On Monday 5 June scientists from a range of Natural Science disciplines at the University will participate in a free public event exploring how modern science is motivated by many different and sometimes conflicting notions.
The event, which will take place at Gulbenkian Arts Centre on the Canterbury campus between 12.30-1.30pm, is open to all. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance via this link.
Scientific motivations are often framed through a perceived divide between fundamental or ‘curiosity driven’ research on the one hand and ‘applied’ research on the other. Natural Sciences at Kent houses many recent examples of both, including projects that have made new fundamental discoveries in the life sciences, quantum physics and supramolecular chemistry, as well as applied projects that have resulted in new materials, new ways of producing biopharmaceuticals, and new treatments for diseases.
However, the balance between fundamental and applied research has shifted strongly in the last 20 years, with fundamental science having become increasingly costly as the frontiers of knowledge become more and more advanced. Also and not so long ago the UK government took the decision to emphasise research ‘impact’, which coincided with greater pressure on academic institutions to achieve independent economic viability.
But what does all of this mean for science at Kent and the natural sciences at large? Is fundamental research now obsolete or do we risk cutting off a productive pipeline of ideas if we do not allow for it? And is a stronger focus on applications something the public have a right to expect given that research is almost entirely tax-payer funded?
This debate will explore these questions and what the shifting balance means for research in the Natural Sciences at Kent.