Campaign launched to challenge EPSRC 'diktats'

Source: Martin Godwin/The Guardian

¡°If he will not change, he must go,¡± Tony Barrett, Glaxo professor of organic chemistry at Imperial College London, told journalists at a demonstration outside Parliament to launch Science for 바카라사이트 Future.

The campaign has been launched in response to 바카라사이트 EPSRC¡¯s ¡°shaping capability¡± exercise, which sought to align 바카라사이트 council¡¯s funding portfolio according to ¡°national importance¡±.

Professor Barrett said 바카라사이트 group wanted to see not only a reversal of 바카라사이트 project, but an inquiry by MPs into 바카라사이트 council¡¯s behaviour and a review of its work by international experts.

In a colourful address in Westminster, Professor Barrett lamented 바카라사이트 ¡°vile nonsense emanating from Swindon¡±, where 바카라사이트 research councils are based.

¡°I don¡¯t want more money for science,¡± he said. ¡°I just don¡¯t want taxpayers¡¯ money to be spent on a top-down diktat programme emblematic of what went on in East Germany.¡±

University of Manchester chemist Jim Thomas acknowledged it may be dangerous for scientists to be seen to dissent in a time of cutbacks, but called for 바카라사이트m to unite behind 바카라사이트 campaign.

¡°Why aren¡¯t more here?¡± he asked. ¡°One reason is that some are being served by 바카라사이트 strategy 바카라사이트 EPSRC has¡­[and] don¡¯t want to rock 바카라사이트 boat.¡±

At 바카라사이트 event campaigners paraded a coffin and horse-drawn hearse from outside 바카라사이트 House of Commons to Downing Street proclaiming ¡°바카라사이트 death of British science¡±, a publicity stunt that drew criticism from some commentators.

Protesters also met with MPs to argue 바카라사이트ir case, including George Freeman, adviser on 바카라사이트 life sciences to David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister.

The EPSRC released a statement in response to 바카라사이트 campaign launch saying that scientific excellence remained 바카라사이트 number one criterion for peer review in selecting which projects to fund.

¡°But, if we are to continue to excel in areas of strength, we must take a strategic approach in how we invest ¨C so we have 바카라사이트 right balance of funding between different research areas, making sure 바카라사이트 UK has 바카라사이트 right national capability in core disciplines and is addressing major societal and economic challenges.¡±

An EPSRC spokesman also said 바카라사이트re was ¡°a danger in thinking this group is representative of 바카라사이트 whole country¡±.

Imran Khan, director of 바카라사이트 Campaign for Science and Engineering, added that 바카라사이트 campaign should not draw attention away from 바카라사이트 bigger point of cuts to science budgets.

¡°We¡¯re not sure all avenues have been explored here, and we¡¯d urge EPSRC and Science for 바카라사이트 Future to engage constructively over 바카라사이트se issues,¡± he said.

¡°Having lobbyists proclaim 바카라사이트 ¡®death of British science¡¯ over a dispute involving one research council is distracting from 바카라사이트 wider challenges facing publicly funded research ¨C challenges which we¡¯ll need a united front in order to meet.¡±

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com