Prof. Jim Iley, director of science and education at the UK's Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), has said that a large cut to the capital budget could damage science research. According to him, given the financial climate, the funding settlement - particularly in terms of the resource available to support research - provides a reasonably stable base upon which the community can build.
Particularly worrying in the RSC's view is the huge 50-60 percent cut in the capital budget to support higher education institutions, which is where much of its research takes place. Globally renowned research requires an internationally excellent infrastructure; so there needs to be a watching brief that these large cuts in capital expenditure do not have adverse affects on the UK's international competitive ability, says Prof. Iley. Further, he says that if the government wants innovation in the UK then it has to create the necessary conditions for scientists of different cultures and backgrounds to come together to share ideas.
While the RSC welcomes the commitment to support early career postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers as they are the lifeblood of the future science community, it is concerned that little mention was made of early career academics. The allocation appears to focus on concentrating resources in internationally excellent researchers - who are almost certainly established researchers - yet it is absolutely vital there is a strategy to ensure those at the start of their careers can access the necessary funding to develop their research.
Protecting the research, skills and people required to ensure the continuation of a strong UK science base is of paramount importance, Prof. Illey has pointed out. The RSC is willing to facilitate engagement with the community to help identify the necessary capabilities that are needed to enable the nation's chemical science base to address the major global issues that confront society.
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