Science Canada

Universities say government’s proposal for new fellowships will help them to recruit top scholars
Mar 17, 2010
Rosanna Tamburri
University Affairs
http://www.universityaffairs.ca/new-postdoc-awards.aspx

Scientists urged to form networks

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 1:27 PM

Mar 24, 2010
JOHN MINER
The London Free Press
http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2010/03/23/13336106.html

White House taps UBC prof as science advisor

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 1:26 PM

Nobel laureate masterminded push to reform how undergraduates 'flex their brains' to study science
Mar 24, 2010
Petti Fong
Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/784359--white-house-taps-ubc-prof-as-science-advisor

UBC’s Carl Wiemen nominated for White House science post

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 1:26 PM

Appointment as associate director a “positive validation” of the teaching methods employed at UBC, says school’s dean of science
Mar 23, 2010
John Ibbitson
Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ubcs-carl-wiemen-nominated-for-white-house-science-post/article1509922/

Canada Needs An "Own The Podium" Attitude To Innovation

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 1:25 PM

Poor record of transforming knowledge into marketable new products that the world will want to buy puts Canada at a global disadvantage and the risk of falling even further behind its peers
Mar 22, 2010
James McKinnon
Persona Corporation
http://www.officialwire.com/main.php?action=posted_news&rid=117023

Innovation out of our hands in a branch-plant economy

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 1:25 PM

Offshore decision making guides our private-sector economy
Mar 23, 2010
David Olive
Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/business/article/783671--olive-innovation-out-of-our-hands-in-a-branch-plant-economy

$27M space program light on domestic benefits: critic

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 1:24 PM

‘You don’t get this type of situation in other countries’
Mar 22, 2010
David Pugliese
The Ottawa Citizen
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/space+program+light+domestic+benefits+critic/2709651/story.html

Silence golden for government

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 1:24 PM

Mar 19, 2010
The Cape Breton Post
http://www.capebretonpost.com/Opinion/Editorial/2010-03-19/article-919244/Silence-golden-for-government/1

Scientists do interact with news media

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 1:23 PM

Re: Scientists must be free to speak out, March 19
Mar 23, 2010
Jim Prentice
The Ottawa Citizen
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Scientists+interact+with+news+media/2714590/story.html

Scientists muzzled, water crusader says

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 1:23 PM

Mar 24, 2010
KENNEDY GORDON
THE EXAMINER
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2505106

Harper's Humiliating Muzzle on Scientists

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 1:22 PM

Canada is becoming a global joke as our world-class experts are prohibited from speaking
Mar 25, 2010
Mitchell Anderson
TheTyee.ca
http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2010/03/25/HarpersMuzzle/

Budget 2010 - a welcome vision for Canada

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 1:22 PM

Mar 20, 2010
J. Colin Dodds
New Brunswick Business Journal
http://nbbusinessjournal.canadaeast.com/journal/article/990636

We just aren't making products people want

Posted by Jeff Sharom at 1:21 PM

Mar 23, 2010
H. Douglas Barber and Jeffrey Crelinsten
Ottawa Citizen
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/just+aren+making+products+people+want/2714599/story.html

Search

WELCOME TO SCIENCE CANADA

The goal of the Science Canada website is to highlight science policy issues in Canada's political arena and media.

Science policy is the discipline that lies at the interface of the scientific enterprise and public administration. It encompasses two related and complementary spheres: (i) “policy for science” – strategies for managing and enhancing the conduct of scientific research; and (ii) “science for policy” – mechanisms by which scientific knowledge informs government decision-making. Science Canada aims to keep you up-to-date on recent developments on both fronts.

PS - In the interests of promoting healthy debate and reflecting the full marketplace of ideas, links to many types of opinion pieces are posted here... including ones with which I may strongly disagree. (Don't interpret a link to an editorial as an endorsement of its point of view.)

Happy reading!

Jeff Sharom

Connect with Jeff Sharom on LinkedIn or Nature Network.

Why Science Canada?

Canadian scientific community suffers from lack of active engagement in decision making processes, dynamic network of science advocacy and lobbying. That is due to various factors but mainly lack of strong professional associations, and as result frail networks, and absence of science policy discourse in the mainstream of Canadian society. However the involvement of scientists at decision making levels differs in different provinces depending on the degree of cosy relationship and personal friendship between the scientists and policy makers rather than strong professional and systematic engagement.

In United States, there are numerous research centers, and many scientists that are being trained in science policy, numerous networks and organization which provide a strong base for science policy discourse and strong lobby for science in mainstream of the society. One of the latest examples of this effective science lobby in the United States is the efforts to hold a debate dedicated to science and technology between the candidates in 2008 presidential race. There has already been one public debate of scientific advisers of both democratic presidential candidates, and the efforts to convince the final two candidates to dedicate one debate to science and technology has been continued. Regardless of appropriateness of such debate, the fact that serious efforts are present and has taken momentum somehow that according to polls 85% of voters agree with having one debate on science issues , indicates that science policy discourse in the United States is in the mainstream of American society.

It is time for Canadian scientific community to start bringing science into mainstream of Canadian society and get engage in policy making processes. The necessity of dynamic scientific community being involved at policy making levels, in collaboration with social scientists, technology experts, engineers, government officials, policy makers and private sector, has not ever been more urgent. It is up to Canadian scientists to recognize the need and starts preparing essentials for this goal.

Mehrdad Hariri

Science Canada

Government of Canada Invests in Research Excellence at Canada's Universities

Canada Foundation for Innovation Practices Called "World's Best"

Government Invests and Strenghtens Canada's Research Capacity

Why Canada is bush-league at innovation

Post-budget roundup

CAPS Getting Progress in Parliament

University finances: Canada versus the U.S.

New postdoc awards welcomed in 2010 federal budget

Scientists urged to form networks

White House taps UBC prof as science advisor

UBC’s Carl Wiemen nominated for White House science post

Canada Needs An "Own The Podium" Attitude To Innovation

Innovation out of our hands in a branch-plant economy

$27M space program light on domestic benefits: critic

Silence golden for government

Scientists do interact with news media

Scientists muzzled, water crusader says

Harper's Humiliating Muzzle on Scientists

Budget 2010 - a welcome vision for Canada

We just aren't making products people want

Contribute to Science Canada: e-mail us!

tvo.org

The Scientific Workforce Policy Debate

Blogging Science

We need a forum on science policy

The Canadian Science Policy Centre

Upcoming Science Policy Conferences and Seminars

ConnexScience.ca

More Canadian Science Blogs

Science Policy in Canada

Science policy around the world

Science News

Tags

Search

WELCOME TO SCIENCE CANADA

Why Science Canada?

Blog Archive