This November Springer Nature is proud to partner with the Economic and Social Research Council to invite you to the launch of the 15th annual ESRC Festival of Social Science. Looking at the important role of research beyond academia, the speakers will be discussing how research can address real-world topics, including climate change, economics, race, migration, social health and interdisciplinarity.

Venue: The Royal Society, London

18:00-18:30 - Arrival and registration
18:30-19:15 - Welcome and introduction speeches
19:15-20:30 - Presentations, debate and Q&A with the audience
Followed by a drinks reception

Convenor:
Laurie Taylor, presenter, BBC Radio 4's Thinking Allowed

Speakers:
Lord Nicholas Stern, Chair, ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy and the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, LSE
Professor Shamit Saggar, CBE, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research, University of Essex
Professor Felicity Callard, Professor of Social Research and Director of Birkbeck Institute for Social Research

Panellists will each give a brief presentation to be followed by a debate and discussion. You’ll then have the opportunity to engage in the discussion with a Q&A with the panellists and convenor, followed by a drinks reception with fellow policy makers, academics, professionals and members of the third sector.

The Festival of Social Science offers a fascinating insight into some of the country's leading social science research and how it influences our social, economic and political lives - both now and in the future. This free event is a fantastic opportunity to discuss the real world impact of research in addressing global grand challenges and to shape the discussion of how we address them.

Impactful Social Science: Festival of Social Science Launch Event