Possible bad news for Science funding...

Afternoon,

Just read this article on the New Scientist website,

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/thesword/2010/11/uk-research-spending-decisions.html,

The article reveals that the job of the head of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and in turn the person in charge of allocation of the UK's science spending, could be for the first time in over 25 year be going to a civil servant and not someone who is from the outside, with background with scientific research. Nor will someone from scientific community be involved in the recruitment of the post. Therefore no checks of scientific creditability with be done.

In my view this could have am negative impact on how the money is allocated to different areas in science. For example a less important scientific project might get more funding than project of greater importance due to the lack of understanding from the new head.

This will remove some of the autonomy that science has from the government and Whitehall in terms on where the research budget is spent.

The new scientist article above does a better job at explaining the details.

Until next time.

Reaction to Millbank Riot

In the last couple hours a small minority caused trouble at Millbank Tower during the NUS protest against the raise in tuition fees and the cuts to university.

What has happened at Millbank Tower today has undermined the true and real reason of the protest. I can't see how rioting and destroying a building helps the cause of the demonstration, of example the science is vital movement ensured that in the spending review the research budget was not cut, they didn't fire cupboard, or clash with police.

I believe that we need to prepare for the coming cuts, the NUS should be putting more pressure of universities to offer scholarships of outstanding students, this insure that students are reward for their hard work, and make people think about uni not as the 3 year party as I fear that many do. Another idea maybe less popular but is to cut the number of pointless degrees.

Also universities should look for other sources of investment, whether that be companies or bodies which represent a subject area and encourage them to help with the scholarships. With the investment from companies this could be beneficial for students, one condition be that the company investing in the course could for the best student in the year offer a job, or work placements over the course of the degree, which work experience would add value to the degrees.

But on a final point, I know the problems today was caused at Millbank was due a small few student and some of the very left wing movement which oppose the cuts, but the focus of the news today was removed from the discussion of the tuition fees and university funding and focused on completely the wrong message.

Until next time.

UK Spending Review

This is a bit late, but I been busy with physics and other matters.

This is a quick post on the spending review and mainly science and university funding.

Looks like the Science is vital campaign saved research was the harsh cuts as the budget was frozen, but this does equal a 10% cash decrease over the time period of the freeze. However I had feared much worse for the science, and this also show some understanding from the government of the importance of science for the future of the British economy.

However, one cut I thought went against this was the cut in university spending, which will affect future generations of young people enter sciences or degrees in general.

Until next time.

University Funding

Now this is becoming a running theme for the blog, which is science and university funding.

A couple of days ago now Lord Browne published his report into the future of university fees in England.

The report has opened the door to unlimited fees for tuition, I have a fear that in future years this could lead to an American style system of huge fees and only the wealthy go to the top university and not people who have the academic ability. This needs to be avoided, higher education should be open for all.

I could have been in the "lucky generation" where higher education was affordable in the UK. Hopefully this won't be the case.

However, if tuition hits £12,000 per year as report for top university, this is still value money in my view compared to the USA, where degrees can cost upwards of $40,000 a year at top universities like Harvard. But the UK universities are arguably just as good as the US one.

One problem I had with the reporting on this story, was the lack of understanding about how tuition fees are paid. I have never been asked for money from the university I am attending, that is taken care by the student loans company. As the system this way I don't feel like I paid £3000+, as for value for money, when people say "why am I paying £3000 for less than 15 hours of teaching a week" that annoys me.

Just look around you in physics, the labs equipment costs thousands, we have a library just for physics and maths, access through the uni to 24 hour computer rooms, access to online journals and being able to knock on a lecturers door and ask for help with a problem. Now for some subjects maybe £3000+ is not good value for money, but in the case of physics, I believe it is value for money.

Earlier today the BBC reported a leak from government for university spending, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11550619 in England.

They could be facing a cut of £4.2bn to their finances, the reports states that this would come from £3.2bn to tuition and £1bn to research.

Now if the higher tuition fee go head then this will plug some of the gap in funding.

However, probably not the research cut, this will have an effect the research universities do, and therefore impact on the future standing of universities in England on the globe stage.

We run the risk on researchers leaving English universities for one overseas, where funding is better and therefore having a negative effect on the future research given to the universities.

Hopefully, this won't happen. Support the Science is Vital campaign to protect science funding and the future of the UK economy.

Until next time.

Science is Vital

It's been a while since my last post, settled back in Aber and just finished my first week of lectures, already getting back into the swing of them.

Anyway, time to pick up on a theme previously discussed here. Spending cuts and science spending.

As the spending review is looming, there needs to be an effect to protect the spending of science, engineering, technology and maths to safeguard the development and progress in this country for decades to come.

In steps the "Science is Vital" campaign, read the website and the reasons for why science is so important to the UK economy. If you want to stand up for science spending sign the petition on the website,

http://scienceisvital.org.uk/sign-the-petition/

Next post will hopefully be on the Lord Brown report in the university fees and my reaction to it.

Until next time.

Spending cuts and hopes in science

As the government's spending review draws closer, I thought I would air some of my views on the subject... so here begins the rant.

Firstly to start with I am of the view that national deficit is being over played by this Troy government to push and enforce right wing welfare and social reform, but doing so under the cloak of "needed" spending cuts.

However, I understand that public spending must be cut, due to the fact that as country as a whole we are not producing as much money back in the economy. But whether the economy is ready for major cuts in the public sector, which will cause problems for the private section which is closely linked the public sector work, ie school building, or outsourcing cut backs etc.

One of the problem with the current UK economy, is the fact that it is far too dependant on services, which in turn needs a consumer. So in times in economic problem, like the last few years, this fails.

Look at Germany, their economy is growing much stronger than the UK, this because they actually made things and export them, therefore making money!!! It's not rocket science, you make something and someone buys it from you, so you then have money to spend on services. This is the problem in the UK, we are missing or have a too small engine to drive and power the British economy.

Therefore, I can not see cutting the deficit and cutting public spending will solve this problem in the short to mid term yes... long term no chance we will be back in the same boat 15/20 years time from now, if we do not change whole economy.

This is the time Britain could become a world leader is science and engineering again. However, this will need investment to grown this, but in return a solid base for the economy lead by science and innovation and not consumer good and services. A good example is this http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11150831.

But I fear that the Troy government will fail to see this. Rant over.

Found this interesting http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11218802. Hunting exo-planet is outer space seems a cool job to do.

Until next time.

Past week...

The past week has progressed at some rapid speed...still not sure how in ended up being Friday so soon.

This week has been fairly quiet, and strangely productive in away... after last weekend at Brands with my camera, I decide to spent some time using Photoshop Elements 8 to created some digitally manipulated images, which can be found on Flickr, link is on the side.

After watching a film on the life the America writer Hunter S Thompson (famous for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.) This re-engage my interest in the work of artist Ralph Steadman, who's work I studied during my art A level. So hopefully over the next week, I will make a start on some Steadman style pieces.

Also this week, certain things the Tories are cutting concerned me one is the planned rebuilding of secondary school, this seems short sighted from the government, I feel that need to be proper investment within children of this country to ensure a strong future. It worries me that this is just the privatisation of the state education system in this country, but labelled as a cut. Also could a multi-million pound school not just benefit the children, but also the local community, ie sports and art facilities.

On a positive note about the new government is the science David Willetts who speech at the RI, seemed positive for the future of science research in this country. "Willetts said that science can help to boost growth in an age of austerity"

See http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/thesword/2010/07/uk-science-minister-research-m.html for more info the speech, as I feel I have written enough for today...

PS Good news, I passed my this year at University with a First.