A leading young University of Otago researcher, Dr Peter Dearden, is applauding a just-released manifesto from a Royal Society panel, which urges adoption of a "radical'' new plan to strengthen New Zealand science.
The National Science Panel was appointed by the Royal Society of New Zealand to identify barriers limiting the contribution research, science and technology make in New Zealand and the work needed to remove the barriers.
Two senior Otago University staff members, zoologist Prof Carolyn Burns and psychologist Prof Harlene Hayne, both Fellows of the Society, are among the members of the society's National Science Panel, which produced the recommendations.
Dr Dearden is an award-winning biochemist who heads the O-Zone group, a ginger group of leading young Otago University researchers which liaises with the university over research-related issues and has also lobbied at the national level to increase funding for New Zealand science.
Panel chairman Dr Jim Watson said it had concluded the nation had failed to develop a system which used its scientific capability appropriately.
"It is convinced that, while New Zealand science has a record to be proud of, it is beset by chronic, severe and systemic problems,'' he said.
Dr Dearden said New Zealand would enjoy "enormous benefits'' if the suggestions made by the panel were adopted.
The O-Zone group had also been urging an increase in public and private investment in science, a point made strongly by the panel, he said.
Otago University had 1000 PhD students and the issues highlighted by the panel were highly relevant to the university, he said in an interview.
New Zealand had the fourth highest number of researchers in the OECD, but insufficient research funding resulted in unstable career prospects and concerns that researchers could head overseas.
Other positive recommendations from the panel included ensuring government policy processes were evidence-based and establishing an office of the chief scientist.
