«Physics Has Given Me Some Beautiful Things»

Elkarrizketa Interview PEDRO MIGUEL ETXENIKE President of the Donostia International Physics Center Members of the General Assembly visited the DIPC last July. Euskal Herriko zientzialari famatuena dela esan daiteke. Pedro Miguel Etxenike nafarra (Isaban jaioa 1950an) Kontseilari izan zen Eusko Jaurlaritzako lehen urratsetan eta egun Donostian kokaturik dagoen Donostia International Physics Center erakundeko buru da, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatearen baitan ikerketa zientifikoak bultzatzeko eta elkar- lanerako sortutako erakundea. «Physics has given me some beautiful things» 22 elkarrizketa Issue 65 Year 2004 Elkarrizketa Interview "Physics is the science that has published in the world’s leading the government. I also hope that the revolutionized medicine: it’s the journals. When I refer to the center I government’s desires don’t get foundation for diagnostic methods, mean the center itself and the bogged down in bureaucracy. This magnetic resonance imaging, laser Department of Material Physics of center could be one of the flagships procedures and more. It’s the science the University of the Basque of such a policy, but since it’s already that has had the greatest effects on Country." up and running all the policy needs is technology, the way we quick and efficient management. We communicate, the way see the world need to create job stability for our Increased funding of culture," in the words of professor researchers and attract people from Pedro Miguel Etxenike. Professor Etxenike feels that the other parts of the world. The best best scientific policy the Basque scientific policy is to create lots of Surely one of the most prize- Country can have is to provide opportunities for the good people we winning Basques for his work in opportunities for active researchers already have and to increase funding physical science, Etxenike is a man to work in centers provided with and possibilities for studying in who sees beauty in quantum theory adequate resources and funding. institutions adequate for our young and the theory of relativity. "Physics Even more importantly he thinks we people. This is more important than has given me some very beautiful any emblematic broad-ranging things. It’s a science that counts on policy. creativity rather than recipes." Etxenike is also a person who To make this policy successful enjoys listening to almost all types resources are necessary, an aspect of music–except for rock-and which Professor Etxenike finds reading best-seller spy novels on «Euskal“ Erkideoan satisfactory: "At the DIPC we are airplanes, a genre which he also pleased with the treatment and enjoys at the movies "when the aurrerapausu consideration we’ve been given by the action is combined with a little Basque Government, the Provincial intelligence." And he’s also willing handiak eman behar Government of Gipuzkoa and the to challenge bertsolari Andoni dira zientzia alorrean Donostia City Hall. And we certainly Egaña to a game of mus–and win. appreciate the fact that such eta nere ustez polítika institutions as Kutxa and other Currently, Pedro Miguel Etxenike companies have understood how (Isaba, 1950) is president of the nazional bat jarri important it is to support the Donostia International Physics furtherance of knowledge and to Center (DIPC), a center that acts as beharko litzateke back the DIPC as part of their social catalyst, motor and amalgamator. martxan onarrizko program. "It’s the perfect instrument for the Department of Material Physics of zientzian.» "One of the most important the University of the Basque Country problems," Professor Etxenike went for promoting research resources, on to say "is our computing capacity. spaces and common grounds. We The groups we compete with on an also work with the departments of international level have much greater sciences and engineering at Leioa need to recuperate a lot of well computing capacity than we do and and with a bunch of folks working in trained people anxious to work their if you don’t have the right a combination center like the Higher way into the system, and provide dimensions, it’s not a matter of Council on Universities. The DIPC is them with work stability. "In the taking longer to solve a problem;, the blender that moves the Basque Autonomous Community we you can’t even approach it. We are mayonnaise, but there’s mayonnaise fall below the Spanish average in still facing the challenge of in a lot of places," explains Professor basic sciences. We need to make a competitive computing capacity, and Etxenike. quantum leap and establish a clear that challenge can only be met with national policy on basic sciences.The funding and adequate infrastructure. The DIPC has been in operation for declarations made by Basque The institutions may not be able to five years, but the center has moved minister for Education, Ánjeles help us out on that front. When the forward much quicker than expected: Iztueta, are very important, and I lehendakari came for a visit he "The scientific production has been agree with them, especially the need understood the situation perfectly, spectacular in the sense that, for to increase funding. I hope her words but the fact is that there are a lot of example, last year we had more than become a reality and that funds are other concerns. I’m pretty pleased all one hundred research articles managed efficiently and rapidly by in all. The international community Issue 65 Year 2004 interview 23 Elkarrizketa Interview science are so arduous and society possibility of studying abroad by has been incredibly supportive of the has reached such incredible levels of providing scholarships for people who center. When researchers come to wealth, that the possibilities for later contributed to improving the work with us their experience is making money are endless for young quality of the university. Our work positive because they work with good brilliant people. The problem is that was also legislative in that we fought people. Our students compare very the brilliant ones no longer want to to repeal the Law on University favorably with some of the best do science, looking instead to Wall Reform (LRU). When the Statute of students at Cambridge or Berkeley." Street or other areas of finance. A Autonomy was passed we had in mind few years ago I was in the United a university law which in its essential The language of science States at Princeton University, where aspects would be regulated by I saw that half of the doctorate Basque institutions, which is Science poses a problem of language students were Chinese. In the past absolutely statutory and and communication, and in the case decade the number of people working constitutional. But organic laws in of physics, the problem is even worse. with physics and mathematics in Spain were interpreted to the other "The world," says Etxenike "is written Germany has dropped 50%. extreme, in this case meaning that the in the language of mathematics. As Therefore, the matter of financial universities would be regulated in Galileo put it, a person who doesn’t compensation as compared with the detail by the central government understand mathematics cannot business world has to be addressed or institutions. This may be appreciate the beauty of quantum we’re going to end up killing the constitutional, particularly in the eyes theory or the beauty of the theory of goose that lays the golden eggs. And of certain constitutional courts, but relativity. Other fields, such as it’s not only a matter of funding; it’s certainly not in the spirit of the biochemistry and its related that people just aren’t willing to work Statute, at least what was put to disciplines are more widely discussed that hard." referendum at the time. In this sense and circulated since they’re within the At the age of 29 Pedro Miguel the LRU was a centralist law. Much limits of public interest. A literature Etxenike served as Basque Minister the same or more can be said about professor can transmit the beauty of for Education, a position he held from certain aspects of the law that was a text to his students because even 1980 to 1984. In 1986 he began approved later on. I don’t think these without realizing it they have 15 or teaching at the University of the laws are going to promote quality and 20 years of experience in the Basque Country. "In the earlier years competitiveness because they move language. It’s true they don’t read the the university was not controlled by away from the models of developed text with the same level of the Basque Government and we had countries. The system based on sophistication or depth as the teacher, to concentrate on other aspects. government employees is not the but they can read it. However, a Since we powers hadn’t been system of the future; the future is Physics professor needs to train transferred we placed greater open competence and mobility. I must students in the language of his field. emphasis on other levels of add that there have been some That is why it is so important for the education, such as vocational spectacular changes in the university. great communicators to explain their training, and the Law on Euskara. At This doesn’t mean, however, that we work in a simple manner without the same time, we opened up the should sit back and feel satisfied." making it trivial. The frontiers of Multiple awardwinner Pedro Miguel Etxenike meaning, but the fact is Research Award because graduated from the that it’s true. I’ve been of its prestige and cash University of Navarra thankful for all of them for prize of 250,000 German summa cum laude.

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