I admire Jeremy McNeil’s point of view on how the Biotron should have been set up similarly to the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany (“Troubling yesterdays for building of tomorrow,” Jan. 19).
The Max Planck Institute has constant structure and full-time researchers dedicated to work in the institute specifically. Max Planck went in the right direction by hiring specific researchers versus researchers/professors.
I believe Western University should look to imitate the Max Planck set-up for the future because the current set-up is not working. Within the Biotron, there are several researchers trying to conduct their own study as well trying to juggle a semester or two of teaching students. This balancing act is one of the key components of why the Biotron is failing.
Without constant work being done, there are no results or progresses being made.
To think about it another way: Say you are a potential researcher who wants to be producing results. Would you want to go to an established institute which has a history of proven results and significant findings or would you want to go to a place where there has yet to be any significance proven? Logic would suggest the individual would choose the proven institute.
As such, Biotron needs to step back and analyze what they are doing wrong. If they continue on this path of employing part-time researchers, the funding going to Biotron will be a waste. This especially would be a significant problem as several other faculties on campus are in need of additional funds with the cuts by the provincial government.
Reuben George
Undergraduate student