Cronyism, Chemistry and All Quiet on the Election Front

For those of us who think science museums are dry and dusty places full of dry and dusty people, think again. An article in todays Independent (20 April 2005) by Guy Adams reads......

THE SCIENCE OF CRONYISM? STAFF ROW AT MUSEUM GETS PERSONAL

The arts have barely registered on the political agenda recently, but a nasty row is threatening to engulf Britain's biggest cultural institution, the National Museum of Science and Industry.

Staff at the NMSI - who went on strike in February over pay and conditions - have now launched a personal attack on their director, Dr Lindsay Sharp, one of the most highly-paid "quangocrats" in the UK.

They have written to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport outlining 14 complaints against Dr Sharp's regime. The letter, seen by Pandora, alleges cronyism, financial waste and misuse of expenses. Offices at the Science Museum, it claims, have been converted into a flat for Dr Sharp, forcing staff into temporary accommodation. It also complains that Sharp has appointed two friends, Clive Gordon and Matthew Pudney, to his staff.

The NMSI - which runs the Science Museum, the National Film, Photography and Television Museum in Bradford, and the National Railway Museum in York - denies any wrongdoing. An independent review of its funding arrangements is under way.

"The Trustees take any such allegations very seriously and as a public body we're under intense scrutiny," said a spokesman yesterday. "When people known to the director are appointed, it's always through the proper recruitment procedure. Dr Sharp pays rent on his flat that was set by an independent body; and travel expenses are covered only when he's on official business."

MEANWHILE......

The same column reports that Heston Blumenthal - this week voted 'best restauranteur on earth - has been asked by the Royal Society of Chemistry to help write a teaching aid for a new GCSE science course. We think it may be rather neat if they also teamed up with Jamie Oliver and his campaign to improve school dinners..... wouldn't it be great to turn school lunches into one big chemistry experiment......though would the kids really want to tuck into the likes of bacon and egg ice cream???

AND FINALLY.....

We're still kooking out for mentions of science and technology in the general election campaign. So far we haven't come across any of the main parties making any claims about science and technology - apart from policies on GM crops/food and the NHS. If you know different please let us know.

voxScience