Season 1, Episode 4 — Jan Marco Müller on Science Diplomacy, Strategy, and the Politics of Evidence
Science diplomacy is increasingly being treated as a practical tool of foreign policy at a time of geopolitical tension and technological competition. In this conversation, Jan Marco Müller, a senior official at the European Commission, reflects on how science diplomacy is being defined and put into practice within the European Union.
Drawing on his role in developing the E.U.’s Framework for Science Diplomacy, Müller argues that earlier ideas focused mainly on cooperation are no longer enough. He describes science diplomacy as something governments use both to support collaboration and to advance their own interests, priorities, and values.
The discussion looks at the difficulty of connecting scientific knowledge with political decision-making. Müller points to differences in language, structure, and pace between scientists and policymakers, and stresses the importance of bringing scientific input into decisions early rather than after choices have already been made.
The conversation also considers how the E.U. framework was built, including efforts to bring scientists and diplomats into the same process. It places science diplomacy in a more contested global setting, where cooperation exists alongside competition, and where scientific evidence is increasingly questioned or politicized.
Additional themes include the growing role of countries outside Europe and North America, the limits of evidence in shaping decisions, and the importance of timing, communication, and public engagement in making scientific knowledge useful.
Themes covered:
Science diplomacy as a tool of foreign policy
The shift beyond cooperation-based approaches
Connecting science to political decision-making
Building science diplomacy frameworks
Geopolitical pressures on scientific collaboration
The role of countries outside the Global North
Evidence, uncertainty, and decision-making
Communication and timing in science advice
Recorded on April 3, 2026.
Co-hosted by Amna Habiba, Bupe Chikumbi and John Heilprin.
