Nobel Laureate Sir Paul Nurse on his hopes for the future
Amidst intensifying discussions over what the incoming Obama administration will mean for science and technology, an opinion piece in today’s Telegraph caught my eye this morning. Written by Sir Paul Nurse—Nobel Laureate and president of the Rockefeller University in New York—it provides a clear articulation of Obama’s campaign pledges, the challenges he faces in realizing them, and impact they could have on the US and beyond if he succeeds.
I usually eschew reproducing other people’s stuff here without adding my own perspective, but in this case, Nurse’s words speak for themselves…
“Putting good science advisers in place – as he [Obama] did with his campaign – could enable the new president to create sensible and sustainable policies, strengthening the world’s ability to respond to the complex challenges posed by some of the biggest issues of our time: climate change, feeding humanity, improving global health, driving the economy forward.
He could ensure advances in knowledge by supporting research in areas ranging from stem cells to particle physics, and restore the faith of the scientific community by allowing good impartial science to be seen for what it is, without political manipulation.
This is an opportunity for a fresh start. America is a nation that has stagnated scientifically during the first years of the 21st century, but this can be reversed if actions follow the strong rhetoric we have seen during the campaign.
If Obama delivers, the whole world will benefit.”
What else can I say?
[The full Telegraph op-ed can be read here.]
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Postscript
OK, so I couldn’t resist adding just one comment. As well as identifying the big targets for science and technology, the incoming administration will also need to get to grips with how it “does science” if limited resources are to be leveraged most effectively. These will include establishing overarching science policy goals—something along the lines of my “Five slightly harder pieces.”
These more foundational goals will never replace the big issues outlined in Nurse’s op-ed. But they just might make the process of addressing them a little bit easier.