Federal support of basic research: Some economic issues

Summary There is no necessary connection between leadership in basic science and leadership in the applications of science, because scientific progress is a cooperative endeavour and not a competitive game; indeed, there may be a conflict between basic research and applied science. The notion of a position of leadership; in science raises questions of what leadership consists in and what its value is to the nation. The two main arguments for government support of science are cultural-social, and economic. The cultural-social argument stresses scientific activity as a form of social consumption of wealth and raises the question of whether other uses of the resources employed would contribute more to the greatness of the society. The economic argument stresses basic scientific research as a form of investment for the future, and raises the questions of what the rate of return on such investment is and whether and to what extent government support is called for. Relevant economic research results bearing on this problem are scarce. Economic theory suggests that competition in the market will supply less than the optimal amount of basic research; but our society substantially supplements the market through private contributions to and government support of science, and the question is whether this supplementation is deficient or excessive. Here difficult problems arise, on which more economic research is needed; one of these concerns the relative merits of government and private support of science. The rule-of-thumb procedures generally recommended for determining the volume and allocation of government support to basic scientific research generally ignore these problems, and amount to endorsing the present level of government support or recommending that it be increased. Allocation of federal support of science should take account of the possibility of stimulating the economic development of poor regions of the country by locating scientific research facilities in them.     

UV-laser radiation: basic research of the potential for cleaning stained glass

A KrF-excimer laser operating at λ = 248 nm was used for basic studies in cleaning ancient glass surfaces. For irradiation a mask projection technique was applied. A modified optical set-up was designed using cylindrical lenses for large area removal by line scanning. Previous investigations revealed insufficient knowledge about interaction processes between UV-laser radiation and individual surface layers of encrusted historical glass. Thus, first detailed studies were carried out on special model glass samples simulating the behaviour of historical glass. The potential of removing crusts, bio layers as well as layers of different conservation materials (due to former conservation work) were examined. The avoidance of damaging material such as gel layers, paint layers or the bulk glass was of great importance. Removal rates and thresholds for the materials mentioned above were carried out. The collected data enables a comparison and evaluation of the feasibility for the removal of superficial layers from historical glass artefacts. The results indicate that in some cases a closed loop process control will be necessary to avoid over-cleaning.     

Autonomy and Authority in Public Research Organisations: Structure and Funding Factors

This paper establishes a structural typology of the organisational configurations of public research organisations which vary in their relative internal sharing of authority between researchers and managers; we distinguish between autonomous, heteronomous and managed research organisations. We assume that there are at least two sources of legitimate authority within research organisations, one derived from formal hierarchy (organisational leadership) and another derived from the research community (professional); the balance of authority between researchers and managers is essentially structural but is empirically mediated by the funding portfolio of organisations and the corresponding endowment of resources at the disposal of leaders or researchers. Changes in the level, sources and strings of organisational and individual research funding are expected to affect the balance of internal authority in different ways depending on the organisational configuration, and to open the door to the influence of external actors in the development of research agendas.     

A guaranteed basic income and the aesthetics of existence

The recent implementation of various guaranteed basic income (GBI) trials presents an opportunity to consider how such policies should be evaluated. If past experience is any guide, they will be judged primarily on the basis of quantitative factors such as cost and labour market impact. While these considerations remain relevant, some of the most transformative aspects of a GBI will happen at the ‘aesthetic’ level of affect, sensibilities, and attitudes. Using an ethico-aesthetic approach drawing on the work of Foucault, Guattari, Deleuze, and Lazzarato, I examine the dynamic, interactive impact a GBI could have on conceptions of work, welfare and gender. I argue that a GBI can be a key component of a new aesthetic of existence based on a critical ethics of self care.     

Harvard University basic science,secrecy and national security

Conclusion The free flow of ideas among scholars and their colleagues is essential to the fabric of academic life. The foregoing discussion shows the extent to which federal authority is now being asserted to restrict and disrupt that flow.