Siegfried Reich

Knowledge and Power

Since a while, I am listening to weekly science podcasts, for instance by Deutschland Radio, www.dradio.de. The one of September 10, 2006, deals with the implications of September 11 (2001) on science and research in the US and more specifically, with the relationship of scientists and the Bush administration.

The arguments are as follows:

• there have been changes in research themes, for instance towards terror-attach prevention technologies, etc.
• along with the change in themes went a change in budget allocation. The NSF recently got less money for basic research (apparently the first time in history).
• it is much more difficult for foreign scientists to get to the US
• more and more, the Bush administration tries to influence the presentation of research results, most specifically with respect to results of climate research.

Dr. Alan Leshner (chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS is cited). There is a (German) written report available at http://www.dradio.de/dlf/sendungen/wib/541287/.

Add comment September 14th, 2006

Survey on mobility of Austrian Researchers

A recent survey “Austrian survey on Obstacles for the Mobility of Researchers” by Sonja Heintel, Christoph Hahn & Renate Fischer, published as http://www.researchinaustria.info/survey.pdf points out the most serious problems for mobile researchers.

(This image is taken from http://www.researchinaustria.info/survey.pdf).

Not really surprising, but still good as confirmation, is that funding, kindergarten & schooling and job offers in general are the three most serious problems. For the study, almost 14000 people have been asked in 999 returned a questionnaire.

I found the reference to this study in the ÖAD newsletter (Austrian exchange service, see www.oead.ac.at). BTW: www.grants.at is a good site for grants in Austria.

Add comment September 14th, 2006