Salil Gunashekar

Salil Gunashekar (Deputy Director and Senior Research Leader, Science and Emerging Technology Research Group, RAND Europe): Salil is the QTOPS Director. With over two decades of experience in public policy research and engineering, he has a particular interest in exploring the societal impacts of emerging technologies and examining research systems policy. Salil has led studies for several public, private and third sector funders across the globe including government departments, charities and foundations, universities, and various EU institutions and bodies. His projects cut across multiple sectors, often sitting at the intersection of technology, R&I systems, policy and the future. He has widely published policy research on topics including science and technology governance, technology foresight, digital skills, public engagement, a range of emerging technologies (such as quantum technology, AI, biotechnology, online platforms, blockchain, IoT, big data and extended reality), and research and innovation policy (including funding strategies, research impact and open science). With a technical background in wireless communications engineering, Salil previously worked as a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Leicester within the Departments of Engineering and Computer Science.