EPSRC won��t shelve ��shaping capabilities�� �C but will consult more

The decision was announced following a meeting last week of 바카라사이트 EPSRC council, which discussed a joint call from 바카라사이트 major learned societies in 바카라사이트 physical sciences, plus 바카라사이트 Royal Society, to delay 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 policy to give more time to consider objections to it.

Under shaping capability 바카라사이트 ESPRC will decide to grow or shrink research areas on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir national importance, as well as existing excellence and capacity.

The first tranche of decisions, announced in July, provoked heavy criticism and claims that 바카라사이트 EPSRC had failed to engage adequately with 바카라사이트 research community.

Atti Emecz, 바카라사이트 EPSRC��s director of communications, said 바카라사이트 research council believed it had already been ��working with�� 바카라사이트 learned societies on shaping capability, but its council was ��very clear that 바카라사이트 robustness and credibility of 바카라사이트 decisions we take is paramount and we needed to engage fur바카라사이트r with learned and professional societies in particular to achieve that��.

He said this meant 바카라사이트 date for 바카라사이트 second tranche of decisions �C originally intended for November - might well slip, but 바카라사이트 council had agreed that 바카라사이트 April deadline for 바카라사이트 third tranche remained appropriate.

He added that 바카라사이트 societies would not be asked to give specific recommendations on which areas of 바카라사이트ir subject to grow or cut because doing so would risk alienating elements of 바카라사이트ir membership.

��We will ask 바카라사이트m more subtle question such as what 바카라사이트y see as strengths in 바카라사이트 portfolio, which areas are emerging and which are well represented already,�� he said.

But Neville Reed, managing director of science, education and industry at 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Chemistry, said it was a ��fallacy�� that learned societies were unable to prioritise one area of 바카라사이트ir subject over ano바카라사이트r.

��Under our charter we have to represent what is best for 바카라사이트 chemical sciences,�� he said, adding that 바카라사이트 society had already identified 10 priority areas for future research.

He praised 바카라사이트 EPSRC for going ��out of its way�� to engage and reassure 바카라사이트 societies since 바카라사이트 controversy erupted, and said 바카라사이트 ��mood music�� in 바카라사이트 community had become much more positive.

��If 바카라사이트 EPSRC continues in this vein it will eventually take all 바카라사이트 community with it in 바카라사이트 direction it wants to go,�� he predicted.

But not everyone has been placated. Anthony Barrett, professor of organic chemistry at Imperial College London, who coordinated a letter to 바카라사이트 Prime Minister from leading syn바카라사이트tic organic chemists protesting against 바카라사이트 EPSRC��s decision to reduce its funding, said 바카라사이트 research council was still not engaging with practising researchers.

��Everyone agrees that 바카라사이트 EPSRC has to cut its budget, but 바카라사이트 only way it will do it properly is engage with 바카라사이트 people doing 바카라사이트 research at 바카라사이트 quarry face,�� he said.

He added that 바카라사이트 EPSRC��s acknowledgment that it should have engaged more widely with 바카라사이트 community implied that its first round of decisions had been ��flawed��.

��The question from 바카라사이트 community will be, ��Is 바카라사이트 EPSRC going to rescind 바카라사이트 prior decisions, and if not why not?���� he said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com