November 3, 2006

scientists react to Tony Blair’s speech on science

In a speech at the University of Oxford, Prime Minister Tony Blair has stressed the importance of young people learning science to “change the world” and keep Britain at the forefront of innovation.

David Lloyd-Roach, the Institution of Civil Engineers’ Director of Membership, said:

“We welcome the Prime Minister’s personal promotion of science and its value to the UK economy.

“Failure to encourage young people to study science will lead to an inability in tackling climate change. Without the promotion of science, we will not educate tomorrow’s engineers to create the vital infrastructure of the future.”

Professor Colin Blakemore, the Medical Research Council Chief Executive, said:

“Tony Blair is so right to urge young people to seize the chance of a career in science. It offers a lifetime of challenge and discovery – more opportunity to follow your own interests and to develop your own talents than any other career I can imagine. And it also gives the chance to benefit other people. The endeavours of medical researchers in this country have given longer, healthier lives to people in Britain and all over the world, and have made an incalculable contribution to the UK economy. If Britain is to maintain its position as a global leader in research, which will be essential for our future success, we need young people to catch the bug of science.”

Professor John O’Reilly, Chief Executive of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, said:

“Central to sustaining and building on the scientific achievements of recent years and addressing the major challenges highlighted by the Prime Minister – climate change, crime and terrorism and the like – is to attract and support the next generation of scientists and engineers. If we follow through on this the UK is in a good position to realise a knowledge economy that will be the envy of the world.”

Dr Mike Rodd of the British Computer Society, said:

“The future success of the British Nanotechnology and Biotechnology sectors will rely on the delivery of Computer Science graduates. The UK is not delivering these with the threat of a major skills gap in the burgeoning UK IT economy within five years.

“The year-on-year reductions which are now reducing the number of students studying computing within higher education will continue until at least 2009.

“This will have an impact on the numbers of qualified graduates entering the employment market over the coming years. It will also have an impact on the UK economy which will be felt in both the largest and smallest companies, but of these only the largest companies will be able to re-direct their creative work overseas. Small companies, traditionally recruiting locally, may find that they are unable to recruit staff necessary to develop their businesses at a cost they can afford.

“Similarly, public services will be hit more heavily than private companies. Postgraduate numbers are now showing a similar decline. Nothing can now halt the decline in the number of Computing graduates through to 2009. Action is required now to reverse the decline from 2010 onwards.”

Peter Main, director of science and education at the Institute of Physics, said:

“The Institute agrees with Mr Blair that we need to encourage more children to become scientists. Physicists are needed more than ever in such areas as finding solutions to the problems of climate change and are also in high demand in other sectors, such as finance. However, this message is not reaching the children in schools for the reason that there are no data at all available to them on the relative merits of choosing different subjects. It would be a simple job for the government to find out typical career trajectories for graduates of all disciplines and then we would see the excellent prospects offered by physics degrees. At the moment, many schoolchildren are choosing subjects such as english or history because they are perceived as being flexible. The reality is that there is almost nothing one can do with an english degree that one cannot do with an equivalent qualification in physics, but there are plenty of opportunities available to the physicist that would not be open to an english graduate. It is time that children in school were made aware of that.”

Mark Walport, Director of the Wellcome Trust, said:

“UK science is worldclass. Keeping it that way demands sustained political and financial support. The Prime Minister’s speech is extremely welcome and reinforces the consistently strong support of this Government for science and technology. He ended his splendid speech by saying “This is Britain’s path to the future, lit by the brilliant light of science.” It is entirely apt that this remark comes after his visit to the Diamond Synchrotron, the largest new facility for science built in the UK for many years, funded jointly by the Government and the Wellcome Trust. The light of the Diamond Synchrotron is a billion times stronger that the sun. It will illuminate and uncover the structure of the molecules that are the building blocks of life. It is crucial that the new knowledge that will come from the use of this facility will bring health and economic benefits.”

Dr Peter Cotgreave, Director of The Campaign for Science and Engineering, said:

“The Prime Minister is entitled to take credit for investing heavily in UK science; however there is still a long way to go for science in schools. I am not sure if the measures he has mentioned in his speech have yet done enough to solve the problem that one quarter of schools have no physics teacher.”

Dr Anil Kumar, Director, Education & Policy Engineering Technology Board, said:

“The economic and social stability of the future of the UK rests upon the shoulders of our future scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians. This is dependent upon our nation’s ability to enthuse and motivate young people across the whole spectrum of society to study STEM subjects and pursue future employment. We therefore welcome the Prime Minister’s stance to ‘stand up for science’.”

Jo Tanner, Chief Executive of the Coalition for Medical Progress, which earlier this year launched its People’s Petition in support of animal research in the UK, said:

“The Prime Minister’s reiteration of his support for a strong science base is welcome. The government’s commitment to securing the future of medical research in the UK is to be commended and Tony Blair’s own support for our People’s Petition earlier this year was very encouraging.”

Professor Chris Higgins, Director of the Medical Research Council, Clinical Sciences Centre, said:

“It is wonderful to have leadership from the top recognising the importance of science and research for every person in this country.

“Science influences every aspect of our daily life, and almost all our improvements in quality of life, from computers and electronics to better food production and new medicines, have only come about because of scientific research. Science is the only rigorous way we have of beginning to understanding the physical world about us and is so important if we are going to manage our place in the world and quality of life as the earth becomes increasingly pressured by population growth.

“We all need to understand the excitement of science, discovering new things and making use that knowledge to the benefit of all. Science is not simply about facts, as we are often told at school, but about uncertainty and imagination and is the best way we have of discovering new things about the world we live in and beyond.”