President Obama on Science

If you haven't watched President Obama's speech to the National Academy of Sciences from last week I strongly encourage you to. This speech, and his pledge to invest 3% of GDP for science research (basic and applied research), is consistent with the position he expressed prior to being elected. And it is consistent with this position.

The Obama Administration thus appears to represent a very fortunate about-face from the arrogance, short-sightedness and ignorance of the previous Administration.

My favourite lines from Obama's speech: "Under my Administration, the days of science taking a bad seat to ideology are over". And "[we must] encourage young people to build and invent-- to be makers of things, not just consumers of things" Hear! Hear!

Us "Canucks" can only watch with envy as our own government bumbles along.


Cheers,
Colin

UPDATE: the headlines from today's Globe is "Top AIDS researcher lured away ". Ouch!