http://dreamingrealist.co.uk Hilary Burrage's journal about life and what happens Mon, 07 May 2012 18:26:48 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.png http://dreamingrealist.co.uk http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2009/05/07/c-p-snows-two-cultures-is-fifty-years-old-today/ http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2009/05/07/c-p-snows-two-cultures-is-fifty-years-old-today/#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:01 +0000 Hilary http://hburrage.bpweb.net/wordpress/?p=561 C.P. Snow introduced the idea of the Two Cultures in the annual Rede Lecture in Cambridge of 7 May 1959. Himself both an eminent scientist and contemporary historian of science, and a novelist, in that lecture he lamented the gulf between scientists and 'literary intellectuals', arguing that the quality of education in the world is on the decline. Now fifty years later (as on the fortieth anniversary) a range of commentators continues to debate this claim. ]]> http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2009/05/07/c-p-snows-two-cultures-is-fifty-years-old-today/feed/ 1 dreamingblogger Science & Music books http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2009/04/12/easter-sunday-is-eco-sunday-the-day-uk-resource-self-sufficiency-ends-in-2009/ http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2009/04/12/easter-sunday-is-eco-sunday-the-day-uk-resource-self-sufficiency-ends-in-2009/#comments Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:35:18 +0000 Hilary http://hburrage.bpweb.net/wordpress/?p=558 The new economics foundation (nef) tells us that, as of today, the UK has used the levels of resources it should consume during an entire year, if it were environmentally self-sufficient. In 1961, nef calculates, the UK's annual eco-debt began on 9 July; by 1981 it was 14 May, but in 2009 it falls on 12 April, Easter Sunday. But how can we help people in their daily lives to address and cope with these frightening calculations constructively, rather than such information just causing further alarm? Science and 'facts' alone won't get us where we all need to be. ]]> http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2009/04/12/easter-sunday-is-eco-sunday-the-day-uk-resource-self-sufficiency-ends-in-2009/feed/ 0 dreamingblogger OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/09/06/natural-vs-physical-science-research-points-up-regeneration-added-value/ http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/09/06/natural-vs-physical-science-research-points-up-regeneration-added-value/#comments Sat, 06 Sep 2008 10:49:55 +0000 Hilary http://hburrage.bpweb.net/wordpress/?p=499 Are the Natural and Physical Sciences squaring up for inter-disciplinary combat? Each requires huge sums of money to maintain research momentum, but who decides what research offers best value? How can we measure Particle Physics 'against' say, environmental technologies? With their vast 'pure research' budgets to secure, perhaps the Physicists will now also discover that evaluating research investment regenerational impacts supports their case. ]]> http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/09/06/natural-vs-physical-science-research-points-up-regeneration-added-value/feed/ 0 dreamingblogger Science Laboratory with computers http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/07/28/from-regeneration-to-sustainability-a-northern-take-on-knowledge/ http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/07/28/from-regeneration-to-sustainability-a-northern-take-on-knowledge/#comments Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:00:00 +0000 Hilary http://hburrage.bpweb.net/wordpress/?p=486 ]]> http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/07/28/from-regeneration-to-sustainability-a-northern-take-on-knowledge/feed/ 1 dreamingblogger 08.07.29 NUREC 2008 Keynote by Hilary Burrage, Liverpool Convention Centre http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/07/23/the-haldane-principle-21st-century-science-research-and-regional-policy/ http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/07/23/the-haldane-principle-21st-century-science-research-and-regional-policy/#comments Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:49:32 +0000 Hilary http://hburrage.bpweb.net/wordpress/?p=485 There are compelling reasons for a regional science policy for the UK; but they are often dismissed as incompatible with the Haldane Principle of 1904 and 1917/18, that government must not 'interfere' with scientific research. Science then was vastly less expensive and impacted far less on the economy and ordinary people's lives. In the 21st century, the potential for regional development through science is huge - and it can only be done through intentional government direction. ]]> http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/07/23/the-haldane-principle-21st-century-science-research-and-regional-policy/feed/ 0 dreamingblogger Research lab http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/05/05/food-facts-and-factoids-what-do-we-need-to-know/ http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/05/05/food-facts-and-factoids-what-do-we-need-to-know/#comments Mon, 05 May 2008 22:34:34 +0000 Hilary http://hburrage.bpweb.net/wordpress/?p=461 ]]> http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/05/05/food-facts-and-factoids-what-do-we-need-to-know/feed/ 2 dreamingblogger OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/04/13/big-science-in-regional-economic-context-daresbury-and-alice/ http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/04/13/big-science-in-regional-economic-context-daresbury-and-alice/#comments Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:02:41 +0000 Hilary http://hburrage.bpweb.net/wordpress/?p=458 Investment in scientific programmes often has added socio-economic value. But there is little evidence that good indices are available to measure what this impact might be for large-scale scientific regionally-based development. Whilst private investors guard their capital with care, only rarely do the criteria for evaluation of Big Science proposals include adequate consideration of the wider impact of public funds invested. ]]> http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/04/13/big-science-in-regional-economic-context-daresbury-and-alice/feed/ 0 dreamingblogger Daresbury Laboratory Tower 60x99 043a.jpg http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/03/30/should-we-keep-british-summer-time-all-year/ http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/03/30/should-we-keep-british-summer-time-all-year/#comments Sun, 30 Mar 2008 02:00:00 +0000 Hilary http://hburrage.bpweb.net/wordpress/?p=456 U.K. clocks go forward on Sunday morning, 30 March '08, and the lighter evenings which British Summer Time brings will cheer up almost everyone. But there would also be many other anticipated benefits, from road safety to energy conservation and healthier lifestyles, were we to keep 'Daylight Saving' all year. A Downing Street petition has now been set up to urge a continuous BST trial period of three years, with research to establish the extent of these benefits. ]]> http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2008/03/30/should-we-keep-british-summer-time-all-year/feed/ 4 dreamingblogger OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2007/11/17/translating-public-policy-into-action/ http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2007/11/17/translating-public-policy-into-action/#comments Sat, 17 Nov 2007 19:54:02 +0000 Hilary http://hburrage.bpweb.net/wordpress/?p=392 Evidence-based policy is central to much contemporary governmental thinking. But how the different phases of policy delivery can best engage 'real people' is not always clear. This is true whether the intended policy concerns health, the knowledge economy, or even global sustainability. There is still much to be done in understanding human agency and interaction in policy development and delivery. ]]> http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2007/11/17/translating-public-policy-into-action/feed/ 0 dreamingblogger Meandering route 328a 113x99 http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2007/09/14/translational-science-in-transition-the-new-science-policy/ http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2007/09/14/translational-science-in-transition-the-new-science-policy/#comments Fri, 14 Sep 2007 10:57:00 +0000 Hilary http://hburrage.bpweb.net/wordpress/?p=377 Who owns Big Science in the UK? Does government science policy sit within wider public policy, or is it stand alone? The Cooksey Review has stirred strong feelings amongst medical scientists, and also further afield. Few science policy questions can be determined without understanding the wider public policy context. ]]> http://dreamingrealist.co.uk/2007/09/14/translational-science-in-transition-the-new-science-policy/feed/ 0 dreamingblogger Hope Street & Mount Pleasant - RC Cathedral & Science Centre 06.7.15 003