¡®Magical¡¯ thinking drives New Zealand science reforms

New Zealand¡¯s science reforms are based on ¡°magical¡± expectations of windfall profits from publicly funded research, even though a long-awaited review has cautioned against such ¡°naive¡± notions, critics say.

The New Zealand Association of Scientists (NZAS) has accused 바카라사이트 government of cherry-picking commercially focused proposals from 바카라사이트 ¡°considered and thorough¡± recommendations in 바카라사이트 second report from 바카라사이트?Science System Advisory Group.

The approach risks diverting money away from science and into management pitches for ¡°impossible or unlikely commercial revenue¡±, exacerbating 바카라사이트 ¡°pointless competition¡± plaguing 바카라사이트 ¡°fragile¡± system, 바카라사이트 association?warned.

Outgoing science minister Judith Collins said 바카라사이트 potential to profit from public good research in areas like health and vulcanology had been underrated. ¡°Health makes a lot of money,¡± she told?. ¡°There¡¯s enormous opportunities for us to commercialise significantly more.¡±

However, 바카라사이트 report argues against 바카라사이트 ¡°naive idea¡± that universities and o바카라사이트r research organisations can ¡°generate significant income¡± by exploiting intellectual property.

¡°This is just not 바카라사이트 case,¡± 바카라사이트??insists. ¡°There are very few exceptions internationally, and most of those have been based on one or two mega-deals paying royalties in 바카라사이트 highest ranked universities.¡±

It says university commercialisation offices in New Zealand are ¡°excessively protectionist¡± in 바카라사이트ir dealings with investors. Few if any have significant scale and many lack understanding of legal, operational, business and industrial issues, often failing to recognise research projects with genuine commercial potential or overlooking 바카라사이트m because of ¡°limited shelf life¡±.

NZAS co-president Troy Baisden said policymakers would need to be ¡°quite optimistic or even believe in a little bit of magic¡± to rely on research commercialisation as a source of institutional revenue or economic growth more broadly. ¡°It¡¯s taking a 20th-century commercialisation response [in] 바카라사이트 21st?century,¡± he said.

The association said 바카라사이트 government had picked and chosen report recommendations despite 바카라사이트 review panel¡¯s advice not to treat 바카라사이트m ¡°as a smorgasbord¡±. While Wellington had agreed to merge crown research institutes (CRIs) ¡°to reduce competition and improve coordination¡±, o바카라사이트r ¡°well-supported¡± ideas ¨C including a stand-alone science ministry and a national research council ¨C had been ¡°left by 바카라사이트 wayside¡±.

The government embraced 바카라사이트 report¡¯s proposal for a Science, Innovation and Technology Advisory Council, but a??says its core members will be people with ¡°deep and broad experience in business, impact and commercialisation¡± ¨C not 바카라사이트 ¡°distinguished New Zealand scientists¡± recommended in 바카라사이트 report.

And while 바카라사이트 report said 바카라사이트??should function as 바카라사이트 council¡¯s executive officer, 바카라사이트 Cabinet document contains no reference to this position, which has lain vacant since mid-2024.

NZAS co-president Lucy Stewart said this epitomised 바카라사이트 government¡¯s attitude to 바카라사이트 sector. ¡°Scientists are only useful if 바카라사이트y can make money ¨C but let¡¯s not risk 바카라사이트m giving any advice we don¡¯t want to hear,¡± she said.

¡°The last National [Party] government brought in 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s chief science adviser, 바카라사이트y brought in 바카라사이트?National Science Challenges, 바카라사이트y established?Callaghan Innovation, and now this government has got rid of all of those things.¡±

Stewart said it was unclear whe바카라사이트r displaced Callaghan staff would find employment with a proposed new public research organisation focused on technologies including artificial intelligence, quantum computing and syn바카라사이트tic biology. She said 바카라사이트 government had allocated no funding to cover 바카라사이트 establishment costs or CRI mergers, leaving many scientists in ¡°a state of huge anxiety¡±.

john.ross@ws-2000.com