Could not tap talent of half of human population: Global Research Council

Scholars and heads of research councils of over 40 countries, gathered here for the fifth annual Global Research Council (GRC) meet, focused on a serious issue of "how to get more women in science and research while ensuring their equality and status".

"We are not even maximising the talent and capabilities of half of the population across the globe," B. Mario Pinto, president, Natural Science and Engineering Research Council, Canada, said here on Friday.

The annual council meeting was held under the aegis of Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), India, and Research Council UK (RCUK). It also focused on the inter-disciplinarity in research.

"Make in India and Swacch Bharat Abhiyan are a matter of inter-disciplinarity," said Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, union government.

The Global Research Council is a forum for debate and recommendations on key issues affecting research and development and does not fund or facilitate the research. However, members of GRC are either the heads or key members of top funding agencies of different countries.

"We want to use all the talent in science. Let there be no one left behind due to discrimination or other reasons," Yuichiro Anzai, president, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, said.

"As the best science is becoming global, a lot of things are changing. But we are yet to use every talent out there. It's true that the aim of any research is the outcome irrespective of the gender of the scholar. But just imagine the outcome when we will be able to use all that talent which goes undetected or untapped," Rick Rylance, from Research Council UK, told IANS.

Gisella Orjeda, president, National Council of Science and Technology, Peru, stressed on capacity building, the topic for next year's GRC meeting scheduled in May in Canada.

"The GRC will release their recommendations in a couple of days," said Yuichiro Anzai.

--IANS

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