Contents:
1. Finnsight
2. Lectures by
Professors Steven and Hilary Rose in March
3. Service to Remember
Professor Alan MacDiarmid: Wellington
4. CREST Newsletter
Available Online
5. Reader Comment on
Harry Kroto Lecture
6. Fusionz Listings -
Science and Technology Jobs
7. Building KAREN
Communities for Collaboration, 25 July, Auckland
8. Marine Reserves
Virtual School Field Trip - Next Week
9. Seminar on
Collaboration with China: Wellington, 1 March, 9am
10. Our Changing World
on Radio New Zealand National Tonight
11. New Funds to Boost
Research into Key Technologies for China
12. NZHS/KWRA
Memorandum of Understanding Signed
13. Success in Taipei
for New Zealand Student
1. FINNSIGHT
Comment by Royal
Society CEO, Dr Steve Thompson Steve.Thompson@rsnz.orgTarja Halonen is a
forthright woman. She is President of Finland, and she sees smallness as an
advantage because it makes diffusion of knowledge much easier. She and a
high-level science team were in New Zealand this week to talk about how a
country decides to get serious about science. "Necessity is the mother of
innovation," says Halonen, and Finland was in deep recession in the 1980s,
losing 13% of GDP over 3 years. The blooming of the 1990s was built on much
preparatory work, to a point where Finland now invests 3.5% of GDP in R&D
(cf NZ at 1.1%). But Finland invests systematically and for the long term, investing
heavily in education and technology development as well as research.
Finland does not have a
science ministry, but research funding comes via the Ministry of Education, and
development funding via Trade and Industry. Public funds account for just over
1% of GDP, with private funds (mostly Nokia) contributing about 2.5%. Finland
saw the need to start by investing in people and knowledge. Basic research
accounts for 14% of overall funding (including education) and perhaps about 19%
if expressed in New Zealand terms as a percentage of Vote RS&T funding.
Nevertheless, basic research funding is targeted into named fields of research.
About double that goes into TEKES (their TechNZ), with relatively little
government funding going into specifically targeted research.
Last year, TEKES and
the Academy of Finland worked together on Finnsight, a joint Foresight process,
and saw the challenges as 1) moving from a technology focus to a future applications
focus, 2) looking in particular at global risks, energy and environment, and
health, and 3) clustering to develop new ways of thinking in energy, health,
forestry and metal products.
The idea of investment
in basic research causes dyspepsia among Treasury officials around the world,
and the Finnish Academy has commissioned a survey on how the funding agencies
from about 99 countries evaluate the impact of basic research funding. Here in
New Zealand our Academy Council has commissioned its own evaluation study. New
Zealand has its own peculiar balance of basic versus applied, targeted versus
responsive, industry versus government, and CRI versus university research.
Have we reached the optimal mix? Is it the mix which will prime us to take the
great leap forward? Is there any reason why we should not become the next
Finland?
2. LECTURES BY
PROFESSORS STEVEN AND HILARY ROSE IN MARCH
International
neuroscientist, Professor Steven Rose, is Emeritus Professor of Biology, Open
University in Britain. He is one of the UK's most eminent biologists and well
known for his views and knowledge on both science and social issues. His belief
in the moral dimension of human life challenges some of the current orthodoxies
of evolutionary biology and illustrate that, for him, the scientific will always
be personal and political.Professor Rose will give four public lectures in
Auckland (8 March), Wellington (15 March), Christchurch (22 March), and Dunedin
(27 March). In Auckland and Dunedin, the lecture will be on neuroscience (see
abstracts and other details below). In Wellington and Christchurch he will
present a lecture jointly with his wife Hilary Rose, who is Emerita Professor
at the University of Bradford and visiting Research Professor at City
University London. Her current research relates to the interface between biotechnological
innovation and public policy. Those interested in family connections will be
intrigued to know that Hilary Rose is sister of the Christchurch Wizard, which
should guarantee a warm welcome to that city. She will be on a Canterbury
visiting fellowship at Canterbury University in March.
Steven Rose is in New
Zealand as a guest of the Navigator Network, an initiative of the Ministry of
Research, Science and Technology. His visit has been sponsored by the Bioethics
Council.
Details of lectures:
Can the neurosciences
explain the mind?
