Astrophysicist takes his stand

Czech astrophysicist Jiří Grygar made headlines last week when he rejected a 500,000 Kč ($29,360) award from the government's Research and Development Council for his achievements and success in popularizing science, citing disagreement with changes in the way the government funds scientific research. Grygar takes particular issue with what he says is the government's push to finance science according to its applicability and commercial potential. He is a well-known figure to Czechs, having hosted a popular TV show about the universe from 1982 to 1990, so his refusal brings greater attention to the ongoing problem of science funding. Grygar spoke with The Prague Post about the reasons behind his refusal of the award and what he sees for the future of the Academy of Sciences.

The Prague Post: Why did you reject the prize? What outcome do you hope your rejection will have?

Jiří Grygar: I don't hope for any particular outcome, and the media frenzy will quickly die down. My decision was based on the simple fact that obviously I can't accept a prize that bears the name of the institution against which I had, for many months along with many other members of the scientific community, spoken out against, even in public demonstrations.

TPP: How has the method of government funding to science changed?

Jiří Grygar

JG: The Government Council for Research, Development and Innovation has proposed a change in funding for basic research starting next year. Although the total amount of funds in this chapter of the state budget - according to the government's promise - will not be reduced, within the various disciplines there will be a significant redistribution, i.e. the weakening of basic research at the expense of innovation, to which the council will allocate the resources. In addition, the council has proposed that this carrot-and-stick style of allocation will continue till 2011-12.

Specifically, each year, the Academy of Sciences budget will be lowered 20 percent. At the same time, the universities are to maintain their budget, and the "saved" money will be given to ministries, especially the Industry and Trade Ministry, and distributed for the so-called innovation of private firms without a tender and without controls on how the funds are spent.

TPP: Can you cite any specific projects that are being canceled due to funding cuts?

JG: It isn't about specific projects, but the very survival of the Academy of Sciences. If an institution has the size of its means decreased 60 percent over three years, that does not necessarily mean its demise, because you then lay off some workers and leave others alone. In particular, young scientists have so little pay that, when their employer reduces their salary by half, they cannot feed themselves or their young families.

TPP: Do the majority of scientists rely on state funding to support research?

JG: This varies. Funding differs according to disciplines and the subjects of projects. I cannot give the average number of such a diverse group of institutions as the Academy of Sciences, universities and the departmental business. In the European Union, science gets an average of around 1 percent of GDP from the national budget. In the Czech Republic, it is about 0.55 percent of the GDP, of which the Academy of Sciences gets approximately one-fifth. All the previous governments promised to gradually increase the scandalously low percentage, but the result is always essentially the same: 0.5 percent to 0.55 percent of GDP.

- Petr Cibulka Jr. contributed to this report.

Stephan Delbos can be reached at
sdelbos@praguepost.com