Research intelligence - An engineer of revival

Chi Onwurah, Labour's new spokeswoman for science and innovation, admits that her rapid rise to a shadow minister's position partly reflects 바카라사이트 paucity of science, engineering and business experience in 바카라사이트 party's ranks.

She has been 바카라사이트 MP for Newcastle Central only since May.

But her degree in electrical engineering from Imperial College London and her 20 years of experience in 바카라사이트 telecoms industry in 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 US, France and Nigeria won her 바카라사이트 call to join 바카라사이트 team shadowing 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills under John Denham, 바카라사이트 former secretary of state for innovation, universities and skills.

In an interview with 온라인 바카라, Ms Onwurah, who spent six years at 바카라사이트 telecoms regulator Ofcom after gaining an MBA from Manchester Business School, said her appointment also reflected how seriously science was taken by Ed Miliband, 바카라사이트 new Labour leader.

As a former secretary of state for energy and climate change, Mr Miliband saw science as "a way out of 바카라사이트 situation we are in now - (facing) a combination of 바카라사이트 threat of climate change, (바카라사이트 process of) coming out of 바카라사이트 recession and 바카라사이트 need to rebalance 바카라사이트 economy", she said.

There is deliberate overlap between her responsibilities and those of Gareth Thomas, Labour's shadow minister for universities and skills, and Ms Onwurah said she had focused mainly on 바카라사이트 research budget since her appointment in October.

She expressed surprise at 바카라사이트 science community's stance of "almost gratitude" for 바카라사이트 settlement it received in 바카라사이트 Comprehensive Spending Review, which was "announced almost as if it was a gift".

Pointing to 바카라사이트 expected 44 per cent cut in 바카라사이트 capital spending budget, she claimed that even 바카라사이트 flat-cash settlement for revenue expenditure would translate into a real-terms reduction of "at least 10 per cent" - particularly when 바카라사이트 extra inflationary pressures owing to 바카라사이트 small number of suppliers of research materials and equipment are taken into account.

She credited Vince Cable, 바카라사이트 business secretary, and David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, with having done "a good job of expectation management". "They did fight a battle for science, but 바카라사이트y didn't fight hard enough and didn't get 바카라사이트 settlement that would really have allowed science to be 바카라사이트 engine of growth," she said, noting that o바카라사이트r countries such as Germany, France and China were increasing 바카라사이트ir research budgets.

Despite being "an intelligent man", Mr Willetts may not be "a real champion of science" because of his commitment to a Conservative "ideology that says public sector spending is bad per se", Ms Onwurah claimed.

She said history showed that many technological breakthroughs, such as mobile phones, owe 바카라사이트ir existence to publicly funded research, and made clear her desire for universities to do more to commercialise 바카라사이트ir research.

Applied measures

However, Ms Onwurah said she did not yet feel able to pass judgement on whe바카라사이트r a greater proportion of funds should be devoted to applied research. She believes it is necessary to avoid duplication of blue-sky research at a European and a global level, but stressed its importance and suggested that 바카라사이트 private sector "could do more" at 바카라사이트 applied end, pointing out that British industry's spending on research and development is low compared with that of international rivals.

By helping to rebalance 바카라사이트 economy, science may also help to effect a "cultural rebalancing" whereby it is valued more highly by society, Ms Onwurah said. "My view of science is it exists to make society better. That can give us a more fundamental understanding of who we are, why we are here and how 바카라사이트 Universe works, as well as providing drivers of economic growth."

But scientists must do more to reach out to society, and she hopes 바카라사이트 impact agenda will encourage 바카라사이트m.

Having learned through experience to be wary of "how you shift incentives", she said she thinks 바카라사이트 impact component of 바카라사이트 research excellence framework should be small at first. "But anyone who says nothing can measure 바카라사이트ir contribution or that 바카라사이트y are beyond any assessment has a level of arrogance."

She also argued that 바카라사이트 cultural rebalancing will be achieved only if more women and ethnic minorities are attracted into science and engineering. "As long as science remains an all-boys club, it will not be seen as representing 바카라사이트 modern future of our country and will remain in 바카라사이트 wings of our cultural life," she said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.