How to save Russian science

On June 28, 2017, a rally was held in Moscow to increase the budget financing of science. Since the protests against the Law on RAS Reform, the public activity of scientists has almost naught. However, the fact that even in the summer, in the season of summer practices and field work, about a thousand people came to Suvorovskaya Square, suggests that many scientists and caring citizens are ready to continue to go to the streets in defense of science.

One of the goals of the rally was to attract the media attention to the problems of financing science, and, in my opinion, this was quite possible. There were a lot of publications in good editions, although some of them were based on a message from an information agency, which did not quite accurately transferred the position of the scientific community. It was not possible to convey one of the important theses why we demand an increase in the financing of science: because it was promised by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Some people have reacted negatively to the call to increase the financing of science: “Again, scientists ask for money,” but this is from a misunderstanding that in Russia there is a competitive science in Russia, it cannot be financed according to the residual principle. I think that our most important call is strategically - this is “scientists should control science.” It also follows a more effective distribution of funds, a real independent examination of everything that is done in Skolkovo, Rusnano or the Kurchatov Center.

Video Report about the rally with the commentary Evgeny Onishchenko

In the modern world, one of the most important resources is public opinion. For his sake, a huge propaganda machine works, certain reforms are carried out. Publicity, representation of UKI and scientists in the media is very important, this one of the important ways to save science. We need to bring our agenda to society.

To do this, it is not necessary to constantly go to rallies: many scientific institutions are systematic with the press, and this is very important. This allows you to directly, without a state, to perform one of the most important functions of science - educational. I hope that the awareness of the need for this will appear in a larger number of scientists and institutions.

Science continues to be value for so many of our fellow citizens. When I published photos from a rally on social networks, several of my friends responded that they could also come to him, but they did not know anything about him. Unfortunately, informing about a rally in social networks was organized much worse than in the media.

Meanwhile, social networks (primarily Facebook and VKontakte) play an increasing role in Russian civil society. Many scientists continue to communicate in electronic newsletters, send each other texts on topical topics. But without an active presence on social networks, all our rapid internal discussions will have a very small effect outside the scientific community. If the media is third -party resources, then our pages and groups in social networks are our own. Just register on the social network and find all your friends there. Society is people around us.

We need to try to get out of our narrow circle and conduct a dialogue with the whole society. After all, if you think about who is now in power in Russia and what are their values ​​and priorities, it will become clear that our main support is society. Social networks provide constant dialogue with society, transparency and, therefore, trust.

The third most important part of the salvation of science is scientific self -government . In addition to us, no one will decide how to organize the work of scientists by mind. In order for science to be controlled democratically, you need to develop these procedures from the very bottom.

In June of this year, I switched to half -time, like many scientists, because the decrees of President Putin from May 2012 demanded an increase in the average salary, but they did not allocate money for this. If the director of the institute did not depend on officials, but on scientists, of course, I would not do this. But even in the conditions when we are managed by officials, you can meet, discuss scientific events and negotiate joint actions with colleagues.

Bureaucracy, as an ideal gas, will expand until it is possible. Today we primarily respond to external challenges, instead of constantly putting pressure ourselves. To be able to better protect your rights, it is useful to participate in other Russian public initiatives, to be part of the entire civil society - after all, we live in the same country. External challenges also revealed the internal weaknesses of the organization of our science. I hope that science and scientists will be able to rebuild and be an important part of the future of our country.

Yaroslav Nikitenko,
ml. scientific. sore. Institute of Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
Ecological activist
Photo I am . Nikitenko and n . Demina

Report about the rally with the comment E. Onishchenko see . www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm6gxusucjw