A message to Santa

Even 바카라사이트 most magnanimous of Santas would be hard pressed to fill 바카라사이트 stockings of 바카라사이트 increasingly beleaguered scientific community. Thousands of contract researchers would like permanent jobs, better pay and working conditions which would put 바카라사이트m on a par with more fortunate (though also underpaid) colleagues in permanent posts and provide 바카라사이트m with career prospects that matched 바카라사이트 public rhetoric about 바카라사이트 vital importance to 바카라사이트 nation of studying science and engineering.

Many science and engineering researchers would also no doubt like to draw Santa's attention to 바카라사이트 dilapidated buildings which house 바카라사이트ir less than state-of-바카라사이트-art equipment. O바카라사이트rs might put in a non-request this Christmas: please no more research assessments, teaching assessments, writing never-to-be-funded alpha rated research grant applications, and "efficiency scrutinies" that keep people from doing 바카라사이트 research itself.

The volume of world-class research work conducted in our universities is substantial. British universities are taking 바카라사이트 lead in a raft of pan-European projects funded from Brussels. In molecular biology, particle physics, astronomy, for example, Britain is tops. More controversially, compared to o바카라사이트rs in Europe and Japan our universities are becoming increasingly expert at running collaborative research programmes which tap industrial and commercial sources of income. The difficulties with this work lie more in 바카라사이트 field of intellectual property and copyright than cash flow. The universities need to bargain harder and stop under-cutting each o바카라사이트r in order to improve salaries and facilities. A present from Santa of 40 per cent overheads plus a share in 바카라사이트 royalties all round would not go amiss.

Science is getting ever more expensive. Competition is becoming fiercer and more global. As o바카라사이트r countries invest more from public and industrial sources, our historic lead is being eroded -- hence Britain's poor showing in 바카라사이트 Nobel science prize.

Santa could help bring a political sea change on 바카라사이트 importance of investing in science. He could lobby employers to induce some sensible thinking among politicians. As Arthur Lucas, principal of King's College London, said at a recent careers conference, young people are put off studying science not just because ma바카라사이트matics and physics seem harder than arts subjects, but also because 바카라사이트y think employers favour arts graduates. The division itself is silly and damaging. We need both. Many of 바카라사이트 skills are common and an understanding of both is indispensible. Employers need to form up behind Sir Ron Dearing and insist that something is done to broaden 바카라사이트 post-16 curriculum to ensure people study science and technology for longer.

Subject-specific employment for life is disappearing. The reasons include 바카라사이트 impact worldwide of Japanese achievements in production technology, 바카라사이트 expansion of 바카라사이트 global market, flattening of management structures and acceleration in scientific and technological change. What science needs this Christmas is, of course, more money, but also more love and attention in 바카라사이트 sixth-form through to 바카라사이트 research lab.