Science and innovation policies emerge from political decision-making processes, are implemented in political settings and are often aimed at addressing issues that are defined politically, and assessed in a political environment. Yet there is little research that systematically investigates the political aspects of science and technology policy. The workshop will develop a research agenda for better understanding the development, implementation, evolution, and assessment of science and innovation policy. The project will craft a future research agenda to addresses the types of questions faced by decision makers tasked with creating new science and technology policies and improving the implementation of existing policies.

The workshop will contribute to building a community of scholars focused on improving understanding of the interactions between politics and science and innovation policy, and articulating research opportunities, pressing questions and data needs. This project has the potential to provide evidence for a more solid basis for decisions regarding science and innovation policy as analysis typically does not consider political feasibility or the politics involved with implementation.