Dr William Harris, the head of Science Foundation Ireland, is on a mission to make the Republic a world centre for research, writes Dick Ahlstrom
The future success of the Republic's economy may depend in no small way on the efforts of a soft-spoken US scientist. He hopes to bring about the next stage in the State's economic development - a knowledge-based economy where brainpower represents money.
Dr William Harris is the first director general of Science Foundation Ireland, the new funding organisation for scientific research. It controls a €635million budget that will be used to pump-prime two key research areas, biotechnology and information and communications technology.
SFI represents half of the Government's overall funding ambitions, which, with the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions, will put more than €1,270 million into research before 2006. The goal is to make the State a place where ideas grow into commercial opportunities.
His long-term view is that investment in scientific research now will pay dividends in the future. He cites the US economy as one where innovation produces spin off companies, jobs and a strong economy. "It just enhances the quality of the work force. It enhances talent. Also, this will strengthen the economy to go in new and different directions."
Years of chronic underfunding of research infrastructure by the State represent an initial problem, he believes. It has left scientists and research institutions lagging behind in the quality of the work they can do with the limited tools available.
The availability of venture capital may also prove an impediment early on in the Republic's move towards a knowledge-based economy, he suggests. The US has a highly developed venture capital market where investors are well used to putting money into high-risk ventures in the hope of high level rewards. Similar sources of funding will have to develop in this State to allow commercial opportunities to take hold and grow.
Dr Harris is in no doubt, however, that there is the capacity to participate in research at a world standard. The initial funding tranche worth €71million included 10 very strong research initiatives with final negotiations on and one nearing completion.
"It represents an excellent mix of biology and ICT kinds of projects," says Dr Harris. "What excites me most is the quality of the individuals. They are teacher scholars." He adds: "It seems that things are going in a direction people are comfortable with. I am very optimistic."
Long-term benefits should flow from the State's investment in research, he believes, but we should also see early short-term gains too. "I think you will begin to see a much more robust research system in Ireland," he suggests. And in 12 or 18 months there may be more promising young research students deciding to pursue careers at home instead of in the US and UK universities. His idea is to foster a "research culture" but results may take a little while.
A very strong SFI board has been assembled and holds its first meeting in Dublin on January 30th-31st. "I will be going to the science board in late January with recommendations on how I would like to run the foundation. What I am hoping to establish is something similar to the board of the National Science Foundation," he explains.
He plans to proceed on the basis of transparency. "I think it is important to debate things openly." Good ideas will survive but bad ones will not be sustained for the sake of pride.
There is also the matter of legislation to be dealt with, he says. SFI operates under the legal aegis of Forfás, but legislation to put the foundation on a statutory basis is under preparation and should reach the Dáil some time this spring.
This should give the foundation a strong footing for the future, he says. It was established with a five-year horizon to the end of 2006.
If a strong culture of research takes hold and future governments keep faith in a knowledge-based economy, Dr Harris believes funding will continue at least for 10 or 20 years.