SFI Funding & "Impact Statements"

lockman

There was an interesting piece in today Irish Times, following an interview with the new SFI chief, Prof Mark Ferguson. Prof Ferguson plans to introduce 'impact statements' in proposals (in addition to the usual cirteria) and reviews of funding.

From the Irish Times:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2012/0323/1224313766363.html

Scientific research to face more stringent scrutiny

SUZANNE LYNCH

ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS are to face scrutiny from international venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and company directors, as part of a major overhaul of how scientific research is funded by the State.

The changes are outlined by Prof Mark Ferguson, the newly appointed director general of Science Foundation Ireland, in an interview today with The Irish Times.

Under the proposals, academic researchers will be required to provide an impact statement in their applications for funding, alongside the traditional research proposal.

Prof Ferguson, appointed director general in January, said the new proposals were part of the agency’s focus on ensuring scientific research has “impact and relevance”. Science Foundation Ireland is one of the main funders of scientific research in the State, distributing about €150 million to 3,000 researchers annually.

While applicants for funding will still be required to submit a rigorous academic research proposal which is internationally peer-reviewed, they will be required to write an impact statement.

“This will also be internationally peer-reviewed, but by a panel of venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and R&D directors from major companies,” Prof Ferguson said.

“We already have excellence in academic and scientific research; we are now trying to get increased economic and societal impact from that research excellence.”

Science Foundation Ireland is the main agency responsible for funding third-level research in the fields of biotechnology, information and communications technology and sustainable energy and energy-efficient technology. It employs 40 people.

Tree

Not surprised, SFI are pushing so much for commericialisable research these days that any basic research will be extinct in .ie in a few year. If it doesnt make money (ie impact) it doesnt get funded. Our darling minister bruton has already said as much.

Dan_Solo

If you're read the research policy paper that came out a while back it's pretty clear that this government is only interested in one thing: Dragon's Den style start ups.
However, as they are determined to stamp out any last traces of basic science in the country, this policy will make them money for no more than a few years until all the skills and ideas disappear to foreign shores.
The SFI should quit pretending to fund science research and hand their whole budget over to Enterprise Ireland. God knows they pay themselves enough.

Woodward

How can we attract R&D to the country from multinationals when we are restricting our academics to profit orientated research. The main draw for me to become an independent academic rather than work for a pharma company is the intellectual freedom to pursue my own research interests

cgc5483

An interesting perspective on SFI here:

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/102011

djpbarry

cgc5483 wrote: »

An interesting perspective on SFI here:

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/102011

I'm not really seeing the "cronyism" that is referred to?