Let's Play Questions. (January 13, 2006)

    If the first two issues of the year are an indication, Science has introduced a new feature of what might be termed "ask three questions of the new guy in the job".

Last week the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research's new director David Page was in the gun. TFW reprinted one of Science's questions.

This week it's Robert Berdahl former chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Texas, Austin. Berdahl has just been appointed to replace the retiring Nils Hasselmo as president of the Association of American Universities the organisation representing 62 of the top research universities in the US and Canada.

Below -- two of the questions and answers:

Science: A slew of recent reports touting the importance of academic research has raised hopes that the U.S. government will put more money into science. Is this a case of excess exuberance?

Berdahl : People are always going to hope for more than is possible. But we academics aren't the only ones making the case. It's industry leaders and the pundits, too. So I think the time is right.

 

Science: If there really is a looming shortage of scientists, won't the free market solve the problem? What can universities do?

Berdahl : Students make their own opportunities. A lot of new industries have been created by new graduates. But they can't do it if they aren't prepared and don't see science as an attractive career. And they can get that training at a university.

A sometimes reader of TFW has suggested more than once, "as the US goes so goes Australia... in say 5 years or so."