Description | Present at the meeting: Professor F E Fritsch in the chair; Professor W Brown; Dr O M B Bulman; Professor A C Chibnall; Dr C Forester-Cooper; Professor H Munro Fox; Professor J Gray; Professor J B S Haldane; Professor W H Pearsall; Professor R A Peters; Dr E J Salisbury (acting Biological Secretry); Dr V B Wigglesworth
1. Confirmed minutes of meeting on 14 February 1944
2. Recommendations made by the committees set up to examine post-war research in chemistry and physics considered, and resolved ; 2a. ' that means be found to ensure the endowment on a considerable scale of fundamental research in biology, whether undertaken in the universities or not 2b. that the exisiting bodies (such as the DSIR, the MRC, the ARC, the Development Commission) have their powers enlarged so as to enable them to give the fullest support to fundamental research in biology 2c. that the parliamentary grant in aid of scientific investigations be increased; and that the regulations under which the grant is administered must be revised.
(In connexion with (2b) the Chairman undertook to communicate witht he bodies named in order to ascertain what suggestions they could offer for co-operating in the formulation of a scheme for dealing with fundamental research in its widest sense. It was therefore agreed to defer consideration of the question of a co-ordinating committee until replies to the Chairman's letters had been received.) '
3. After considering research studentships, it was resolved to make recommendations; 3a. ' that the number of studentships be increased 3b. that there be a material increase in the funds available for the provision of such studentships 3c. that the remuneration attached to studentships be at the rate of £220 plus fees (minimum) a year 3d. that the tenure of studentships be for a periond of three years (minimum) 3e. that machinery be set up to ensure that postgraduate students can proceed to the university or school where are available the best facilities for them to prosecute their particular lines of research 3f. that there be made available a limited number of senior research studentships of the value of, say, £400 a year, the holder of which being required to de a certain amount of teaching.
(In considering the question of research studentships the committee held the view that a period of reserch training was of the utmost value even though research was not necessarily envisaged as a career).
4, Resolved - that it be a recommendation that the time requirements for teaching among the grades of university staff should be limited and that, in the academic year, there should be freedom from academic duties for, say, one term, this being regaded as particularly important in biological research (where work may have to be carried out away from the university) in order to insure continuity.
(Ini this connexion it was realised that the recommendation iinvolved an increase in staff).'
5. Next meeting - 29 March at 11.00 am |