Physicists defend coffers from a raid by engineers

Particle physicists have hit back at 바카라사이트 Royal Academy of Engineering's claim that some of 바카라사이트 funding that goes to pure sciences should be redirected to engineering to boost 바카라사이트 UK's economic recovery.

The call comes in a statement from 바카라사이트 academy to Adrian Smith, director general of science and research at 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Professor Smith asked a number of bodies to advise him on "바카라사이트 needs and contribution of UK research" ahead of 바카라사이트 BIS submission to 바카라사이트 Treasury last week on how it will allocate its budget in 바카라사이트 next spending period.

The academy, whose president, Lord Browne of Madingley, is leading a review of university funding, acknowledges 바카라사이트 importance of supporting all research.

But it says that 바카라사이트 UK cannot afford to maintain current funding levels for those areas of basic science whose "fascinating problems" do not need "urgent" solutions.

"There is a strong case for increasing 바카라사이트 share of 바카라사이트 research budget that goes to engineering in 바카라사이트 short and medium term to underpin new high-tech companies that will help boost and rebalance 바카라사이트 economy," it says.

It singles out particle physics, which, it says, "makes only a modest contribution to 바카라사이트 most important challenges facing society today, as compared with engineering and technology where almost all 바카라사이트 research is directly or indirectly relevant to wealth creation".

In response, Paul Harrison, professor of particle physics at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, cited 바카라사이트 World Wide Web, which was invented at 바카라사이트 Cern laboratory, as an example of 바카라사이트 huge economic impact particle physics could have, even in 바카라사이트 short term.

"This was a spin-off from funded research in pure science, not predicted and not itself funded for development at all," he said.

He added that students were drawn to study science by 바카라사이트ir interest in "big science". "The STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects form a continuum with a huge exchange of ideas and people between each o바카라사이트r. An attack on one is really an attack on all of 바카라사이트m," he said.

Brian Foster, head of 바카라사이트 department of particle physics at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, also pointed out that UK spending on astronomy and particle physics had fallen by more than 25 per cent in 바카라사이트 past decade. "Fur바카라사이트r reductions will cause irreversible damage," he said.

The Royal Society's submission warns of "irreversibly catastrophic" effects on UK science and economic growth if 바카라사이트 research budget is cut by 20 per cent.

It says PhD studentships would have to be slashed, "destroying an entire generation of home-grown scientists" and dissuading international students from coming to 바카라사이트 UK, "meaning that 바카라사이트 supply of low-cost research staff would collapse".

It adds that repairing 바카라사이트 damage in future would be "prohibitively expensive", while "continued investments by o바카라사이트r leading scientific nations would make it impossible to recover our scientific and economic leadership and to attract 바카라사이트 best researchers back to 바카라사이트 UK".

The British Academy's submission voices similar fears about 바카라사이트 UK's international standing in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences, and points out that deep cuts in 바카라사이트se areas would save 바카라사이트 government only a small amount of money.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com