1.2 billion - New funding for research
New ways to turn scientists into entrepreneurs
By Chang Ai-Lien, Science Correspondent
OVER $1.2 billion will be pumped into efforts to boost research into cancer and natural disasters, and to help researchers turn their findings into money-spinners.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced a host of initiatives yesterday, marking the third year running that the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council (RIEC) handed out over $1 billion.
Previous years focused on the biomedical sciences, environmental and water technologies and interactive and digital media.
This time, the money goes to studying the No. 1 killer here, cancer, as well as to studying natural disasters and weather changes affecting the region and beyond.
Here is where the new funding will go.
$287m: Earth observatory
AN INTERNATIONAL team of scientists will set up a new centre to study nature’s triple threat of earthquakes, volcanoes and global warming.
Singapore offers the perfect stable spot from which to study highly volatile earthquake activity nearby, said Professor Kerry Sieh, who has come from the United States to head the new facility.
The region sees natural disasters regularly, including the 2004 tsunami which left 230,000 dead in the region.
‘We have the opportunity, with our work, to hopefully forecast disasters earlier, and avert disaster,’ Prof Sieh said. ‘This will affect hundreds of millions of people in South-east Asia in the coming century.’
$256m: for cancer
A NATIONAL University of Singapore facility will focus on cancers more common in Asians than Caucasians, and investigate how drugs work differently in Asians.
The Cancer Research Centre of Excellence, which will also aim to quickly transform discoveries into treatments, will be headed by Professor Daniel Tenen from the Harvard Medical School.
RIEC member Professor Paul Herrling said that government support, research facilities and a well-regulated health system give Singapore the edge to become a hub in cutting-edge cancer research among Asians.
$350m: Science business
A SLEW of schemes will help scientists turn their research into moneyspinners.
Aside from helping with funding for start-up companies, there is an innovation fund for universities to create ‘incubators’ with mentors-in-residence.
‘Not every scientist is a good businessman. In fact very few are,’ said PM Lee, explaining why the help is needed.
But the bottom line, he said, was having good ideas.
$360m: Research campus
THE CAMPUS for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise will house research centres from the world’s top universities.
First in will be the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and it will feature energy-efficient technologies for buildings in the tropics.
Architect Russell Drinker, who is leading the project’s planning and architectural design, said that he expected significant savings through the use of solar energy and clean power.
Even the narrowness of buildings, which allow more sunlight to penetrate, was designed to halve artificial lighting needs.
Source : Straits Times - 29 March 2008
Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest
Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985
mindy@mindyyong.com
Microsoft launches BizSpark to boost technology start-ups »« Singapore’s biggest employer still hiring
