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The Herald’s big headline article drew attention to the opinions of 62 “Scottish scientists” that the Union has helped science research. Let me say from the start that I have just retired after 40 years of research, mostly in Scotland (with brief sojourns in USA, Sweden and Hong Kong). Although I did not reach the dizzy heights achieved by some of the signatories of this letter, I did fund my research with over £500k (uncorrected for inflation) raised from a variety of charities, commercial companies and Research Councils. In the last decade many European and International funding sources have opened up. On Independence, these sources of funds will still exist, either in the same or equivalent form. The SNP has already specified some of the areas to which they wish to give special support – e.g. wave and tidal power generation.
It is worth remembering some of the past occasions when London control of our research funding turned out to be disastrous. One of the blows that Thatcher rained down on the Scottish economy was the cancellation in the mid-eighties of research grants to Professor Stephen Salter of Edinburgh University, who was pioneering wave-power.
This wave research continued slowly in Edinburgh despite Thatcher’s discouragement and at last blossomed two months ago with the first full trial of the Pelamis wave-power project. It is obvious that things would have been very different if this “British” money had not been withdrawn. Scotland would by now have established world leadership in this field and we would probably now be enjoying wave-generated electricity on a large scale instead of bickering over the siting of wind farms.
One of my objections to the publication and trumpeting of this letter lies in the fact that it merely expresses an opinion. Scientists are normally expected to provide evidence in support of their opinions. It is sad that the signatories claim to be worried that they might no longer be “punching above their weight” (= is my publication list longer than my rival? Or will I be in poll position for a knighthood?) rather than about how they could use their talents towards helping the new Scotland to blossom and grow.
I know the background of only nine of these signatories but this is probably a reasonable representation of the group as a whole. It so happens that all nine originated in England. Could it be that, although most welcome in Scotland as talented scientists who have chosen to come here and work, they still carry with them prejudices related to their English roots? One of them disapproves of independence for Scotland yet is currently working in Singapore! How could such a tiny country (pop. 4.2million) possibly be an attractive place for such a scientist to work?
The electorate must be getting tired of these incredible attempts to frighten, bully and intimidate Scots in order to discredit the movement towards self-government.
Scots have always been among the most inventive people on the planet. Such talent is not going to be suppressed as Scotland emerges from beneath the heavy wet blanket of British bureaucracy and steps out into the fresh air to play a full part in solving the world’s problems.
Author : Dr William S. Wilson
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