Seize the Moment Western Applauds Federal Re-Investment in Scientific Research
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
April 20, 2017 / Vol. 53 No. 14 westernnews.ca PM 41195534 Western’s newspaper of record since 1972 Seize the moment Western applauds federal re-investment in scientific research BY ADELA TALBOT new blueprint for scientific research – said to be the most comprehensive in four decades – offers Canada a renewed opportunity to be a world-changer in the sciences, according to AWestern administrators and scholars. Commissioned last year by Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan, and led by former University of Toronto Presi- dent David Naylor, the Report of the Advisory Panel for Federal Support for Fundamental Science – dubbed the Naylor Report – calls for a new vision of sustained excellence across postsecondary disciplines. Released April 10, the report stated that federal government sources represent just 25 per cent of total research-and-development funding that takes place in higher education. The panel recommended enhanced READ ALL ABOUT IT support for early career researchers; Read the Report of the strategic and coordinated collabora- Advisory Panel for Federal tion for international and interdisci- Support for Fundamental plinary research; improved gender equity in science; and increased Science – dubbed the Naylor funding for discovery research. Report – at sciencereview.ca. “The report rightly concludes that Canada’s research competitiveness has eroded significantly in recent years, and it offers a wide-ranging list of recommenda- tions that aim to reposition our country as one seriously committed to global leadership in science and scholarly inquiry,” Western President Amit Chakma said. NOT Key emphases at Western have included innovation, internationalization and collaboration – which are like- wise at the core of the Naylor Report, he said. The report puts forward a multi-year strategy stress- ing greater investment in independent investigator-led projects, better coordination between the core research SO funding agencies and the creation of an oversight body called the National Advisory Council on Research and Innovation. According to the report, the federal government needs to increase support for the institutional costs of research from the current level of around 21 per cent to 40 per cent. The panel also wants to see annual federal SWEET funding for research-related activities increase by an average of 9 per cent over four years – from approxi- Research shows black licorice packs mately $3.5 billion to $4.8 billion. Such an increase would represent 0.4 per cent of the federal government’s annual budget. a potent punch for some patients “I applaud the report’s authors for calling not only for SEIZE THE MOMENT // CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 STORY // PAGE 9 INSIDE TODAY: PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY FRANK NEUFELD London, Western join global March for Science, Page 2. 2 westernnews.ca Western News April 20, 2017 westernnews.ca Western News April 20, 2017 3 Campus and Community Academics White: Let yourself make mistakes Western News (ISSNO316- 8654), a publication of West- ern University’s Department of Communications and Public Matter of facts Affairs, is published every Thurs- day throughout the school year and operates under a reduced London, Western join global March for Science schedule during December, May, June, July and August. An award-winning weekly news- BY ADELA TALBOT budget proposal, released last month, that this is not the path we want to be paper and electronic news ser- calls for double-digit cuts to the Envi- on,” she said. vice, Western News serves as ronmental Protection Agency and the Campus colleagues have been sup- the university’s newspaper of cientific progress is not a National Institutes of Health. It also portive in helping organize the event, record. The publication traces its roots to The University of given – it must be fought for, lays the foundation for a broad shift in Moehring said. The Faculty of Science Western Ontario Newsletter, a defended and encouraged. research priorities, including a retreat and University of Western Ontario one-page leaflet-style publica- And that is exactly what many from environmental and climate pro- Faculty Association (UWOFA) have tion which debuted on Sept. atS Western, and across the Forest City, grams. stepped forward with some financial 23, 1965. The first issue of the plan to do Saturday. Budget cuts to science south of the support. Western News, under found- The March for Science – a global border have the potential for broad “We have a stake in this, both as ing editor Alan Johnston, was published on Nov. 16, 1972 movement to defend the role of scien- and highly detrimental consequences, citizens of Canada and as scientists replacing the UWO Times and tific research in health, safety, econo- Moehring explained. ourselves. It’s something our col- Western Times. Today, West- mies and governments – is set for Sat- What happens when