The event - Science and Stormont 2025, now in its fourteenth year – was convened by the Royal Society of Chemistry and supported by the All-Party Group on STEM. It continues to serve as a vital platform connecting research and policy, ensuring that scientific insight informs decision-making for the benefit of all.
EPIC Futures NI - a Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) led by Ulster University and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Innovate UK and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) - contributes to this mission through its place-based approach, uniting academia, policymakers, business, and the community and voluntary sectors to tackle challenges unique to Northern Ireland. The partnership is dedicated to creating evidence-based solutions for fair and inclusive employment.
STEM remains a cornerstone of Northern Ireland’s economic potential, yet persistent skills shortages in digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, and life sciences continue to limit growth. These gaps are compounded by persistent underrepresentation of women, minority groups, and individuals from disadvantaged communities – a challenge that EPIC Futures NI is working to address by supporting diverse pathways into and through STEM careers.
The event also coincided with the launch of the public consultation on the Disability and Work Strategy for Northern Ireland, announced by Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons.
With the region’s disability employment rate at just 41.3% – the lowest in the UK – and almost 40% of economic inactivity linked to ill-health or disability, the strategy aims to reshape how employment systems support disabled people.
EPIC Futures NI is encouraging individuals and organisations to review the consultation and share their views on how Northern Ireland can create a more inclusive workforce.
The consultation can be viewed at: communities-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-disability-and-work-strategy-northern-ireland
As collaboration between science, innovation, and policy deepens, Science and Stormont 2025 underscored the importance of partnership in translating research into meaningful outcomes – connecting discovery with delivery for a more inclusive future.
Hosted by the Royal Society of Chemistry and chaired by Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA of the APG on STEM, the event highlighted the importance of collaboration across government, academia, and industry in advancing Northern Ireland’s economic growth and innovation through STEM.