Professor Steven Rose
How close are we to
solving the mystery of consciousness? How effective and appropriate are
treatments for depression and Alzheimer's Disease? Is
Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in fact the symptom of a social, rather than a
brain, disorder? What can brain imaging techniques reveal about us? For most of
us, the mind is a safe and private refuge; will it remain so?
7.30 p.m. Thursday 8
March 2007
Auditorium
Auckland War Memorial
Museum
Auckland
There will be no charge
for this event but to ensure a seat, entry is by ticket only. Tickets are
available by emailing postal address details to brain@rsnz.org or by phoning
Alison Barnett on Tel (09) 306 7070 ext 883
5.30 p.m. Tuesday 27
March 2007
Hutton Theatre, Otago
Museum
Dunedin
For further information
see http://www.rsnz.org Tel (04) 470 5781 or contact Otago Museum on Tel (03)
474 7474
Biotechnology,
Globalisation and Democracy
Professors Steven and
Hilary Rose
Professors Hilary Rose
and Steven Rose together challenge some of the current orthodoxies in
evolutionary biology and show the inextricable links between the moral and the
political, the personal and the scientific.
**UNESCO New Zealand
Science Lecture**
6.00 p.m. Thursday 15
March 2007
Paramount Theatre
25 Courtenay Place
Wellington
Join us for a free
glass of wine from 5.30 p.m. There will be no charge for the lecture but to
ensure a seat, entry is by ticket only. Tickets are available from the
Paramount box office in person or by phone on Tel (04) 383 4488.
7.30 p.m. Thursday 22
March 2007
Auditorium,
Christchurch Art Gallery
cnr Worcester Boulevard
and Montreal St
Christchurch
For further information
on the programme see http://www.rsnz.org or Tel (04) 470 5781.
3. SERVICE TO REMEMBER
PROFESSOR ALAN MACDIARMID: WELLINGTON
Research, Science and
Technology Minister Steve Maharey and MacDiarmid Institute Head Professor Paul
Callaghan, announced a memorial service will be held in Wellington to celebrate
the life and achievements of Professor Alan MacDiarmid."The service will be
at St Paul's Cathedral at 3.00 p.m. on Friday 16 March, and will be attended by
family, friends and colleagues of Professor MacDiarmid and will also be open to
the public," Hon Steve Maharey said.
"Professor
MacDiarmid's influence has been vast and the purpose of the memorial service is
to remember and cherish that."
4. CREST NEWSLETTER
AVAILABLE ONLINE
The latest CREST
Newsletter is online and can be viewed at http://www.crest.org.nz/newsletter.htm
CREST (Creativity in Science and Technology) is a nationwide awards scheme administered
by the Royal Society of New Zealand, which fosters interest in and rewards
excellence in Science and Technology amongst primary and secondary students. As
such, it has a major role to play in developing New Zealand's future
entrepreneurs, innovative technologists and scientists.
5. READER COMMENT ON
HARRY KROTO LECTURE
I attended Sir Harry's
lecture in Wellington on 15 February. I would like to make some comments about
it.Firstly, I declare that I am a teacher of Physics and I that I am nowhere near
the peak of scientific thinking. Also, I am a Christian.
I did think the
presentation was not to the standard I would expect for an audience, which was
present, and I have become used to with RSNZ occasions.
But my main concerns
were with the apparent thrust of the lecture.
In raising these points
I wish to make it clear that I am not arguing the case for a Creator or
Christianity, or that I think that every one should present or agree with my
view about faith issues or that I hold the Society responsible for the personal
views of the lecturers it invites (although to describe fellow scientists as he
did, publicly, may be a matter for its concern). My concern was that a fair
presentation of the case needed to be made if, and before, it was criticised.
The thrust seemed to be
mainly that authoritarian use of "dogma", which was any other sources
of "knowing", should be totally anathema were to have no part in
politics, education, etc. To some extent, I agree.
However, there are
other sources of knowledge than Science (and in some of these Science does not
have a voice) and these should be considered with appropriate weight,
To call those who have
a "Faith", schizophrenic seemed to be very condescending and ill
informed of the observable situation around him concerning, at least, his
colleagues and fellow scientists.
It was surprising to me
that he could talk of people being afraid to talk of their beliefs, which were
similar to his, in various forums when, in NZ at least and I am sure many other
countries, it is quite the reverse and it is the people "who have a
faith" who have been trained, pushed to, had expectations placed upon not
to raise their viewpoint, to the point of fear.
