Scientists fear bleak future, Prospect survey reveals

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Scientists fear bleak future, Prospect survey reveals

More than four in 10 working scientists are either unsure they will be able to stay in science or certain they will leave.



That is the key finding of Prospect’s State of Science 2006 survey, which reveals a huge level of anxiety about their personal future among both public and private sector scientists.

The figure is all the more disturbing when more than three quarters of all respondents – 77 per cent – say they would prefer to stay in science.

A total of 952 members from both public and private sectors responded to the union’s survey, using the questionnaire on the Prospect website or printed in the October issue of its journal Profile.

Overall, just 58 per cent of respondents say they expect to stay in science, with a slightly higher level of confidence among the private sector (62 per cent) than the public sector (57 per cent).

The reason why 42 per cent are fearful for the future has nothing to do with the work itself. But many scientists expect to be forced out through redundancy or early retirement, while a desire for better pay and conditions is the most common reason cited for leaving.

A dramatic decline in promotion opportunities was also reported by more than half of all respondents, compared to just 7 per cent who say they have increased. This decline has taken place in the last five years, pointing to accelerating pressures as round after round of cutbacks, relocations, reviews and contracting out take their toll of job opportunities.

More than two in three of all respondents – and 63 per cent of those in the private sector – report that their team’s work has been affected by funding cuts over the past five years, resulting in large numbers of scientists having to chase funding for science rather than doing science.

And new patterns of funding come at a price. Seven in ten say that the limited duration of project funding interferes with the quality of science undertaken - this trend is consistent across both public and private sectors; while almost half report that the proportion of core funding for their work has decreased over the past five years, making it less secure.

Commenting on the findings, Prospect General Secretary Paul Noon said: "Prospect’s survey debunks the political rhetoric that science has never had it so good. Despite the government’s £10 billion investment in commercial science, behind the headlines science for the national good is fast disappearing along with the expertise that drives it.

"The current chopping and changing of research priorities according to the fashion of the moment bears no regard for the overall impact on the national science base. When the next crisis on the scale of BSE or foot and mouth rocks the UK we may not be able to guarantee that the expertise to fight it is still in place.

"Prospect is not opposed to change and this is not an anti-science government – far from it. But the voices of those who are best qualified to comment should give us all cause for concern. Prospect is bound to conclude that there is a strategic failure across government to take on the key responsibility of care for the national science base.

"If the prime minister is serious about encouraging more people to take up science, he must also answer why they should do so when jobs are limited, poorly paid and highly competitive."Download a copy of the findings in PDF format.