Tag Archives: science funding

On self-promotion, funding and energy ant!

In any UK-funded science grant application you have to write a bit about yourself and how great you are. Most people I know find this bit really hard; a few really don’t – I know some people who seem to … Continue reading

Posted in science funding, US government | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Its the right idea….almost

Peter Thiel who invented PayPal and presciently invested in Facebook has announced that he is giving money though a scheme called ‘Breakout Labs’ where independent researchers and start-up companies will be funded philanthropically through a grant-proposal process and that any … Continue reading

Posted in Funding, Philanthroscience | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Should we fund projects or people?

Its a question put out there by Times Correspondent Hannah Devlin on Twitter. I think the answer is a resounding, projects, projects can I say it again projects. Idealistically it is certainly true you should fund the best people: I … Continue reading

Posted in UK Science policy | Tagged , | 36 Comments

Death by a thousand cuts: is it time for a change?

Just in case I wasn’t paying enough attention to the news or even Twitter, last week I got an email from the EPSRC saying.. As a result of the 50% reduction to the Research Councils capital budget, EPSRC has taken … Continue reading

Posted in UK Science policy | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

On being a ‘foot soldier’

Or cannon fodder speaking out. In case you haven’t heard, science funding in the UK is under threat. From Paul Nurse, who said we need to fund only ‘excellent’ science to Vince Cable who thinks 45% of research in the … Continue reading

Posted in science, UK Science policy, Vince Cable | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Persevering against all odds is NOT the way forward

Beware of the hype.. Most of us love a good old perseverance, against all odds, pulling yourself up by your boot straps story. And there are thousands of them about scientific people – some apocryphal, some mythological and some of … Continue reading

Posted in science ethics, UK Science policy, women in science | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Ivory towers, science and society

why it takes all kinds Ok it appears there is no more money – I mean science, research, business innovation, technology and higher education money, where both the US and the UK governments are making cuts. (see my previous post) … Continue reading

Posted in higher education, UK Science policy | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Science funding, where do we go from here???

Science needs a Saatchi! Whether you supported the Lib Dems or Labour, or even the Conservatives things are looking pretty dire for science funding. As the New Scientist says in the elections ‘Science is the Loser’. Science is, or rather … Continue reading

Posted in politics, science, UK Science policy | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments