GMW: Growing commercialisation threatens science

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GMW: Growing commercialisation threatens science

" GM WATCH " <info

Mon, 5 Sep 2005 09:11:34 +0100

 

 

 

 

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" Even in the long established democracies, people do not feel they have

ownership, control or even much influence over the technologies that

are exploited by their governments and by commercial enterprises. " -

President of the British Association for Advancement of Science

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Economic growth may compromise science

05.09.2005

By Brian Skelly

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single5327

 

Narrowly linking science with economic growth may undermine scientific

endeavour and erode public trust in scientists, the president of the

British Association for Advancement of Science (BA) has warned.

 

Giving his presidential address at the launch of the week-long BA

Festival of Science in Dublin this morning, Professor Robert Winston

warned

the growing commercialisation of science was threatening its

independence and traditional raison d'etre as existing for public benefit.

 

" Once the pursuit of science becomes heavily geared to profit,

scientists may be compromised. They may be perceived as having vested

interests

and not working merely for the public good, " he said, citing the

example of genetically modified crops and US chemicals giant Monsanto a

decade ago.

 

He added: " Scientists need to be more aware of the dangers and academic

disadvantages of commercial interests, and recognise that conflicts of

interest may occur. Of course, we should not abandon commercial

pursuits but we must be cautious where necessary and we need to be

prepared to

declare our commercial interests openly and freely. "

 

Winston, a leading human fertility expert and well-known TV presenter,

also said the linking of university research to commercial return had

the effect of dumbing down some of the research, in that funding for

some importance basic research projects was being withdrawn because they

were not producing any financial gain. " University research may

increasingly be focused on what is likely to produce an income rather

than on

what is intellectually most challenging, " he contended.

 

Winston emphasised the problem was not limited to the UK; Ireland too

was in danger of turning science into a business. " Funding of science to

make our respective countries 'competitive' is to be welcomed, but it

has its downside. Science is no longer seen as an essential part of our

culture or as an important expression of essential human

inquisitiveness. This has grave dangers for science, though scientists

often forget

this. It means some expensive scientific subjects - astronomy, for

example - may be increasingly underfunded because they are perceived as

useless or not producing sufficient economic returns. "

 

While acknowledging the 'huge benefit' that science had brought to

society, Winston said scientific research should not be unfettered but

required careful and responsible management. Without this, it not only

risked doing great harm to the planet but created a wedge between

scientists and the ultimate owners of scientific research - the

general public,

he claimed. " Even in the long established democracies, people do not

feel they have ownership, control or even much influence over the

technologies that are exploited by their governments and by commercial

enterprises, " he said.

 

For scientists to better appreciate the social implications of new

technology, he said every university teaching science should include

compulsory ethics modules.

 

In a comment that will strike a chord with third-level colleges here,

Winston also said it was not enough for the UK government to increase

funding for science; it must be accompanied by a parallel increase in

university funding. " Young scientists in universities suffer great

uncertainty about their careers, which is a major disincentive for

those key

young people. If the university sector is to be expanded as the

government intends - with the stated objective of higher education for

50pc of

school leavers - it has to be funded. If the Irish and British

Governments seriously want an advanced, competitive and healthy

society, this

must mean more recognition of the social as well as the economic value

of a university education. And they must pay for it. "

 

More than 300 scientists and 3,000 visitors are expected to attend

events at the BA Festival of Science, which is being held in Dublin

for the

first time in almost 50 years. The event aims to foster a greater

understanding of the value of science and technology.

 

 

 

 

 

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