europecentrism in science

Parents Forum
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<p>From CNN:
"The LHC (Large Hadron Collider) is just this week's most obvious example of Eurocentrism in science: Less than 200 miles (300 kilometers) away, an even costlier international physics project, the $13 billion ITER fusion research center, is just getting started in southern France. And European officials are currently considering how to move forward with yet another fusion project, the $1 billion HiPER laser-fusion facility.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, in the United States, physicists were shocked last December to see Congress pull back on research spending, to the tune of $94 million. Financial support for ITER was virtually wiped out. It took months for some of that money to be restored in a supplemental funding bill — and while Congress dithered, scores of research positions were lost."</p>

<p>I think this is interesting in view of past discussions on US's weakening position as world leader in research.</p>

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<p>Well actually the US was working on the Superconducting Super Collider, but after $3 Billion was spend the Congress cancelled it.</p>

<p>Also Europes Economy is doing OK, The Euro in strong, the Dollar isn't.</p>

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<p>This is only relevant to high energy physics. And even with that, most of the research to be done at CERN is done with large collaborations that include US scientists.</p>

<p>Truth is the US has consistently led the world in two research categories: Health related science, because of strong public and congressional support for NIH, and any "science" that one can relate to defense as in DOD. The latter cuts a pretty wide, but peculiar, path through the physical sciences.</p>

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<p>Check out the list of grad students at any top US research university. See where they came from. Then check out the students at any top foreign research university, see where they came from. I don't think the US is in any danger of losing its world leadership in research.</p>

<p>The Europeans are better at doing something like the LHC than we are. Nothing wrong with that. It's not like they are going to keep their findings a secret.</p>

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<p>CERN is certainly an international center. Do we have similar ones in the US?</p>

<p>As to grad students at top us research universities, I agree with kenf... a huge percentage are foreign students. Who then have to go home because of visa issues. A VP at Microsoft called that 'intellectual suicide'.</p>