National newspaper letters drive home chemistry importance

Letters in the FT (2 May 2006) and The Times (1 May 2006) drive home messages about the importance of chemistry to future nuclear waste management and to the British economy generally.

The FT runs a letter by RSC chief executive Richard Pike in which he begins his assertions by saying: "We may be able to bury waste from nuclear power but we cannot bury the fact that if the skills erosion continues unabated there will not be enough specialist scientists and engineers to handle the waste properly." 

The Times features a letter from Oxford University Chairman of Chemistry Professor Graham Richards in which he points out the threat to the University of Sussex chemistry department, the fate of which will be decided on 15 May 2006. To illustrate what can be achieved by nurturing chemistry instead of attacking it he cites the fact that Oxford Catalysts, a university spin-out company had, within one day of flotation, brought £14.5m to the university, which had benefited to the tune of £60m over the past 10 years through entrepreneurial chemistry. 

Related links

• RSC response to the nuclear debate