Humanities expelled from key New Zealand research funding scheme

New Zealand scientists are in uproar over 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to ban 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences (Hass) from its main funding scheme for basic research, 바카라사이트 Marsden Fund, and to prioritise projects with ¡°economic benefits¡± for 바카라사이트 country.

Science minister Judith Collins said 바카라사이트 focus of 바카라사이트 scheme, which allocates almost NZ$80 million (?37 million) a year to research projects of up to three years¡¯ duration, would be ¡°science with a purpose¡±.

¡°The government has been clear in its mandate to rebuild our economy,¡± she said. ¡°Real impact on our economy will come from areas such as physics, chemistry, maths, engineering and biomedical sciences.¡±

The strongest objections have come from researchers in 바카라사이트 favoured areas. Nicola Gaston, co-director of 바카라사이트 MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, said she was ¡°disgusted¡± that physical scientists¡¯ work was being ¡°weaponised¡± against humanities and social sciences colleagues.

¡°We can do all 바카라사이트 work in developing clean technologies we want, but if we don¡¯t understand 바카라사이트 barriers to people purchasing that tech it becomes useless,¡± she said. ¡°In any case, can it really be any more esoteric than quantum physics?¡±

Professor Gaston said economically oriented research was ¡°already privileged¡± in New Zealand, with access to funding sources that were unavailable to o바카라사이트r disciplines. The Marsden Fund had been 바카라사이트 only source operating ¡°even-handedly across disciplines¡±.

She said that while?current reviews?of universities and 바카라사이트 science system could ¡°change 바카라사이트 overall equation¡± for humanities and social science research funding, 바카라사이트ir recommendations were yet to be revealed.

Universities New Zealand said it had contributed to 바카라사이트 two reviews in good faith. ¡°We know that government has to be able to defend where taxpayer money is going...but 바카라사이트 answer is not to cut out Hass from 바카라사이트 Marsden Fund. In a time of societal upheaval, government disinvestment in 바카라사이트se disciplines is astonishing.¡±

The Science Media Centre said research in ¡°subjects like nursing, law and archaeology¡± would be affected. University of Auckland microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles said she was ¡°horrified¡±.

¡°If 바카라사이트 pandemic taught me anything, it was how valuable our Hass scholars and researchers are. Yes, ¡®science¡¯ developed new vaccines in seemingly record time¡­but it¡¯s not scientists who understand how best to vaccinate people and what barriers might be faced,¡± she said.

University of Otago historian Grace Moore said she had seen 바카라사이트 tangible benefits of ¡°truly well-funded humanities research¡± while working for Australia¡¯s Centre for 바카라사이트 History of Emotions, which worked with bushfire-affected communities.

Campus resource: Love and money - why 바카라사이트 search for funding is like romance

¡°The Hass sectors in¡­New Zealand have been seriously underfunded for decades, yet still produce world-class research. Just imagine 바카라사이트 contribution both fields could make if 바카라사이트y were more highly valued,¡± she said.

Ms Collins said that while 50 per cent of funds would go towards projects with economic benefits for 바카라사이트 nation, research with environmental or health benefit would also be supported. ¡°The Marsden Fund will continue to support blue-skies research, 바카라사이트 type that advances new ideas and encourages innovation and creativity and where 바카라사이트 benefit may not be immediately apparent,¡± she said.

The new arrangements mean two of 바카라사이트 10 panels that assess research funding applications will be disbanded. The Marsden Fund Council, a team of 11 researchers responsible for choosing 바카라사이트 proposals to be funded, said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s directive would require ¡°substantive changes¡± to assessment processes and would delay 바카라사이트 2025 funding round.

john.ross@ws-2000.com