As Utah Goes So Goes the World?    26/02/10

    Is this a portend of an engulfing trend? [More]

UK Government's Principles for Independent Scientific Advice Further Scrutinised.    25/02/10

    Science minister Paul Drayson said that two of the most controversial issues in the government's proposed principles will be changed. [More]

Australian Science Media Centre Produces Q&A on Climate Change.    25/02/10

    After conversations and emails from a number of individuals, the Australian Science Media Centre decided to put the most pressing questions about climate change to a panel of climate scientists. [More]

Clive Spash Interviewed by ABC's Mark Colvin.    25/02/10

    The Minister responsible for CSIRO, Senator Kim Carr, on February 11 referred Senate Estimates to an external review which he said labelled a paper by Dr Spash as "weak polemical journalism". [More] 

Elizabeth Blackburn Offers Some Sage Advice to Budding Graduate Science Students.    24/02/10

"My feeling is not to get too cross-disciplinary and shallow and spread all over the place too quick," [More]

Undergraduate Research, an Important Source Of Breakthrough Research and Future STEM PhDs.    24/02/10

    Is the model of Excellence for Research in Australia being promoted by Senator Kim Carr as Minister for Research in the best interests of Australia's future? [More]

National Science Board: What Federal Research Officials Must do to Keep US World's Leading Scientific Power.    24/02/10

"...Our nation's future prosperity and security depend on strong and unwavering Federal commitment to this goal." [More]

13 Months of Science and Obama -- an Eric Lander Condensed Summary. 23/02/10

    Helen Pearson, Nature's Chief Features Editor posts a blog from AAAS-2010. [More]

Wellcome Trust Announces Strategic Plan 2010 - 2020.    23/02/10

    Reflecting the long-term view they intend to take in supporting biomedical research. [More]

Australian PhD and Masters Through Research Among Lowest in Developed World.    22/02/10

    Australian National University vice-chancellor Ian Chubb calls it "a national calamity". [More]

Minister for Science and Research Seeks Comments on $52 Million to Support Universities Research Collaboration.    22/02/10

    To "help less research-intensive, smaller and regional universities develop their research capabilities..." [More]

Recent Alterations to the Mechanism of ERA Cast Further Doubt on Its Efficacy.    19/02/10

    The irrationality of the ERA is becoming increasingly obvious except as a micro-managerial administrative tool. [More]

Copenhagen -- Two Views.    19/02/10

    In Adelaide yesterday Senator Penny Wong,  federal Minister for Climate Change and Water, welcomed delegates to the first national forum on coasts and climate change. [More]

The Elephant "Glide"?    19/02/10 [More]

President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) Bimonthly Meetings.    18/02/10

    A possible proxy for the importance heads of government place on science may be the frequency of meetings of their scientific advisory councils. [More] 

One Year On, US Universities Highlight Benefits of Additional Research Funding Provided by the Stimulus Package.    18/02/10

     Of the US$787 billion contained in the ARRA, U$21.5 billion is allocated for research and science infrastructure. [More]

Announcement of Q&A with Australia’s Chief Scientist and 2009 Nobel Laureate Australian Elizabeth Blackburn.    17/02/10 [More]

Joe Klein on Sarah Palin Think.    17/02/10 [More]

Weather is Not Climate.    15/02/10

    Does the US East Coast's "snowpocalypse" disprove global warming, or is it a harbinger of a warmer world? [More]

Senate Estimates Interview of CSIRO Chief Executive Has Clive Spash Break His Silence.    12/02/10

     And Senator Carr, referred the Senate committee to an external review which labelled the paper "weak polemical journalism". [More]

Universities Foresee Requirement of Additional $10 bn-$15bn by 2025 To Achieve Meeting Participation Targets.    10/02/10

    But deputy secretary of the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research made it clear -- the federal budget would be tight. [More] 

Ireland's Máire Geoghegan-Quinn is the Newly Designated European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science.    10/02/10

    Ms Geoghegan-Quinn has already stated that she wants to create a less bureaucratic framework... [More] 

Further (well a bit) to the Governance of the Australian Synchrotron.    10/02/10note added 12/02/10

    At the AS, Lamb's surprising removal is seen as part of a bigger problem of governance. [More]

President of CHASS, Praises Inspiring Australia: A National Strategy for Engagement with the Sciences.    09/02/10

     "The report recognises the contribution of the humanities, arts and social science disciplines in problem-solving..." [More] 

US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Launches "NOAA Climate Services" Website.    09/02/10

    It's slick, informative and currently runs on fumes (US$1.5 million). [More]

Science Minister Speaks at RMIT, Releases Inspiring Australia: A National Strategy for Engagement with the Sciences.    08/02/10

    This past Friday the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research spoke at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology to representatives of the Australian Technology Network of Universities. [More]

Some Trends from Science and Engineering Indicators 2010.    08/02/10 [More]

The Call for Entries for 2010 Eureka Prizes.    05/02/10

    Entries opened today 5 February 2010 to enter the competition for the Australian Museum's 2010 Eureka Prizes. You can enter yourself, or nominate someone. [More]

Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) a Top Priority of Steven Chu.    05/02/10

    Dr Chu  is convinced that an agency whose director has been on board for only a few months and whose staff could fit around a dining room table will accomplish great things. [More] 

Executive Director, Go8 Expresses Views on Performance Funding Indicators and Related Reforms in Australian Higher Education.05/02/10

    What started out as rather desirable policy objectives... [are becoming] a narrow and highly prescriptive straightjacket. [More]

The Expensive Exercise in Futility of Carr's Folly Continues.    04/02/10

     "The establishment of Excellence in Research Australia, which will tell us exactly how well we are doing compared to the world's best." [More] 

Universities Australia Puts in Its 2010/11 Budget Submission.    04/02/10

    "An investment of 0.6% of GDP to fully implement the Bradley Review’s recommendations will generate a long run gain of 6% of GDP." [More] 

Yale University's President Says Chinese Institutions Will Rank in World's Top 10 Universities in 25 Years.    04/02/10

     The Chinese government now spends at least 1.5% of its gross domestic product on higher education. [More]

Federal Ministers for Education and for Research Publish Their Assessment of "Higher Education Revolution on Track"    03/02/10 [More]

R&D Do Well in US President Obama's 2011 Budget Request.    03/02/10

    John Marburger, former president George W. Bush's science advisor said: "It's very gratifying to see science treated this way in a time of very severe budgetary constraint." [More]