US Air Force Funding Trinity Research

Time Magazine

From the Trinity News:

"A Dáil showdown looms between government and opposition parties over the issue of US military backed research in Irish universities after Trinity News revealed that Trinity College received funding from the USA Air Force for a research project in between 2002 and 2004.

The Dept. of Education and Trinity College have both defended the policy of accepting research funding from the American armed forces, while some opposition parties in the Dáil and the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) have said they will oppose any future projects in Irish universities sponsored by the US military.

The debate was sparked by a Trinity News investigation into research carried out by Trinity Department of Computer Science in the area of self organising wireless networks. The two year project received financial backing from the US Air Force Research Laboratory believed to be in the region of €100,000. This is the first known example of the US military funding research in an Irish university.

Self organising wireless networks make use of radio wave technology to improve communication where there is communication infrastructure already in place. The technology could potentially be used the US forces in remote areas of Iraq or Afghanistan.

Mr Donal O'Mahony, an Associate Professer in the Department of Computer Science who oversaw the controversial project, acknowledged that the reasearch did have potential military applications.

But he emphasised that wireless networks are "very much a mainstream research area and have many valuable non-military purposes," adding that, "The results of the research are by no means secret and are available to the entire research community". Prof O'Mahony also pointed out that the US miliatry is one of the largest supporters of research in American universtities.

The Dept of Education and Science and Trinity College both defended the right of university researcheers to accept financtial support from the American military.

A spokesperson for Minster for Education Mary Hanafin told Trinity News that "The Minister respects the autonomy of universitites in conducting independently funded research." She stated that the ethics of research "were something that individual universities were expected to consider and take account of."

Trinity College issued a statement defending its decision to accept funding from the US Air Force: "There is very little resarch carried out anywhere in the world that does not have potential miltary applications ... The research funded in Trinity would have applications as much in NGOs organising famine relief as in military communications."

....

In stark contrast to the government's defence of its research funding policy, the revelation that the Pentagon financed research in Trinity was greeted with anger and surprise by the Green Party, Sinn Féin, the Labour Party and the USI. All of the groups expressed concern that the project had been allowed to escape the public's attention for so long, and promised to oppose any future attempts by Irish universities to secure funding form the US armed forces.

After being informed of the US Air Force grant by Trinity News, Green Party TD Paul Gogarty said that he planned to raise the issue in the Dáil. He said the Greens would, in principle, oppose any future US military funding for Irish universities. But he added that "valid civilian apllications of the resarch should be taken into account."

Sinn Féin's Aengus O'Snodaigh said that his party would resist "any foreign military funding to Irish universities" because it "breached the concept of positive neutrality".

Michael D. Higgins expressed the Labour Party's view that, "Irish universities should not be involved in research for military applications." He continued, "Full public disclosure is needed on the source of research funding and the end use of any technology generated."

USI President Tony McDonnell said that in line with its mandate to oppose the Iraq war, USI would campaign against Irish universities accepting any US military funding in future. He stressed that, "If the Irish government was providing adequate funding for third level, there'd be no need to prostitute ourselves out to the US military."

Mr McDonell described it as "outrageous" that students were not aware that Trinity College was receiving money from such a contentious source.


I, like most, would have reservations about the US military funding. Firstly, where do we stand on neutrality? As one who does not have much regard for our "neutrality" I think this step would be generally in the right direction - but oh so badly done. Even though I would like to see Ireland play a greater military role in the world, the methods by which these steps were taken were subversive and peculiar.

Secondly, why did it take up to three years for this funding to come to light? Was the Treasurer of the College hushed up or blind to that cheque?

Thirdly, the issue of dual-purpose comes in. Would there really be that much outrage at the US Military funding a research project in maximising charitable spirits in a community? Where does one draw the line? This case, wireless networks, is definitely somewhere around the line.

Fourthly, the USI president really hit the nail on the head regarding funding. If Trinity was not so starved for cash that it's considering scrapping its Student Health Service, would such a grant be as needed?

Finally, there's a major problem with independence of universities. Should they be free to take money from anyone? Should they be obliged to take €100,000 (and perhaps, in future years far more) funding the from the US military and thus face the powers of persuasion from the forces that be?

I'm interested in hearing your points.

John_C

I can see your point Banana but I don't agree. I do research in UCD on wireless networks myself and a few years ago one of our groups faced a similar accusation. In that case it turned out that a microchip used (an Analog Devices a/d converter) was used exensivley in the US military. This particular chip is the industry standard and is used in practically every situation where and a/d converter is required. It was the high tech equivalent of saying that the US military uses pencils so therefor we shouldn't use pencils.

I can see that the current case in Trinity seems to ba a more direct involvement but I mention my experience because most of the same people seem involved.

When the USI says it has a mandate to oppose the Iraq war does that mean that no member of the USI may have dealings with the US military? Should these research students (USI members) be considered outcasts for opposing the union? It seems to me that these students are practicing their academic freedom by developing a technology which is not even primaraly a military one. Radios are used in many areas of life, not just the military. Since this particular system is still in the theoritical phase it is very unlikely to see action in the Iraq war.

rob1891

Is the Trinity News a student rag? That article has the sensationalism of a student rag. Here's a little research the UCD Observer hacks could do and we'll have uproar on our campus as well: http://www.google.ie/search?q=site:www.cs.ucd.ie+US+NAVAL

They'll have to rub a few brain cells together to work out how personalisation on the web is a weaponisable technology. It's just funding, they fund tonnes of stuff. This whole internet malarky was a little project of theirs.

Flankerb

I think we should take this sort of investment as a complement. The guys in Trinity must be doing something right. There is nothing wrong with accepting money from any organisation for research as long as it does'nt break any laws of the state. If the US Airforce really wanted to it could have invested this money thru some small company in the states and we would be none the wiser as to where the money came from. Thats just my 2cents worth. Euro cents of course not them dirty american dollar cents. Ohh and I wonder how many members of the USI availed of J1's this year.

