Young scientists key to our future

FROM time to time the Government stresses that our future will rest on our ability to develop industries at the frontier levels of science and engineering.

For this to happen we will need scientists and engineers capable of researching at the frontiers of world science.

The Government repeatedly indicates that vast numbers of scientists at PhD level will be required in order to achieve the laudable objectives.

However, a PhD in name only is worthless.

We need people who have come through a demanding postgraduate programme of training and research, such as would be available in the top 20 or so universities in the world.

I was enthralled by the commitment and involvement of students aged 14 and 15 whom I met at their stands at the RDS during the course of the Young Scientist Exhibition a few weeks ago.

There I saw boys and girls, sometimes with great intelligence, who took pride in their displays and inventions.

Many had eight to 10 A grades in the Junior Cert. Most indicated preferences for careers in science. They responded enthusiastically to my suggestions about the combinations of subjects in their Leaving Cert programme that would best prepare them for third and fourth-level studies in their favoured disciplines.

I wondered why it was that numerous academic personnel in the sciences and engineering in the universities and ITs were not there to encourage and inspire.

If our fourth-level research is to reach the standards needed to regain the wealth status we enjoyed for a short period, then we must encourage in every way the ambitions and enthusiasm of the intelligent young people who can become excellent scientists.

They should be encouraged to see that the way forward for us all is through innovation and occupations that will enrich the nation and not just themselves.

Michael HB Hayes MRIA

Carbolea Research Group

University of Limerick