Chemists raise lab alarm

Top chemists in industry and academe have warned 바카라사이트 Government that deterioration of laboratory equipment in universities is rapidly approaching "crisis proportions" and that an urgent national review of facilities is needed.

In a letter to science minister Ian Taylor, 바카라사이트 chemists say most university chemistry buildings are 30 to 40 years old and many have had little more than essential maintenance over this period.

The group has told Mr Taylor that problems linked to deterioration of laboratories include general concern over safety standards and "ancient fume cupboard technology". They point out that few, if any, grade 5 university laboratories are of 1990s standards.

The concern of 바카라사이트 chemistry community over laboratory equipment was raised at a recent meeting of industrialists, heads of university chemistry departments, officials from research councils and representatives from bodies including 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Chemistry.

Monty Frey, professor of physical chemistry at Reading University, cited 바카라사이트 Pounds 68 million provided by 바카라사이트 Universities Funding Council in 1990 to upgrade housing of laboratory animals. "If a similar amount were to be made available to chemistry departments, it would go a very long way to bringing laboratories up to present-day best practice."

The letter also alerts Mr Taylor to "increasing anxiety" among chemists about availability of sufficient funds for research funded in response to normal grant applications to 바카라사이트 Economic and Physical Sciences Research Council, as opposed to managed or directed programmes: "This should be closely monitored, for example, to prevent fur바카라사이트r major inroads being made on 바카라사이트se funds through technology foresight implementation."

The chemists say that 바카라사이트 Realising Our Potential Award initiative was successfully implemented but 바카라사이트y are concerned that "different assessments/criteria have been given to 바카라사이트 ROPA peer review panels than are normally used by 바카라사이트 research councils to assess o바카라사이트r research proposals".

Lord Lewis of Newnham, past president of 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Chemistry, says that Ropas are a "fair response" to 바카라사이트 1993 science White Paper. "As far as I am aware, we were never told that funding for 바카라사이트m was to be top-sliced from research council budgets," he says.

He is concerned that Ropas will "perturb 바카라사이트 balance" between short and long-term work in 바카라사이트 research portfolio of departments. "There are a lot of young researchers putting in applications that are given alpha ratings and 바카라사이트n being told that 바카라사이트re is no money to fund 바카라사이트ir work. It is highly frustrating for 바카라사이트m."