To say
"faith" and science were mutually exclusive seems to be wrong, for example,
rationalistic atheism is a faith commitment too, as is Christian and or
following Abelard's god or other things. Everyone exercises faith in believing
his or her life belief system, whatever it is.
To give the type of
examples he did, to support his case of, mainly "Christian", events
that are denounced by Christian thought today and are contrary to the general
understanding of the Christian faith, is really a gross distortion of the of
the situation - and what could be truly considered Christian thought of that
day, is not very relevant to this day. This is true of "science" of
those days and much later times, also.
Nothing was said of the
positive things, which have been done by people and organisations of
"faith".
Nothing was said of the
very positive influence and opportunity Christianity offered for Modern Science
to germinate and advance.
Nothing was said of the
considerable number of Christian scientists, especially in the formative days
of Modern Science, who contributed considerably to the advance of science or
why that might have been.
Nothing was said of the
many Christians (and other faiths) who do hold a "skeptical doubt"
about both the understanding of their faith and Science and work to resolve the
tension as their, and our, knowledge advances.
Little substantive
evidence was given of his own views and resulted in him doing what he was
speaking against. As a result his lecture became a vehicle for his own beliefs
to be stated.
Thank you for your
consideration of these points.
Keith Overend
6. FUSIONZ LISTINGS -
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY JOBS
This week, Fusionz has
7 vacancies for jobs. The latest jobs are
Laboratory Technician:
Dunedin
PhD Scholarship: North
Island
Masters Scholarship:
North Island
Masters scholarship:
Auckland
Masters scholarship:
North Island
PhD Scholarship: North
Island
The AgResearch Chair in
Reproduction and Genomics: Dunedin
More at http://fusionz.rsnz.org
7. BUILDING KAREN
COMMUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION, 25 JULY, AUCKLAND
Planning is underway to
host the first KAREN forum aimed at growing a shared understanding of networking
techniques for collaboration.This forum is aimed at researchers, scientists,
academics with an interest in network-based collaboration tools to advance
their projects. Sessions will cover collaboration tools, sharing computational
data and other resources, building capability and demonstrations of case
studies.
The forum will cover a
range of disciplines including, social sciences, arts and humanities,
bioinformatics, bioengineering, computer science, GIS research and medical and
health sciences.
Presentation and case
studies will be given by both international and New Zealand based participants.
For more information contact Julie.watson@reannz.co.nz
Programme Outline:
Dinner Monday 2 July
2007 from 5.30 p.m.
Days One and Two: 3-4
July: Sessions on research and education networks from both discipline-based
and network perspectives, structuring for collaboration, identifying capability
needs, case studies and demonstrations and making connections between NZ-based
researchers and scientists and their international counterparts.
Day Three: 5 July:
Bi-lateral meetings (to be arranged at hosted venues).
8. MARINE RESERVES
VIRTUAL SCHOOL FIELD TRIP - NEXT WEEK
The wonderful marine
reserve at Goat Island is the first of this year's virtual field trip
opportunities for New Zealand registered schools.The LEARNZ teacher Mike can
take your class to the rocky shore during the three day virtual trip. There
your class will meet marine biologists and ecologists plus they'll study the
natural systems in the sea and on the shore.
Every field trip links
to specific curriculum outcomes and is supported by a range of online material.
All field trips are archived and can be enrolled in at any time. Information is
available from the LEARNZ homepage. There is still time to join this trip so
register and enrol today. http://www.learnz.org.nz
Next trip: Waikato
Coalmining - online material available today to enrolled classes.
9. SEMINAR ON
COLLABORATION WITH CHINA: WELLINGTON, 1 MARCH, 9AM
You are invited to
attend a seminar exploring two issues for New Zealand science organisations
considering research collaboration with China on: 'the scale and impact of
China as a collaborative partner'; and 'protecting intellectual property in the
China market'.
The seminar is to be
held at the Ministry of Research, Science & Technology on Thursday 1 March
2007 commencing at 9.00 a.m.
The day will be in two
sessions with guest speakers James Wilsdon, co-author of the recently released
'Atlas of Ideas' reports (January 2007) giving a presentation on the impact of
China's rise in science-based innovation; Jin Ling, Executive of Rouse & Co
International, Shanghai giving a presentation on the intellectual property
environment in China; and Philip Thoreau, a Partner at Baldwins, sharing some
interesting case studies on avoiding the pitfalls when launching in the China
market.
