Scientist writes farewell letter to prime minister

Guardian 14 September 2013

Last week, astrophysicist Amaya Moro-Martín published an open letter to the Spanish prime minister, attracting a great deal of attention and generating some 2,000 comments and 75,000 Facebook likes. Here is her letter in English published in the Guardian.

Dear Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Taking advantage of the summer break, and to minimise the costs of my imminent transatlantic move, I'm clearing out my office at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and I wanted to return to you a few documents that I will no longer need.

First, the official certificate of having met the requirements of the Programme for the Promotion, Incorporation and Intensification of Research Activities (the I3 Programme). I appreciate the nice gesture from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness but I don't see how the concepts ‘promotion’, ‘incorporation’ and ‘intensification’ make sense in the context of the current state of research in Spain (nor indeed the idea of ‘research activity’, beyond a minimal level). Thanks anyway for officially confirming that I am capable of doing research; it is far better not to trust the feedback of the scientific community…
Full report on the Guardian site

Receive UWN's free weekly e-newsletters

Sponsored Article

Getting to net zero, one community at a time

University of Victoria staff

Accelerating Community Energy Transformation is a University of Victoria-led collaborative initiative that brings together over 40 partners, including Indigenous knowledge keepers and community leaders, to create innovative place-based solutions for energy system transformation.

Promoted by the University of Victoria.

Sponsored Article

Africa pays a premium for global climate change sluggishness

Stellenbosch University staff

Africa needs to stop paying the price for the rest of the world’s recalcitrance to act fast enough in response to the irrefutable conclusions that climate change is real and that the impact of global warming could be devasting, says Professor Guy Midgley, interim director of the School for Climate Studies at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Promoted by Stellenbosch University.

Sponsored Article

Innovations to ensure energy savings in a hot, arid climate

UAE University staff

Researchers from the United Arab Emirates University have shown that the potential benefits of building energy savings and a cooler indoor environment, as well as improved cooling effect on air temperature at pedestrian level, strongly indicate that a cool roof with high solar reflectance and albedo is a promising strategy for buildings in regions with hot, arid climates.

Promoted by United Arab Emirates University.

Sponsored Article

A new global university ranking with an ethical mission

Aftab Dean

A new university ranking system aims to serve as a catalyst for positive transformation in higher education, ensuring that universities create an environment grounded in integrity and sustainability that inspires and supports students and staff in the development of novel solutions to global challenges.

Promoted by Globethics.net.

Sponsored Article

SDG progress report launches university into new territory

University of Pretoria staff

In the publication of its first progress report on its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, the University of Pretoria is navigating new territory at the same time as it is acknowledging its clear stewardship role in protecting the environment and biodiversity.

Promoted by the University of Pretoria.