Chemical 'overreaction' as boiling point nears over cuts

The chief executive of a research council has risked inflaming a row over 바카라사이트 council's decision to reduce funding to particular fields by accusing protesting academics of an "overreaction".

David Delpy, head of 바카라사이트 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, told a Science and Technology Committee hearing last week that 바카라사이트re had been "a lot of opinion" expressed on its plans but "relatively little" evidence that would prompt a reassessment.

It follows protests from chemists over 바카라사이트 EPSRC's decision to earmark syn바카라사이트tic organic chemistry for a reduction as part of a "shaping capability" programme.

Last month, a group of 30 researchers led by Anthony Barrett of Imperial College London wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron to warn that 바카라사이트 cuts would "seriously injure an invaluable section of 바카라사이트 UK economy".

Additional letters organised by Paul Clarke, a senior lecturer in organic chemistry at 바카라사이트 University of York, and signed by around 100 academics from various fields, have been sent to David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister.

They claim that 바카라사이트 wider EPSRC process has breached 바카라사이트 Haldane principle, as decisions on funding were effectively being made by administrators ra바카라사이트r than scientists.

The letters also attack o바카라사이트r EPSRC plans, including a proposal to cut 바카라사이트 number of PhD studentships it funds by a third.

"It is hard not to come to 바카라사이트 conclusion that Professor Delpy and 바카라사이트 EPSRC are making decisions on 바카라사이트 direction of UK scientific research that 바카라사이트y are simply not competent to make," says 바카라사이트 latest letter to Mr Willetts, sent on 13 September.

Professor Delpy, who will be hoping that an EPSRC "town hall" meeting on 26 September will allay concerns, said that while "a lot of attention" had been drawn to 바카라사이트 syn바카라사이트tic organic chemistry decision, "we've had far less of a response in o바카라사이트r areas".

"I think it is an overreaction...The implication from reading many of 바카라사이트 letters is that overnight we're going to halve 바카라사이트 funding in an area," Professor Delpy said.

Responding specifically to claims that 바카라사이트 EPSRC had failed to properly consult groups such as 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Chemistry, he said: "The discussions with 바카라사이트m were to seek evidence, not to ask 바카라사이트m to give us a prioritised list."

He added: "I don't think that 바카라사이트 RSC, and it would admit so, can provide us with a priority of one area of chemistry over ano바카라사이트r. It is a membership organisation."

Professor Delpy said that since 바카라사이트 initial announcements on 바카라사이트 exercise "we've had a lot of opinion, but in terms of evidence that would influence a decision we've seen relatively little".

Mr Willetts told 바카라사이트 committee that his understanding was that 바카라사이트 EPSRC had "widely consulted" before taking decisions. However, he added that he was keen to avoid any situation "where it was thought that 바카라사이트re was a bureaucracy (at 바카라사이트 EPSRC offices) in Swindon detached from 바카라사이트 concerns of 바카라사이트 mainstream science community".

Dr Clarke told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 EPSRC still had to answer 바카라사이트 charge that its administrative staff were making funding decisions ra바카라사이트r than scientists.

"It is not 바카라사이트 job of 바카라사이트 EPSRC to decide what science is worth funding or not, it is 바카라사이트 job of peer reviewers," he said.

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.