🚀 go-pugleaf

"Stan Pierce" <tpierce@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:RuZed.37969$5O5.25274@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> > It would be a great way of increasing funding of the Unis around the
> > country. Although, in all honesty, it would more likely be a situation
of
> > wait for an innovative US company/person to work out the processes, IP
> > everything about it, and then we'll buy the technology.
> >
> > If we are ever going to get ahead we need the skills (and associated IP)
> > being developed here.
> >
> > RJ.
>
> Not *increasing* funding to Uni's just directing existing funds to Project
> Greening Australia.  The 'social sciences' can go to the shithouse until
> it's done.
>

I receive a request for project funding once a year from my old Uni. There
is usually a list of about 10 projects selected for consideration (by the
senate/VC I guess). I scan the projects and am amazed at the lack of hard
science and engineering projects. The projects shown are usually in the
social science/humanities area as you say. I don't recall any projects for
Mechanical, Civil, Mining, industrial Chemical engineering or the IT
industry (other than the nasty ones - research into how these industries are
adversely affecting society). I am not interested in the projects offered
and for many years marked the option to let the Vice Chancellor decide. For
the last 3 years I haven't bothered to donate any money at all.

Basically I'd much rather fund research which has a quantify financial
benefit to the institution rather than some abstract analysis of life.
Sorry, but in all seriousness, there must be many graduates of these
departments that can cough up the funding for this type of research.


Back on topic though, I think a slush fund (eg. The Prime Ministers Trust)
or the like would be a real winner. This could be allocated by the PM yearly
as a direct incentive to Uni's to focus on the big public research issues
the Aus needs to address countrywide in the coming years... Salinity, Water
and Energy. Ideally the PM would set the agenda of concern (and region of
concern) and have the Unis tender for the award - but in a colaborative
approach.


RJ.