The Office of the Chief Scientist today releases the Health of Australian Science report and it’s an intriguing read.
The report was compiled to help the office and the public understand the current state…
Nations half the size of Australia spend more on scientific research, have higher employment levels for scientists, and greater appeal to foreign investors, according to a report on Australia’s global…
Congratulations class of 2011, you've been given the opportunity to have real-life professors – future classes might not.
Flickr/Pauls Creative Cakes
The University of Melbourne was founded in 1885 with five professors teaching 15 students. In 1952, at the start of the post-war tertiary boom, there were around 3,000 Australian academics teaching 30…
A rally of white-coated scientists and lab technicians rally against cuts to research funding in Perth, April 14, 2011.
AAP Image/Lloyd Jones
Australia’s usually mild-mannered medical researchers marched in the streets a year ago to protest mooted government budget cuts. In the face of widespread outcry, the government chose to maintain the…
If Australia wants to be a leading force in the knowledge economy, strategic investment in university research and infrastructure will be essential.
Novartis AG
At a time when unprecedented levels of investment are being made in university infrastructure in nations such as China and India, it is worth reflecting on how Australia has built its notable areas of…
Universities are centres of research… but what kind of research?
flickr/pcgn
Fundamentally, there are two big motives for research.
On the on hand there is intellectual ambition: the desire to know and understand the word, to appreciate the best that has been said and thought…
They way we research Asia has been misguided.
Flickr/-AroFarMeR-
Australia desperately needs to invest more on research into Asia if we’re to better understand a part of the world so vital for our future economic prosperity. But not only do we need more research, we…
Australian universities must raise their game to compete in the global education market.
Flickr/Reality-check
The world is in a state of transition.
The Indian and Chinese economies continue to grow at around 9 and 10 per cent respectively each year, while the North Atlantic economies – the 20th century epicentre…
Working to improve the performance of the resources sector is a challenging, yet important research focus.
AFP/Christian Sprogoe/Rio Tinto
There is common assumption that those of us who undertake applied research with the commercial world must be biased.
This month the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI), which…
In 2009, 180 years worth of time was used up preparing grant applications instead of doing research.
US Army
Chance is something researchers feel could be important when their applications for scientific research funding are assessed and discussed in peer review.
Now this hunch has been supported by an analysis…
Shutting down research during National Science Week is a little jarring.
same indifference/Flickr
You really have to wonder what kind of message the New South Wales Government is trying to send about its attitude to science.
Was the announcement of funding cuts to research during Science Week just…
When is comes to research, it seems quantity has become much more important than quality.
Flickr/Iscan
Imagine the following conversation between a finance academic and his or her supervisor during an annual performance review:
Academic: So, do you think I am ready for a promotion?
Supervisor: Well, I…
Anyone expecting undying gratitude from scientists should think again.
MacGeekGrl/Flickr
The post-budget political rhetoric to me reinforces the underlying, ongoing, disdain that this, and indeed many previous, governments have for science-related matters in Australia.
Minister Carr is reported…
Why is writing grant proposals the bane of scientists' lives?
Fotolia
Getting research money, especially the no-strings-attached kind that government agencies give out, is difficult. Researchers spend months on each proposal with only a small chance of getting funded.
Winning…
