Google+ Science Board
With numerous reports in 2012 of science funding threats across the globe, can the multi million dollar crowd funding movement help? There are many theories and opinions, so am doing the experiment too – a test for whether this can be a real option for our community. Would appreciate any advice, re-sharing or support to make it a success! – The Biomedical Atom Microscope – http://indiegogo.com/atom-microscope
Thanks for posting on the Google+ Science Board, Peter Liddicoat! What are your thoughts on crowd funding? Will it work? Could be an interesting HOA.
Originally shared by Peter Liddicoat
Its finally official! Australian research body the ARC in funding freeze. Joins the USA and UK in reports this year of funding crises. Is context for an ‘experiment’ to see whether the multi-million $ crowd funding scene can – http://indiegogo.com/atom-microscope
http://www.smh.com.au/national/funding-freeze-halts-research-20121017-27ri3.html//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js
Science on Google+ 
Ridiculous. Tagging Tommy Leung who I’m sure would have lots to say, and would be interested in a HOA to discuss this.
LikeLike
I started writing something, but then realised that it would go on for waaaaayy long. I’d take up Buddhini Samarasinghe’s suggestion, this needs a HOA.
But the shorter answer is: Crowd funding can help – a tiny, tiny bit. It will merely act as a band-aid to a much larger problem, which itself is a symptom of greater socio-economic problems associating with the rest of society. The reason why universities and research are under-funded these days and the wider societal issues (of which under-funded universities and science is one) can be summed up by this quote from Chris Hedges:
“We’ve bought into the idea that education is about training and “success”, defined monetarily, rather than learning to think critically and to challenge. We should not forget that the true purpose of education is to make minds, not careers. A culture that does not grasp the vital interplay between morality and power, which mistakes management techniques for wisdom, which fails to understand that the measure of a civilization is its compassion, not its speed or ability to consume, condemns itself to death.”
LikeLike
Count me in. I agree with Tommy Leung and this topic came up with a post on a “miracle cancer drug in a Swedish freezer”.
LikeLike
Should we agree on a date/time and create an event? Peter Liddicoat – do you want to join the HOA?
LikeLike
Also in the EU there are talks about it. A researcher in the EU? Please sign this petition to be attached to the letter of about 40 Nobel laureates to be presented to the research council of the EU:
http://www.no-cuts-on-research.eu/
LikeLike