Case For Basic Research

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32308, 28 May 1970, Page 9

Case For Basic Research

The importance of ap-i plied research in New ; Zealand is considerable ' but we must not, in our , desire for an immediate return, overlook the need to support, with ] equal vigour, basic! research, says Professor • B. G. Wybourne, professor of physics at the University of Canter-1 bury, in the following J article on the place of' basic research in Newi] Zealand universities. Professor Wybourne’s article Is concerned with an address., last week by Professor A. L.'i Titchener, professor of chemical and materials' engineering at the University: of Auckland. Professor Tit-!, chener told a seminar of the , Association of University Teachers that only a minority of the research fields in the universities were chosen with an eye for the national interest. Professor Wybourne says: Professor Titchener’s widely i publicised address raises the 1 perennial problem of the i relationship of basic scientific,! research to applied research, i A complete assesssment of the ' validity of Professor Tit- I chener’s remarks would itself require considerable research i which I rather doubt has I been undertaken. Professor i Titchener would appear to be i pleading for a greater orien- s tation of university research i

and teaching to the immedi-f ate needs of the nation—a commendable though. 1 believe, very short-sighted ambition. The case for universities in New Zealand engaging in basic research has seldom: been put in spite of its considerable relevance to all applied research. “Great Danger” The distinction between basic and applied research is ! ■by no means clear. We might well consider basic research: as being an inquiry into, scientific matters without a direct utilitarian application: in mind, whereas in applied research an immediate application is constantly being borne in mind. The prospect of an immediate return often leads to a demand for an increased emphasis on applied research and a decreased emphasis on basic research. Herein lies the great danger of the attractively simple argument favouring applied research, and indeed vocationally oriented education. Somewhat paradoxically, most of the important technological breakthroughs would seem to have risen from relatively undirected basic research rather than research with an immediate application in sight. To consider but' one of many examples, who would, have thought that the work of a group of scientists studying the absorption and fluorescence of light in ruby crystals in the late 19505:

(•would result in 1970 in the [Christchurch Public Hospital installing a laser for the welding of detached retinas in the human eye? Certainly no crash programme on the problem of detached retinas :would have come up with this | solution or, more importantly,, have funded the obviously! irrelevant research on ruby crystals. Moon Landing The importance of undirected basic research is all too !often underestimated in spite I of the returns frequently! becoming astronomical in comparison with the original investment In some cases immediate returns are indeed: found from investment ini basic research, in other cases: the pathway is rather tortuous but must nevertheless be first trodden. Thus it could truly be said that the spectacle of the Apollo moon landing could not have been achieved without innumerable basic researches in such obtuse; fields as pure mathematics, j quantum mechanics, relativity, and thermodynamics. It might well be asked: "Why must research bej undertaken in our universities? Surely the job of a university is to teach?” 1 personally believe very strongly that research plays a vital role in all aspects of a university and without it we would indeed be a sterile, obsolescent and impoverished community. For a ttniver? to impart knowledge to its community it is essential that

its staff be constantly aware of changes being made to the common body of knowledge. In a very real sense the university is a community . listening post that should be constantly assessing,, and producing, new knowledge and imparting it to the com- ; munity. In many subjects what was taught even 10 years ago is either no longer relevant or has become obsolescent. This is particularly so in subjects such as physics where the major scientific journal publishes on an average 500 pages per issue every five days. New Developments

By undertaking a programme of vigorous research the university not only makes llts own contribution to the body of knowledge but : ensures that its staff is automatically challenged to keep abreast of new developments as they occur and that the i community is in turn alerted. ! Extensive studies in the United States reveal that (Overwhelmingly those faculty members who rate highest with students are the most productive scholars in terms of research. The myth that research can be separated from teaching in universities has persisted far too long. The vigorous growth of both basic and applied research in. New Zealand universities, though a very recent phenomenon, is already starting to have an impact on the community. By building up groups of highly skilled specialists in a wide variety of seemingly unrelated fields. we are ensuring that there are individuals who can be approached for consultative purposes. What is often lacking is a knowledge of the consultative facilities already existing.

An over-emphasis on applied research is unlikely to supply the individuals necessary to the solution of many of New Zealand’s economic problems. Without vigorous schools of basic subjects as chemistry, physics and mathematics, we will not •be able to meet the challenges of adequately training our engineers, doctors, dentists or economists, to cope with the degree of sophistication now being required of them.

Whereas a few years ago it was thought that subjects such as quantum mechanics, matrix algebra and relativity were primarily of academic interest we are now finding they are becoming of vital importance in the modern technocracy. We need to be extremely careful in making arguments based on relevance, for all too often what is thought to be of great relevance proves to be irrelevant and vice versa. The prediction of the course of technology is a dangerous business.

Quite apart from questions of relevance and economic gains, I believe that if we fail to give unfettered basic research a fair hearing we will in turn deny an important sector of our youth the intellectual challenges they wish to face. The increased emphasis on research in our universities has enlivened and enriched a genuine interest in scholarship and is doing much to retain in New Zealand many of our most able people. The importance of applied research in New Zealand is considerable but we must not, in our desire for an immediate return, overlook the need to support, with equal vigour, basic research. Basic research in New Zealand’s universities certainly warrants more than a small corner in professional schools.