Royal Society To Establish New Centre For The Advancement Of Science, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 30 Mar 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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The Royal Society, the UK's national academy of science, is to open a new centre for the advancement of science at Chicheley Hall, outside Newport Pagnell. The Royal Society has purchased the historic stately home and will be developing it to establish a new residential centre where scientists from all over the UK and the world will be able to meet to discuss and develop their work.

Stephen Cox, Executive Secretary of the Royal Society said: "The Kavli Royal Society Centre will gather some of the world's greatest scientific minds. In bringing these people together in a residential atmosphere we hope to create the sort of intense thinking and activity that gave rise to major breakthroughs such as the Apollo project or the decoding of the human genome. We will also be bringing a new lease of life to this fabulous building. From conferences hosted by the extended Royal Society family to seminars and debates by other leading scientific organisations, the Centre will offer a rich programme of activities that we are sure will contribute greatly to the advance of science."

The Grade 1 Listed building has been purchased for £6.5 million and the Royal Society, supported by The Kavli Foundation, will be investing a further substantial sum in developing the Hall and the surrounding buildings. The Kavli Royal Society International Centre*, will open in 2010, the 350th Anniversary of the Royal Society.

The Royal Society, which is based in London, already hosts a wide range of scientific meetings and events. The new Kavli Royal Society Centre at Chicheley Hall will provide an extension of that programme of activities. Events will include residential conferences focussing on various science and policy issues, seminars and debates, workshops which will include intensive break-out groups hosted by Fellows and Research Fellows of the Royal Society, interdisciplinary scientific meetings bringing together international experts for discussion, meetings of Research Fellows and Alumni and support of scientific education.

"Humanity relies on science for addressing its most critical challenges, and expanding our understanding of the universe and ourselves," said Fred Kavli, founder and chairman of The Kavli Foundation.

"We are delighted to join The Royal Society in establishing this centre, which will bring together extraordinary scientists from around the world to exchange ideas, inspire new thinking and identify new directions for advancing the frontiers of science."

The Kavli Foundation will also use the Centre as its European home, hosting a programme of its own events there. The Royal Society will encourage its Fellows and the scientific community more broadly to see the Kavli Royal Society Centre as a venue for the events they hold. The Centre will also be available for local organisations.

*The full name for the new centre is The Kavli Royal Society International Centre, however for general use it will be referred to as The Kavli Royal Society Centre.

1. The Royal Society is an independent academy promoting the natural and applied sciences. Founded in 1660, the Society has three roles, as the UK academy of science, as a learned Society, and as a funding agency. It responds to individual demand with selection by merit, not by field. As we prepare for our 350th anniversary in 2010, we are working to achieve five strategic priorities, to:

- Invest in future scientific leaders and in innovation
- Influence policymaking with the best scientific advice
- Invigorate science and mathematics education
- Increase access to the best science internationally
- Inspire an interest in the joy, wonder and excitement of scientific discovery

2. Kavli Foundation - Established in 2000, The Kavli Foundation is dedicated to the goals of advancing science for the benefit of humanity, and promoting increased public understanding and support for scientists and their work. The Foundation's mission is implemented through an international program of research institutes, professorships, symposia and other initiatives in the fields of astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience, and theoretical physics. The Foundation is also a founding partner of the Kavli Prizes, which recognize scientists for their seminal advances in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience. Administered by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, international prize committees independent of the Foundation choose the Kavli Prize recipients.

Source
Kavli Foundation