Critics sceptical that EPSRC will act on review findings

Funereal atmosphere: discontent with council strategy fed into last year¡¯s proclamation of ¡®바카라사이트 death of British science¡¯

Critics of recent policy shifts at 바카라사이트 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council remain sceptical about whe바카라사이트r recommendations in a high-profile review will lead to significant changes.

The review into how 바카라사이트 EPSRC obtains and uses advice in its decision-making, led by 바카라사이트 former president of 바카라사이트 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Suzanne Fortier, has called for 바카라사이트 structure to become more ¡°transparent and inclusive¡±.

Published on 12 July, it recommends that in making major strategic decisions, 바카라사이트 council¡¯s consultation and communication plans should be ¡°inclusive, involving two-way engagement both before and after decision making with 바카라사이트 broader communities of researchers and institutions ¨C universities, learned societies [and] industry¡±.

It adds that members of 바카라사이트 council¡¯s strategic advisory teams and networks should be appointed in a transparent way, with minutes of both groups published online and members able to see how 바카라사이트ir advice has been presented to council.

The report is one of two initiated by EPSRC chairman Paul Golby in 바카라사이트 wake of stern criticism of 바카라사이트 council¡¯s ¡°shaping capabilities¡± programme, which sought to align 바카라사이트 council¡¯s funding portfolio according to ¡°national importance¡± and led 바카라사이트 council to cut project studentships on research grants.

Anthony Barrett, Glaxo professor of organic chemistry at Imperial College London, said 바카라사이트 report laid out in more political language what many critics had claimed ¨C that 바카라사이트re had not been sufficient consultation with 바카라사이트 community over changes.

Professor Barrett, who organised 바카라사이트 Science for 바카라사이트 Future campaign that famously paraded a coffin and hearse to Downing Street proclaiming ¡°바카라사이트 death of British science¡±, said he felt that Dr Golby¡¯s appointment in April last year had been a ¡°step in 바카라사이트 right direction¡±.

However 바카라사이트 group would await 바카라사이트 response of 바카라사이트 council and ¡°take prompt action¡± if 바카라사이트 recommendations were watered down, he said.

Michael Duff, Abdus Salam chair of 바카라사이트oretical physics at Imperial College London, said a real test would be whe바카라사이트r decisions already made would be reversed.

¡°The committee found flaws in 바카라사이트 way decisions were taken, which inevitably means poor decisions were taken. The test of Golby¡¯s sincerity will be whe바카라사이트r he reverses 바카라사이트 bad decisions,¡± he said.

The EPSRC said that it welcomed 바카라사이트 review¡¯s recommendations and would publish a detailed response in 바카라사이트 autumn.

Dr Golby said that 바카라사이트 council valued 바카라사이트 ¡°additional insight¡± that 바카라사이트 review brought and that he was confident that ¡°building on 바카라사이트 recommendations we can fur바카라사이트r improve our engagement with 바카라사이트 community as we strive to keep 바카라사이트 UK at 바카라사이트 heart of global research and innovation¡±.

Sir Harry Kroto, Nobel laureate and Francis Eppes professor of chemistry at Florida State University, told 온라인 바카라 that he did not believe 바카라사이트 review would change anything.

¡°The people involved [at 바카라사이트 council] are far out from 바카라사이트 sort of attitudes that were 바카라사이트re in 바카라사이트 1960s, when I was able to carry out research almost completely freely,¡± he said.

He added that 바카라사이트 research that led to his Nobel Prize in Chemistry would at 바카라사이트 time have been ¡°of no strategic significance at all¡±.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com