Category Archives: Richard Jones

Travelling Hopefully to 2.4% GDP

Posted on 6 December 2019 by Athene Donald

David Willetts, for a number of years the Minister of State for Universities and Science, now an FRS, President of the Advisory Board for a think-tank (Resolution Foundation) and writer (most recently, A University Education), has just published a pamphlet … Continue reading →

Posted in David Willetts, Dominic Cummings, Fraunhofer Institutes, Richard Jones, Science Funding | Comments Off on Travelling Hopefully to 2.4% GDP

Pyramid Schemes and the Book Cover Challenge

Posted on 6 January 2019 by Athene Donald

As a child I occasionally got sucked into a strange pyramid form of exchanging postcards, an old-fashioned form of chain mail (but not of the metal variety). The details escape me but the basic idea was that you contacted half … Continue reading →

Posted in Jane Austen, JE Gordon, Materials Science, Richard Jones | Comments Off on Pyramid Schemes and the Book Cover Challenge

Getting the Balance Right

Posted on 12 August 2018 by Athene Donald

Without much fanfare, the allocations across the different research councils have just been announced until the end of the current spending round.  What processes went into making decisions about the distribution between the different research councils is not obvious, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Biomedical Bubble, Commons Science Select Committee, James Wilsdon, Research, Richard Jones, Science Funding, Strength in Places Fund, UKRI | Comments Off on Getting the Balance Right

Where’s an Industrial Policy When You Want One?

Posted on 27 November 2013 by Athene Donald

A little while ago I had the pleasure of hosting the visit of Chukka Umunna (Shadow Business Minister)  to the University of Cambridge to discuss the UK’s industrial strategy or, perhaps more accurately, its lack thereof.  Over a sandwich lunch … Continue reading →

Posted in Chuka Umunna, industry, Policy, Richard Jones, Science Culture, Science Funding | Comments Off on Where’s an Industrial Policy When You Want One?