UK. My work explores collaborative methods of working with scientists and engineers to develop accounts of the public aspects of science and technology.

Role of scientific advice in the policy process

I am currently spending the 2009/10 academic year as an ESRC Placement Fellow at the Government Office for Science. My work there focuses on policies to support greater engagement between academic research and public policy making: Strengthening Engagement between Government and Academia

Public dimensions of science

I am the principal investigator of a three-year Wellcome Trust funded project that studies the public dimensions of research policy and practice. The project involves policy analysis, laboratory studies and the development of novel collaborative methods: Social Laboratories: engaging with public dimensions of nanobiotechnology

Public engagement with nanotechnology

Building on my collaboration with the University of Cambridge's Nanoscience Centre I study public engagement with nanotechnologies and the links between engagement projects and science policy:

NanoJury UK: a citizens' jury that took place in 2005.

Nanotechnology Engagement Group:a project funded by the UK Office of Science and Innovation to advise government on lessons from public engagement projects on nanotechnology.

Science and democracy

My PhD research focused on the engagement of global corporations in public controversy over agricultural biotechnology. The particular question my research addressed was the extent to which such controversy could be understood as opening up new political spaces for social assessment of technological innovation and the emergence of new forms of citizenship. As part of this research I participated "Reframing Rights: constitutional implications of technological change" and NSF funded research programme led by Professor Sheila Jasanoff.

Publications

Publications - journal articles

Doubleday R (2007) 'The laboratory revisited: academic science and the responsible governance of nanotechnology' NanoEthics, 1(2): 167-176. doi:10.1007/s11569-007-0017-4
Doubleday R (2007) 'Risk, public engagement and reflexivity: alternative framings of the public dimensions of nanotechnology' Health Risk and Society, 9(2): 211-227. doi:10.1080/13698570701306930
Doubleday R (2007) 'Organizing Accountability: co-production of technoscientific and social worlds in a nanoscience laboratory' Area, 39(2): 166-175. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4762.2007.00742.x
Doubleday R (2004) 'Institutionalising NGO Dialogue at Unilever: framing the public as "consumer-citizens"', Science and Public Policy, 31(2): 117-126. doi:10.3152/147154304781780109
Doubleday R (2001) 'Knowledge and the Governance of Biotechnology', Notizie di Politeia, 17(62): 22-33.
Song Y, Connor DT, Doubleday R, Sorenson RJ, Sercel AD, Unangst PC, Roth BD, Gilbertsen RB, Chan K, Schrier DJ, Guglietta A, Bornemeier DA and Dyer RD (1999) 'Synthesis, Structure-Activity Relationships, and in Vivo Evaluations of Substituted Di-tert-butylphenols as a Novel Class of Potent, Selective, and Orally Active Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitors. 1. Thiazolone and Oxazolone Series', Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 42(7): 1151-1160. doi:10.1021/jm9805081
Song Y, Connor DT, Sercel AD, Sorenson RJ, Doubleday R, Unangst PC, Roth BD, Beylin VG, Gilbertsen RB, Chan K, Schrier DJ, Guglietta A, Bornemeier DA and Dyer RD (1999) 'Synthesis, Structure-Activity Relationships, and in Vivo Evaluations of Substituted Di-tert-butylphenols as a Novel Class of Potent, Selective, and Orally Active Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitors. 2. 1,3,4- and 1,2,4-Thiadiazole Series', Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 42(7): 1161-1169. doi:10.1021/jm980570y
Song Y, Connor DT, Sorenson RJ, Doubleday R, Sercel AD, Unangst PC, Gilbertsen RB, Chan K, Bornemeier DA and Dyer RD (1997) '2,6-di-tert-butylphenols: A new class of potent and selective PGHS-2 inhibitor', Inflammation Research, 46(2): 141-142.
Unangst PC, Capiris T, Connor DT, Doubleday R, Heffner TG, MacKenzie RG, Miller SR, Pugsley TA and Wise LD (1997) '(Aryloxy)alkylamines as selective human dopamine D-4 receptor antagonists: Potential antipsychotic agents', Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 40(25): 4026- 4029. doi:10.1021/jm970422s

Publications - book chapters

Doubleday R and Viseu A (in press) "Questioning Interdisciplinarity: What Roles for Laboratory based Social Science" in Kjølberg K and Wickson F (eds) Nano Meets Macro: Social Perspectives on Nanoscale Sciences and Technologies, Pan Stanford Publishing: Singapore.
Doubleday R (2008) 'Ethical codes and scientific norms: the role of communication in maintaining the social contract for science' in Holliman R et al (eds) Practising Science Communication in the Information Age, Oxford University Press: Oxford.

Publications - other

Doubleday R (2008) 'The Knowledge Economy: good inventions drive more innovation' Food Ethics, 3(3): 21.
Grobe A, Doubleday R and Rhatigan P (2008) Second Nanotechnology Safety for Success Dialogue Report, Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General, European Communities: Brussels.
Doubleday R and Moriarty P (2008) 'Should the Direction of Research be Democratised?' Science & Public Affairs, September 2008: 4-5.
Grobe A, Doubleday R and Hale J (2007) Nano: safety for success dialogue report, Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General, European Communities: Brussels.
Gavelin K, Wilson R with Doubleday R (2007) Democratic Technologies? The final report of the Nanotechnology Engagement Group, Involve: London.
Doubleday R and Lezaun J (2006) 'Regulatory Measures, The incipient government of nanotechnology' Risk and Regulation, 10: 6-7.

Teaching

Part II (final year) course: "Environment, Policy and Society"

External activities

Rapporteur, First and Second Annual Nanotechnology Safety for Success Dialogue, European Commission Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection, Brussels, 2007 and 2008.
Core member of the Nanotechnology Engagement Group, a UK Government funded project advising on policy lessons from public engagement with nanotechnology.
Member of the advisory group to NanobioRAISE, an FP6 funded project on social and ethical aspects of nanotechnology.
Expert member of RiskBridge, an FP6 coordination action on risk governance.
A founder member of the Science and Democracy Network, launched June 2002, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin.
Trustee of the Dr Edwin Doubleday Fund, promoting interest in non-clinical aspects of patient care in medical training.