environmental leagues believe in and they want to ern News continues to provide urday, April 22, with the primary event protection for the Great Lakes erodes express their strong support for sci- timely news, information and taking place at the National Mall in in the United States? Canadians share ence and to make a statement that a forum for discussion of post- Washington, D.C. Hundreds of simul- waterways with them. (scientific research) is a valuable contri- secondary issues in the campus and broader community. taneous satellite marches have been What about climate change? If a bution to our society,” said Mark Daley, organized worldwide, including one major producer of greenhouse gas- Western’s Associate Vice-President in London. ses now says, ‘We don’t care about (Research), a Computer Science, Biol- This worldwide demonstration is this anymore,’ this global concern ogy and Statistics & Actuarial Science not meant to be a political event, said becomes an immediately dire issue. professor, as well as a principal inves- WESTERN NEWS Biology professor Amanda Moehring, “We don’t have four, or maybe eight, tigator at the Brain and Mind Institute. WesternNews.ca organizer of the local march. years of reversing progress. We don’t Up until recently, people likely Westminster Hall, Suite 360 “It’s a demonstration of support. have time for that at this point. There believed scientific progress was inevi- Western University This is a march to show people care are thousands of scientists collaborating table, just par for the course, Moehring London, ON N6A 3K7 about fact-based decision-making. It’s worldwide and massive budget cuts for continued. But given political turns and Telephone 519 661-2045 Fax 519 661-3921 meant to be a visible demonstration of science research will impact scientific budget cuts, this is not the case. the large number of people, not just discovery worldwide. What happens “People think we are slowly march- PUBLISHER scientists, who think science is worthy in the United States affects not just ing along, and we might impact the Helen Connell IF YOU GO [email protected], and important – that science and facts The March for Science in London is set Canada, but the world,” she said. speed of progress, but eventually, we 519 661-2111 Ext. 85469 are how policy decisions should be for 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday, April 22, in None of this is new to Canadians, are going to get to Point X. Recently, made,” she said. who, prior to the current government, that’s become clear – that progress is KRISTA HABERMEHL // WESTERN NEWS Victoria Park. Four speakers will be present EDITOR “The only reason it’s viewed as polit- were led by a party that “muzzled not inevitable, that you have to fight In his Ultimate Lecture last week, Sociology professor Jerry White shared his Top 10 “mistakes” that led him to a career in academia. White will retire at the end of June after nearly Jason Winders ical is because you have a political to talk about the impact and importance of scientists” and showed no respect for progress, that you can actually go 30 years at Western. [email protected], party attacking science. If science is scientific research on Canadian government, for evidence-based decision-making, backwards, if you don’t fight for it,” 519 661-2111 Ext. 85465 defunded in the United States – and policy and environment, as well as its impact Moehring added. she said. REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER the current federal budget proposal worldwide. “Although we are now out of that “A lot of people have now become BY KRISTA HABERMEHL and political science. “That really hurt,” said White, laughing. “The lesson Paul Mayne has massive budget cuts for science Campus community members who plan to (political) stage, we don’t want to go motivated to realize that passively After a short stint in the banking world – where he was here is, you don’t have to be a winner to achieve a goal, [email protected], research – that will impact scientific attend the march will be in the Physics & back to it. Canadians feel science watching progress happen is not suf- let go for speaking out of turn – White decided to pur- but you have to have a goal that’s worth achieving.” 519 661-2111 Ext. 85463 discovery worldwide. Scientists have should not be stifled; it should be ficient. You have to actually get out of etiring Sociology professor Jerry White has sue a master’s degree in economics, studying planned In the mid-1980s, White moved to Hamilton where he not made it political; the (Republican Astronomy Building Atrium from 12-5 p.m. embraced, encouraged and used in your seat and actively work for that.” made a few “mistakes” in his life – from being economies in Socialist countries. “It was a disastrous completed his master’s and PhD in sociology at McMas- REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER Party) has made it political by denigrat- Thursday and Friday with markers and poster providing evidence and information for kicked out of his undergraduate engineering idea,” he admitted.