Friday, February 15, 2008
JSH: Enough venting, but funding is an issue
Ok, so enough venting out my frustrations with the math community. They're liars, so what? But funding for academia is increasingly a concern as I think, yup, that we're spending too much given the returns.
Yeah, I know, supposedly all this activity out there is going to lead to something big down the line and there are people doing fantastic research that is pushing our technology ever forward but I really feel that most of you are duds working the system.
And I think that about academics in general.
So the trendline that I'm pushing, for real, not just venting, is reducing funding and looking for survival of the fittest.
I don't buy the line that academics doing real research can't justify why the public should dole out money to pay their bills.
IF you can't explain why your research is worth the public dime, I think the public has a right to take it away.
It is our money.
The exceptions in my mind remain, materials science, medicine, biology, including anything to do with genetics, and, um, I think there was something else but I can't remember right now.
As for the rest, I want survival of the fittest and I want a lot more pressure on universities with big endowments—far, far, far more than you're starting to see now.
I want justifications across the board for monetary expenditures as I look to the world to weed out parasites: people who just are playing the game and not doing anything of value.
That effort is just beginning.
Yeah, I know, supposedly all this activity out there is going to lead to something big down the line and there are people doing fantastic research that is pushing our technology ever forward but I really feel that most of you are duds working the system.
And I think that about academics in general.
So the trendline that I'm pushing, for real, not just venting, is reducing funding and looking for survival of the fittest.
I don't buy the line that academics doing real research can't justify why the public should dole out money to pay their bills.
IF you can't explain why your research is worth the public dime, I think the public has a right to take it away.
It is our money.
The exceptions in my mind remain, materials science, medicine, biology, including anything to do with genetics, and, um, I think there was something else but I can't remember right now.
As for the rest, I want survival of the fittest and I want a lot more pressure on universities with big endowments—far, far, far more than you're starting to see now.
I want justifications across the board for monetary expenditures as I look to the world to weed out parasites: people who just are playing the game and not doing anything of value.
That effort is just beginning.
# posted by James Harris @ 14:24 
