CECAN Fellowship: Science Sparring: Applying Systems Thinking to Policy Red Teaming
Existing science-policy interaction models are insufficient to address today’s increasingly complex societal challenges. New interaction models are therefore essential to ensure policies are more robustly informed by evidence.
My fellowship focuses on enhancing Science Sparring, a new innovative model developed by the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters that employs structured dialogue between multidisciplinary researchers and policymakers to stress-test hypothesis of early policy drafts. The model demonstrates high policy relevance by bringing researchers and policymakers together at an early stage when adjustments remain feasible. The concept has proven its value in numerous policy development settings, yet through this fellowship, I would like to explore its potential in policy evaluation. Piloting the concept in policy evaluation settings could produce relevant insights for advancing science-policy collaboration in evaluation contexts.
Whilst the core challenge lies in adapting Science Sparring for different policy contexts, including for policy evaluation, I am interested in exploring how systems thinking tools could guide the process, better addressing groupthink in science-policy dialogues. Key questions include: How can hypothesis testing create policy-oriented knowledge that transcends participants’ initial mental models? Which evaluation contexts would benefit most from this approach?
About Linda
Linda is a knowledge broker with a keen interest in improving how knowledge translates into policy and facilitating science-policy collaborations. With a background in sustainability, she focuses on finding innovative and systemic solutions to complex sustainability challenges. She specialises in facilitating dialogues, stakeholder engagement, and project management.
In her current role at the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, Linda is responsible for stakeholder engagement initiatives and developing an interactive science-policy concept called Science Sparring. It is a model for policy red teaming designed to address systemic policy issues.
Previously, Linda worked at the University of Helsinki, focusing on the science-policy interface for sustainability transformation. There, she coordinated the work of the Finnish Expert Panel on Sustainable Development, a national science panel that promotes the role of sustainability sciences in policymaking. Her professional experience spans also work with the EU, and various international and non-governmental organisations.
Linda holds a Master’s in Global Sustainability from the University of Helsinki and an MA Honours Degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
