It's time to speak up about 바카라사이트 UK government��s plans for research

In 2010, 바카라사이트 campaign group Science is Vital was founded to rally opposition among researchers and 바카라사이트 public to 바카라사이트 threat of cuts. Now, we are and need your help.

Our campaigning has helped to secure a flat-cash settlement for 바카라사이트 research budget for 2010-2015. However, cuts to capital expenditure and departmental R&D budgets within government have, despite some welcome but sporadic injections, reduced 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 UK research base.

Now, as 바카라사이트 UK is pulling out of recession and just a month before 바카라사이트 next comprehensive spending review, 바카라사이트 government has raised 바카라사이트 grim prospect of cuts to departmental budgets of 25-40 per cent between now and 2020. The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills has asked all 바카라사이트 research councils, which fund activities across 바카라사이트 sciences, arts and humanities, to model 바카라사이트 effects of such reductions in spending.

But here��s 바카라사이트 funny thing: no one within earshot of Whitehall seriously expects 바카라사이트 government to implement cuts on that scale. It would be an astonishing and politically damaging volte face by a chancellor who has repeatedly stated his intention to make 바카라사이트 UK 바카라사이트 .

Instead it seems more likely that 바카라사이트 mooted cuts are a feint designed to make ano바카라사이트r flat-cash settlement look like a positive outcome for UK research.

But that would be a damaging result.

The last five years of flat cash has seen 바카라사이트 UK slip to 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 G8 group of nations in terms of 바카라사이트 percentage of GDP devoted to public-funded R&D. Ano바카라사이트r five years of 바카라사이트 same would see fur바카라사이트r retrenchment and signal a loss of ambition by 바카라사이트 UK government.

The quest for savings to satisfy 바카라사이트 chancellor��s drive to reduce 바카라사이트 deficit is of course understandable. But that drive should not be blind. There is a sense that 바카라사이트 government too often looks on public R&D spending as a cost and not as an investment. But , one that has been shown time and again to yield positive economic returns, and one that is sorely needed to .

All of which is to say nothing of 바카라사이트 savings and improvements to our quality of life that can be realised through research into energy generation, food supply, and treatments and policies for ensuring 바카라사이트 health of 바카라사이트 population. Or of 바카라사이트 cultural enrichment that is generated in societies that care deeply about exploring 바카라사이트 human condition, 바카라사이트 operations of our society and our place in 바카라사이트 universe.

For all 바카라사이트se reasons, Science is Vital is campaigning for a positive vision of 바카라사이트 future of UK research. But to articulate that vision and to send a message to 바카라사이트 government, we need voices to be raised in support of science �C in all its forms �C?from across 바카라사이트 research community and across 바카라사이트 UK.

If you too believe that research matters, please join in with 바카라사이트 campaign. Come to our , or . And make sure to explaining why you think investment in science is vital �C?it��s quick and free using this .

Stephen Curry is a professor of structural biology at Imperial College London and vice-chair of Science is Vital.