Scaling Science Horizon Scan (Session #2)

About the session

Scaling innovations for impact is one of the fastest-growing areas of research and practice, yet no one has systematically scanned the horizon for what will define it over the next decade — until now. A global panel of scaling scientists and practitioners has already identified 40 emerging issues most likely to shape the field. Now it's your turn to weigh in.

Join us for a 60-minute interactive webinar where you'll hear how the horizon scan was built, then step into a live breakout session to score a shortlist of these issues for novelty and potential impact. Whether you study scaling or practice it on the ground, your score counts directly toward a peer-reviewed paper that will shape research priorities, funding conversations, and practice for years to come.

This is your chance to put your stamp on where scaling science goes next — in just one hour.

Background & Perspectives

Link: Science of Scaling: Understanding and guiding the scaling of innovation for societal outcomes

by: Marc Schut, Cees Leeuwis, Graham Thiele

This Editorial to the Special Issue “Science of Scaling: connecting the pathways of agricultural research and development for improved food, income and nutrition security” presents the framing, overview and analysis of 10 articles focused on scaling innovation in the agricultural research for development sector. The publications cut across three categories that focus on: (i) Understanding the scaling trajectory retrospectively from a longer term, systems perspective, (ii) Understanding scaling of innovation retrospectively as part of shorter term agricultural research for development interventions, and (iii) Conceptual or methodological approaches aimed at guiding scaling prospectively. Cross-cutting review of the publications leads to several insights and critically questions dominant ways of understanding and guiding scaling of innovation in the agricultural research for development sector. This provides a starting point for proposing more outcome-oriented scaling as a third wave of understanding and guiding scaling, beyond technology adoption (first wave) and the scaling of innovation (second wave). The Editorial proposes three Research Domains for the Science of Scaling: (1) ‘Understand the big picture of scaling innovation’ that can inform more realistic ideas about the factors, conditions and dynamics that affect innovation and scaling processes; (2) ‘Develop instruments that nurture efficient and responsible scaling’ that comprises new approaches, concepts and tools that can facilitate the development of evidence-based scaling strategies; and (3) ‘Create a conducive environment for scaling innovation’ that focusses on the institutional arrangements, partnership models, and monitoring and learning for scaling of innovation.

Our Presenters

Marc Schut Marc Schut (PhD) is a senior advisor innovation portfolio management who works in the CGIAR Office of the Chief Scientist. He also works as senior innovation and scaling scientist with Wageningen University. Marc is currently based in Belgium. As senior advisor he supports the design and implementation of innovation portfolio management approach which form an integral part of the CGIAR performance and results management framework. Prior to his current position, Marc led the Flagship ‘Improved Livelihoods at Scale’ under the CGIAR Roots Tubers and Banana Program. He managed multi-cultural and inter-disciplinary innovation and scaling teams and managed multi-country, multi-partner, donor-funded programs. Marc has published over 50 scientific publications and has 15+ years of experience working in low- and middle-income countries.

Charlotte Coogan Charlotte has a small, independent consulting firm where she strives to use the most rigorous possible methods to answer decision-relevant questions for actors in the international development space through a collaborative approach to research. She tries to serve as a bridge between the vast evidence base on food security and nutrition topics and the actionable needs of specific stakeholders. She has a decade of experience in international development and a PhD in Nutritional Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.