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Canada Hires 48 Scholars Away From Top US Universities

Slashdot
1 week 3 days ago
Canada is recruiting 64 researchers to universities across the country (source paywalled; alternative source), including 48 from U.S. institutions such as Harvard, Yale, and MIT. The hires are backed by more than $364 million in government funding and are part of a broader effort to attract researchers in fields such as AI, climate science, and medicine. The New York Times reports: While scientists often shy away from political discourse, some are saying the Trump administration's assault on science is behind their departure. "I used to live in the country that I thought was the most enthusiastic about the prospects for science improving the human condition, of any country in the world," said Phillip Zamore, the chair of RNA Therapeutics Institute at the University of Massachusetts. "And I woke up one day and that wasn't true anymore." He has been recruited to McGill University in Montreal, which has also hired five other researchers, and will join the medical faculty. "If scientists don't stand up for truth, no one will," Dr. Zamore said. The Canada-bound brain drain from U.S. institutions began last year as the Trump administration put forward policies that targeted foreign students, academic freedom and funding for equity-related programs. Kevin Hall, a nutrition scientist who left the U.S. National Institutes of Health last year, accusing federal officials of censoring his research on ultraprocessed foods, has been hired at the University of Ottawa. "While certain countries are cutting research and turning their back on academic freedom, we're doubling down on science," Melanie Joly, Canada's industry minister, told reporters at the announcement, in Vancouver, of the new university hiring. She billed it as the world's "largest talent attraction" project. The European Union has made a similar push. "Years from now, we will look back at today's announcement, and we will be able to seize the lasting impact of our choices," Ms. Joly said. Unpredictable decisions about funding prompted Seth Guikema, a professor in civil and environmental engineering, who has specialized in natural hazards modeling at the University of Michigan, to look elsewhere. His work focuses on how climate hazards inequitably affect communities, and that work has become harder to fund, he said. "Every country sets its priorities in terms of what is going to get funded, and I think Canada has done a very good job of supporting research in areas that really matter to society," said Dr. Guikema, who will start at Western University in London, Ontario in January.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

BeauHD

Error'd: Hello, New Mexico!

The Daily WTF
1 week 3 days ago

Peter G. shared with us yet another ordering bungled example of. "Should really say "please engage in an Easter egg hunt to find your language"."

"Google can't count" claimed Peter S.. It adds up. "Yet another proof that 0=1, this time from Google."

"Thanks, Microsoft" groused Ivan "Ever since Microsoft ate university e-mail services worldwide and became responsible for major free software mailing lists, quality of service has been steadily dropping. In order to report delivery problems to Outlook, you need a Microsoft account. You're prevented from creating it at first because of "suspicious activity". Once you're in, the contact address is pre-filled for you with an invalid email. Once you fix that in the web developer toolbar, fuck you anyway! I think the form isn't actually expected to work; the fact that the request was submitted is an error. The only thing missing from the experience is the "beware of the leopard" sign."

"Mango Math" needs a bit of money math for the rest of the world to understand. Michael R. muttered "I will buy it by the slice then." The joke here is on the tip of my tongue. Explainer: the new pence is one hundredth of the decimal pound. No shillings no more, decreps! At that ratio, 3p per slice of cheesecake would indeed be far less dear than four pounds for the whole thing, barring translucent slices. Alas, the reality is simply the boring fact that the price is 3p per gram. Not as funny but I'm chuckling imagining Michael's transparent serving of diet cheesecake. I'll leave it up to you to decide if a gram really counts as an "item".

Clint clucked "Got this email from Bigbadtoystore. Lots of links available for preorder!" I think the talented website builders behind the New Mexico DOT have been busy.

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Lyle Seaman