Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

SFI to fund five new research centres

Options
  • 21-10-2014 3:17pm
    #1
    lockman
    Registered Users Posts: 550 ✭✭✭


    It is being reported that SFI, along with industry partners, are to fund five new research centres. All of the Irish universities, and many of the Institutes of Technology, will be involved.

    From The Irish Times:

    €250m investment to see five new SFI research centres created

    Mon, Oct 20, 2014

    Almost €250 million is to be invested in five new world-class Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) research centres, in a move aimed at enhancing research in critical and emerging areas of the economy including applied geosciences, software and medical devices.

    For more, see:
    http://www.irishtimes.com/business/250m-investment-to-see-five-new-sfi-research-centres-created-1.1969945


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    djpbarry
    Registered Users Posts: 13,104 ✭✭✭✭djpbarry


    While investment in research is to be welcomed, I worry about SFI's emphasis on "translational" research at the expense of basic research. Anything without an immediate economic benefit appears not to be worth funding at present.


  • Options
    #3
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,223 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    Thanks for bringing this to our attention lockman.


  • Options
    #4
    challengemaster
    Registered Users Posts: 16,931 ✭✭✭✭challengemaster


    djpbarry wrote: »
    While investment in research is to be welcomed, I worry about SFI's emphasis on "translational" research at the expense of basic research. Anything without an immediate economic benefit appears not to be worth funding at present.

    There's a big push at present on Universities to become self sustainable in terms of research, rather than continue receiving large grants from the government. That's why there's an increasing number of spin-out companies and a focus on translational research (which will potentially gain IP >>> Money).

    I don't think translational research is being carried out at the expense of basic research. I think they're two different approaches to the same issues. More often than not, the funding gained from industrial partnerships to fund translational research allows better technology and better research. In terms of cell therapy and immunology, taking a translational research approach has probably lead to more "basic research" discoveries than would have happened through basic research alone.


  • Options
    #5
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,223 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    challengemaster wrote: »
    There's a big push at present on Universities to become self sustainable in terms of research, rather than continue receiving large grants from the government. That's why there's an increasing number of spin-out companies and a focus on translational research (which will potentially gain IP >>> Money).
    Across the pond many of the flagship universities have research parks in close proximity to main campuses where faculty and students are employed, some being research arms of major corporations, while others are start-ups that spin-out. Some pure research that occurs in campus labs that later informs practical applications are scaled-up in research parks using various funding sources, both private and public.


Advertisement