Hobbes

What if Trinity got funding from other military organisations? Where do you draw a line?

Kare Bear

Why do they need to research here theres plenty of universities in the US.

Flankerb

quote
"Sinn Féin's Aengus O'Snodaigh said that his party would resist "any foreign military funding to Irish universities" because it "breached the concept of positive neutrality".

I am glad to see Sinn Fein has taken the moral high ground on this one. Because none of their funding is military. But paramilitary maybe?

I agree that the line has to be drawn somewhere. I would'nt like to see offensive military weapons being developed on irish soil. Especially not in Trinners, D4 would go to war against the rest of the country within weeks if they developed anything.

Honestly this seems to be a communications device. A certain internet got helped by a bit of " military funding " all those years ago.

Really this is where Ireland needs to be heading RnD. The new members of the EU are after our tiger, with their low cost economies we have to find a new game to play.

Hobbes

Hobbes wrote:

What if Trinity got funding from other military organisations? Where do you draw a line?

Thats easy.
U.S troops occupying Trinity.
Though we might have to agree to keep them there so as to keep the jobs at Intel and IBM (whose taxes aid the U.S War effort remember)

I'd have serious objections if they decided they wanted to send troops into my old alma mater UCD though.*

* all sarcasm of course-but then it about reflects my opinion on the ridiculousness of the fuss over this affecting neutrality-look at all the threads in the travel board about new york and the states-I'm going to be losing sleep now because all this is affecting our neutrality :rolleyes: some people have little to be worrying about to be honest

rob1891

Kare Bear wrote:

Why do they need to research here theres plenty of universities in the US.

What makes you think the US Military is researching in Ireland. They are meerly paying the wage for a few postgraduate students to research some area that they would like to see technological advancement in. You guys are all crazy!

Hobbes

Seriously..

Military funding means that the projects will ultimitaly have military applications and owned by another country. Lets not get all gushy about hey its just money.

If thats the case why not accept funding from British military? Or China/Saudi or any other number of countries?

Hobbes

Hobbes wrote:

If thats the case why not accept funding from British military? Or China/Saudi or any other number of countries?

Has any been offered or turned down?
I'm wondering should we be urging pakistan to turn back U.S helicopters delivering aid to Earthquake victims? After all its the U.S military...
Much ado about nothing this really in my view,theres lots more important things to be concerned about.

DublinWriter

You wouldn't even be typing this now if it wasn't for the US Military research that created the Internet (ARPANET) back in the late 1950's.

Like it or lump it, most technology research is driven by initial miliary applications. The Internet, CRTs, Radar, etc.

I think acamedic funding by large corporates is more sinister.

Bill Gates is a classic, side example. The guy drops out of college in his first year then goes and sets up the 'Bill and Melissa Gates Scholorship' programme at Cambridge in order to get himself some 'ivy-league'. In terms of IT research, Cambridge is about as cutting-edge as a dull butter knife.

Sponge Bob

DublinWriter wrote:

Like it or lump it, most technology research is driven by initial miliary applications. The Internet, CRTs, Radar, etc.

Very True. Most of it goes in the public domain pretty sharpish as well. NUIG got a scad of "Star Wars" money for research in the 1980's IIRC. Mind ya they did give Ronnie a Doctorate in something first

Time Magazine

rob1891 wrote:

Is the Trinity News a student rag? That article has the sensationalism of a student rag. Here's a little research the UCD Observer hacks could do and we'll have uproar on our campus as well: http://www.google.ie/search?q=site:www.cs.ucd.ie+US+NAVAL.

The Trinity News is a very decent student newspaper - best student newspaper in Ireland last year if I recall correctly.

A lot of you are saying "Ah sure the internet was invented by the military". And yes, you're right. But not in Ireland. Personally, in this instance, I have no problem with taking that funding as we're desperately under-funded. However, I wouldn't be happy if (for example, don't use this as a work-horse) chemical weapons were being researched in Ireland. Additionally, I would not be happy with any project being funded by the North Korean military.

That doctrine is essentially a non-neutral view. Although (as I said) I advocate "advancing" our neutrality, I'd worry that this is not the way to do it. This indeed is just a networking project, but it could well be a significant watershed. €100,000 wireless networks now, €3m wireless networks next week. €3m holds a lot of sway in a university.

Hobbes

You wouldn't even be typing this now if it wasn't for the US Military research that created the Internet (ARPANET) back in the late 1950's.

Somewhat pointless reasoning as it was only a matter of time before such a system came into place.

Also while the original Internet had it roots in military applications, todays internet does not and large portions of it came from no military funding.

DublinWriter

Hobbes wrote:

Somewhat pointless reasoning as it was only a matter of time before such a system came into place.

Easy to say with the benefit of hindsight. Without going down the whole path of Technological Determinism, I really don't think that altnernate path-routing network technology would have been considered to be a potential consumer hot-seller way back when.

Hobbes wrote:

Also while the original Internet had it roots in military applications, todays internet does not and large portions of it came from no military funding.

The initial development of TCP/IP came about from military funding. No TCP/IP no Internet, basically.

Without TCP/IP we'd now be dialling into local bulletin boards that would swapping packets of email via FIDOnet.

Sparks

Hobbes wrote:

why not accept funding from British military?

We did. Albiet through one stage of seperation - my first PhD topic (got beaten to the punch ) was on teleoperation for bomb disposal robotics. Funding through an Irish company that sold them to the British Army.
Somehow it's not quite the same though, is it? Which would indicate that a less simplistic solution than a blanket ban would be needed. After all, we're talking here on the DARPA-funded internet, aren't we?