If you wish to attend
this event please reply by email to reception@morst.govt.nz
10. OUR CHANGING WORLD
ON RADIO NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL TONIGHT
9.06 p.m. Thursday 22
February, Veronika Meduna and Dean Williams, ourchangingworld@radionz.co.nzDacia
Herbulock meets amateur astronomer Albert Jones, who's preparing to celebrate
the 20th anniversary of his co-discovery of Supernova 1987A.
Dean Williams continues
to look at non-lethal scientific whale research in an interview with University
of Queensland marine mammal biologist Michael Node.
Dean Williams heads out
into the Hauraki Gulf to bury a whale and discuss the threats of ship strike.
Louise Wallace talks to
Richard Faull, Maurice Curtis and PhD student Monica Kam, at The University of
Auckland's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, about their work on stem
cells and how they migrate through the brain.
Our Changing World
broadcasts every Thursday evening after the 9.00 p.m. news. Shorter features
about science, health and the environment broadcast at 3.45 p.m. on Tuesdays to
Fridays.
You can find out what's
coming up next and listen to previous programmes at http://www.radionz.co.nz/ourchangingworld
11. NEW FUNDS TO BOOST
RESEARCH INTO KEY TECHNOLOGIES FOR CHINA
China has launched a
new US$2.5 billion programme to fast-track research and development into
technologies, considered key to China's economic and social development. It
will support 147 technologies including wind power stations, technologies to
make more efficient use of coal, and technology to divert water from the south
to the north of the country.
The five-year Key
Technology Research and Development Programme was launched by the Ministry of
Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance. Xu Guanhua, Minister of
Science and Technology, said the programme would focus on four areas: efficient
energy and resource utilisation; agricultural technologies; technologies for
the information technology sector and for manufacturing equipment; and
population, health and public security. The state government will invest US$925
million in the programme, with other investment coming from local government,
business and research institutes.
See http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readNews&itemid=3412&language=1
for more
12. NZHS/KWRA
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING SIGNED
The New Zealand
Hydrological Society (NZHS) and the Korean Water Resources Association (KWRA)
recently signed an agreement for scientific collaboration.The agreement
includes: joint organization of a Korea/New Zealand bilateral session in each
of their annual scientific conferences; and exchanging information, including
reports and publications.
Four KWRA delegates
visited New Zealand for the ceremony. KWRA President Jai-Woo Song and Dr Tim
Davie, President of NZHS signed the agreement. The ceremony was attended by HE
Mr Joon-gyu Lee, the Korean Ambassador and representatives of MoRST, FRST, and
the Royal Society of New Zealand. The contribution by the Royal Society to the
cost of the ceremony is gratefully acknowledged by NZHS.
The NZHS hopes that
this agreement will help to foster scientific links between New Zealand and
Korea. NZHS aims to actively develop links to
Korean researchers, in
association with MoRST's international linkages programs. NZHS members will be
regularly informed of progress and opportunities under the agreement.
13. SUCCESS IN TAIPEI
FOR NEW ZEALAND STUDENT
In December last year,
Martin Spencer from King's College, Auckland attended the Genesis Energy
Realise the Dream event and was awarded the
Institution of
Professional Engineers of New Zealand (IPENZ) Award which paid for his airfare
to attend the Taiwan Science Fair.Martin has recently returned from Taipei and
is very proud to have been awarded 1st place in the Engineering section for his
research, which he has called 'Soccer Robots'. Just like the soccer superstar,
these robots are full of personality. Their wild and wacky movements stem from
their five different sensors; a flyeye which contains seven infrared sensors to
give 180 degree field of view; two ultrasonic sensors to detect the walls; an electronic
compass; a laser and LDR pair; and a sensor which detects the position on the
field.
Martin was delighted to
have won the award and is proud to have had the opportunity to represent New
Zealand and present his work in at the 2007 Taiwan International Science Fair.
As well as meeting and befriending many other international students, he has
also praised his host family for their generosity and taking such good care of
him.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Each week, new entries
or changes to existing ones will be included in Alert but for a complete
listing of events go to http://www.rsnz.org/events/
Please forward Royal
Society Alert to any non-subscriber to whom the material may be relevant and
who may wish to receive the publication regularly. To join, go to our Lists http://www.rsnz.org/directory/elist.php