Workshop on the Funding of Science and Innovation - 19 & 20 May 2025
Several changes in funding arrangements over the last few decades have attracted the attention of scholars in innovation studies and economics of science. Tighter fiscal austerity and a declining allocation for government funding for science, coupled with the increasing costs of conducting scientific research, means that scientists may struggle to sustain their activities and therefore need to find alternative funding sources for their work. Philanthropic organizations, private foundations and international funding agencies have simultaneously become more prominent in the funding landscape.
The literature on scientific funding has made great advances in addressing questions regarding the increasing variety of funding mechanisms and outcomes for individual scientists and, more generally, the rate and direction of scientific research. However, many questions remain, and closer collaboration with funders coupled with increased access to data have the potential to radically improve our understanding of science and innovation funding. At the same time, both established and new funders face a variety of challenges, such as promoting diversity among applicants and grantees, finding the right balance between directed and unconstrained funding opportunities, and promoting “high risk-high gain” research, whose solutions could benefit from science-based approaches.
To showcase the strides research has done in this area, and to promote a closer collaboration between researchers and funders, this event will combine two elements:
(1) A one-day academic event (lunch to lunch) with the participation of both academic researchers and funders. This event will feature expert discussions, presentations, and match-making sessions designed to foster vibrant exchanges between scholars and practitioners in the field of science and innovation funding.
(2) A half-day dedicated to funders to discuss topics of interest to them and to provide practical advice, thanks to the participation of expert scholars and practitioners.
Speakers and panelists
The Workshop on the Funding of Science and Innovation will feature a diverse lineup of experts from public and private funders, academia, and research organizations. Below is a current list of confirmed speakers, with additional experts to be announced as the program is finalized.
- Daniel Goroff, Vice President and Program Director at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
- Lars Strannegård, Professor and President of the Stockholm School of Economics
- Marie Arsenian Henriksson, Professor and Academic Vice-President for Research at Karolinska Institutet
- Maryann Feldman, Watts Professor of Public Policy and Management at Arizona State University
- Paola Criscuolo, Professor at Imperial College London
- Peter Wallenberg Jr., Chair of Wallenberg Foundations AB
- Stefano Paleari, Professor at University of Bergamo and Former President of CRUI