Professor Peter Gluckman, Professor Nigel Long and Professor Richard Archer at Massey's Food Pilot Plant.
Science community urged to collaborate more
The scientific community must work together to improve its performance, says Professor Peter Gluckman, the chief science adviser to the Prime Minister.
Professor Gluckman gave his inaugural speech to staff and students at Massey University's Manawatu campus today. He said it was appropriate that his first speech in the new role be at a University "essentially founded to give scientific impetus to our cornerstone agricultural industry".
In his role he plans to challenge the science and policy communities to address some of the core issues that have limited the potential for science to transform New Zealand. “Science can do so much more for New Zealand's transformational future,” Professor Gluckman said. “But the science community is pleading to the state to 'just five us more money', has slipped into a set of platitudes. This elicits an equally platitudinous set of responses. I see my role as raising the quality of the dialogue to a much higher level.”
He said he would be calling on the scientific community to work together in taking ownership of the issue and demonstrating the true value of what science could offer the nation.
Prior to the lecture Professor Gluckman toured the campus, stopping at the Microscopy Imaging Centre, the Food Pilot Plant and the Veterinary Clinic. He was then briefed by some of the University's leading researchers from the College of Sciences and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Professer Gluckman's lecture can be viewed in full at:
http://tur-media-db1.massey.ac.nz/mediasite/Viewer/?peid=45706edc9c714575b3ebbc80d714a2cf
Professor Gluckman gave his inaugural speech to staff and students at Massey University's Manawatu campus today. He said it was appropriate that his first speech in the new role be at a University "essentially founded to give scientific impetus to our cornerstone agricultural industry".
In his role he plans to challenge the science and policy communities to address some of the core issues that have limited the potential for science to transform New Zealand. “Science can do so much more for New Zealand's transformational future,” Professor Gluckman said. “But the science community is pleading to the state to 'just five us more money', has slipped into a set of platitudes. This elicits an equally platitudinous set of responses. I see my role as raising the quality of the dialogue to a much higher level.”
He said he would be calling on the scientific community to work together in taking ownership of the issue and demonstrating the true value of what science could offer the nation.
Prior to the lecture Professor Gluckman toured the campus, stopping at the Microscopy Imaging Centre, the Food Pilot Plant and the Veterinary Clinic. He was then briefed by some of the University's leading researchers from the College of Sciences and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Professer Gluckman's lecture can be viewed in full at:
http://tur-media-db1.massey.ac.nz/mediasite/Viewer/?peid=45706edc9c714575b3ebbc80d714a2cf
Created: 17/07/2009 | Last updated: 22/07/2009
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