Future Flight Social Science Research Director (Phase 2)

Future flight technologies are undergoing a pivotal moment with novel and innovative developments taking place in many different fields. Under the aegis of the Future Flight challenge, there is increasing awareness of the growing opportunities and potential benefits (including environmental and economic) offered by such technologies. However, this is not only an emergent area of technology and innovation. it is also an emergent field of social study.

Therefore, there is pressing need for a comprehensive analysis of potential socially desirable benefits or social disbenefits of Future Flight technologies. This will form a vital aspect of any roadmap for scale up and industrialisation, to strongly position UK industry in the global market and to realise the full social, economic and environmental benefits of these technologies.

Furthermore, as this is emergent felid of social study, researcher capacity building needs to be undertaken in concert with the Future Flight Phase three programme of innovation, testing and development, in order to ensure that as the UK moves into the subsequent phase of future flight technological development, we have the social science insight to best understand the implications, impact and benefits prior to, and during scale up and industrialisation. To meet these dual objectives of providing world leading UK social science insight and longer term social and economic research capacity building, this project will focus on three areas:

1. Specified work packages of focused research that are commissioned through other UK based higher education institutions through open call sub-granting. This will draw on expertise in the research community and enable further capacity building across the social sciences in the UK.

2. Cross cutting research to be undertaken by the Future Flight Challenge team based at the University of Birmingham and lead by Prof. Fern Elsdon-Baker.

This programme of research will be co-created in conjunction with the wider UKRI Future Flight Challenge team, Future Flight Challenge Phase 3 award holders and governmental, regulatory or other stakeholders. This will ensure quick and adaptable research that can inform the wider FFC programme. It is also expected that this research will feed into and support the development of legacy programmes beyond the FFC timetable.

3. Underpinning networking/dissemination/engagement activities to include at least, four participatory policy workshops, two x 2-day research network development workshops , one second phase public dialogue and other virtual webinars, networking workshops/events or seminar-based activities to disseminate reports/findings and as needed by the UKRI Future Flight Challenge team

The project was developed as part of a consultive process undertaken during the phase 1 Research Director project during 21/22 and draws on the following activities: - Scoping research and engagement with Future Flight Challenge team, phase 2 award holders and relevant stakeholders

- Future Flight Challenge Public Dialogue activity run in partnership with Sciencewise and undertaken by Ipsos Mori in March/April 2022. - Future Flight Challenge Social Science Co-creation workshops held in March/April 2022 - Future Flight Challenge Social Science Forward Strategy published January 2022

This programme of activity draws on the insight of the project team at et University of Birmingham alongside that of the Future Flight Challenge team, relevant sector stakeholders or partners, wider academic networks and public participants of the Future Flight Challenge Public dialogue.