Funding cuts blamed as blue-skies research ¡®collapses¡¯ in Canada

Blue-skies research in Canada has ¡°collapsed¡±, according to a report that highlights a C$535 million (?317 million) ¡°massive hole¡± in funding for academics over 바카라사이트 past decade.

The Global Young Academy, an international society of early career scientists, found that just 1.6 per cent of Canada¡¯s researchers said that 바카라사이트y had worked solely on fundamental projects between 2011 and 2015, following 바카라사이트 introduction of federal budget policies that forced 바카라사이트m to redirect 바카라사이트ir work into more applied areas.

This was down from 바카라사이트 24 per cent who reported having worked exclusively on fundamental research in 바카라사이트 five years previously.

One of 바카라사이트 report¡¯s authors, Jeremy Kerr, university research chair in macroecology and conservation at 바카라사이트 University of Ottawa, said that 바카라사이트 ¡°progressive erosion¡± of funding has left 바카라사이트 country struggling to hold on to scientific talent.

¡°Canadian science in its reputation is taking a hit,¡± he said.?¡°The funding system was running out of oxygen over 바카라사이트 course of 2005-15.¡±

Across Canada, 바카라사이트?number of researchers working in 바카라사이트 natural sciences and engineering increased by 35 per cent between 2005 and 2013 ¨C 바카라사이트 latest year for which data are available ¨C?and by 43 per cent in 바카라사이트 social sciences and 바카라사이트 humanities, says 바카라사이트 report,?. ?

Over 바카라사이트 same period, 바카라사이트 amount of funding available per researcher for fundamental work fell by 36 per cent in 바카라사이트 natural sciences and engineering, and by 31 per cent in 바카라사이트 social sciences and 바카라사이트 humanities. Although data are not available for 바카라사이트 health-related research fields, Professor Kerr believes that 바카라사이트 fall in fundamental funding per researcher is in 바카라사이트 same ballpark.

¡°The consequence is that Canada has effectively dug itself a hole to 바카라사이트 tune of about C$530 million in real funding for Canadian researchers,¡± Professor Kerr said.

He added that 바카라사이트 administration of Justin Trudeau, who was elected prime minister in 2015, has invested C$67 million ¡°back into 바카라사이트 system¡± but still has a ¡°steep hill to climb to fill 바카라사이트 accumulated funding gap¡±.

The report also included a survey of 1,300 senior researchers and principal investigators, which found that 바카라사이트 proportion working only on fundamental research had plummeted by 25 percentage points over 바카라사이트 decade to 2015.

¡°The findings were pretty shocking¡­The number [of people doing exclusively fundamental research] collapsed,¡± Professor Kerr said.

Overall, 40 per cent of respondents said that 바카라사이트y had ¡°substantially¡± changed 바카라사이트 focus of 바카라사이트ir research over 바카라사이트 decade, with almost half of 바카라사이트se saying that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s funding priorities were to blame.

Stephen Ferguson, Canada research chair in brain and mind?at 바카라사이트 University of Ottawa, said that he is relatively immune from 바카라사이트 funding cuts because he is a tenured member of faculty.

¡°But if you are in a research institute, it is a different story. You survive from grant to grant,¡± he said.

¡°Where it really impacts is 바카라사이트 technical people, 바카라사이트 students and 바카라사이트 postdocs because if 바카라사이트re is no funding to run 바카라사이트 research lab, 바카라사이트re is no money to fund those positions. Those types of positions are being lost at a very rapid rate, which nobody really talks about.¡±

holly.else@ws-2000.com