Wellington
Last week’s conference on ‘Re-setting Science and Innovation for the next 20 years’ had anotable element missing – business.
Arranged by the NZ Association of Scientists in collaborationwith Victoria University’s Institute of Policy Studies, the one day event had many of the greatand good on the science and government side of things. But no business.
Apparently BusinessNZ , the main body now representinga majority of the manufacturers, had been invited, but couldn’t make it. There was no formalrepresentation from the primary sectors or the ICT sector either.
Some of the discussions were about how science and industry often talk across each other. If everthere was a sad indictment of two trains being on different lines and timetables, was thisit?
One interesting presentation was by University of Auckland Assoc Professor Rod Dunbar, who isalso director of the Maurice Wilkins Centre for MolecularBiodiscovery. He commented on the number of private companies, with a strong R&D element, askingif they can come back and co-inhabit the Centre’s research and office environment. These privatecompanies are missing the buzz and corridor conversations that drive innovation Dunbar says; andhe’s attempting to accommodate the companies in what is becoming a sought-after space.
VicLink’s general manager of commercialisation, SophieHoward, flew a small kite for ‘Open Innovation’. In other words, throwing ideas out to theether, and asking others (invariably internet-connected) to help with particular problems. It is atrend that’s growing overseas; not without its growing pains, but one that could catch on here ifthe country gave itself permission to be a bit more permissive with its knowledge.
And finally, about to be Minister of Science and Innovation,
•Primary/Food (includes PGP): $304.2m
•Talent (includes Marsden/HRC):$178.9m
•Hi-Tech/Manufacturing: $146.4m
•General/Infrastructure: $128.5m
•Environment/Risk Management: $90.2m
•Energy/Minerals: $26.5m
•Fundamental:PBRF/CoREs – (Vote Ed): $250m