Antony J. Blinken 71st U.S. Secretary of State | Official Website
On May 20-21, 2024, delegations from the United States and the United Kingdom convened in London for the inaugural Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on science and technology cooperation. This meeting builds upon the Atlantic Declaration’s commitment to bilateral research and development cooperation. The JCM focused on synthetic biology, quantum technology, and artificial intelligence as outlined in the June 2023 Action Plan for a Twenty-First Century U.S.-UK Economic Partnership. It builds upon existing bilateral and multilateral science and technology cooperation spanning sectors from basic sciences to health to agriculture.
Jason Donovan, Director for the Office of Science and Technology Cooperation at the U.S. Department of State, co-chaired the discussion with Georgina Ayre, Deputy Director for Global Research and Innovation at the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The U.S. delegation included leaders and experts from the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the U.S. Department of State. Participating agencies from the UK included the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology; UK Research and Innovation; and the UK Science and Innovation Network. The meeting was convened under the bilateral Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, which has been in force since 2017.
Critical and emerging technologies are forming new industries' backbone while shaping national security landscapes. Close partnership between the United States and the United Kingdom on foundational R&D underpinning quantum technology, artificial intelligence, and synthetic biology—grounded in shared values—is essential. This collaboration aims to advance responsible innovation in new sectors while promoting job creation and economic growth on both sides of the Atlantic.
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