New President of French Academy of Science Has His Say. (January 23, 2008)

This week Science reports on the views of the newly appointed president of the French Academy of Science, Professor at the École Polytechnique in Palaiseau, Jean Salençon, whose expertise is in soil mechanics and earthquake-resistance construction.

Professor Jean Salençon Credit: Acadėmie des Sciences

Q: What are your priorities as president?

The academy has a key role in fostering interest in science, which is declining in France. People don't listen to scientists anymore. The debate about genetically modified organisms, for instance, is often based more on passion than on scientific arguments. Some of the debates you see on TV are amazing.

Q: How do you plan to change that?

We want to help improve science teaching at all levels, and we want to have a clearer presence in the media.

Q: A controversial new law makes universities autonomous. What's your position?

I think it was unavoidable. But now we need better tools to evaluate how universities are doing, and that's where I want the academy to help. The French complain a lot about the "Shanghai ranking" [a global assessment of universities], which only looks at scientific output, not at teaching and professional training. We may not come up with an alternative ranking, but we'll define the criteria that an evaluation should be based on.