Great "Nobel Prize" project

I received this mail today on a mailing list. Let me quote it below:

Quote

Since its founding 13 years ago, I was invited by the founder Professor Moo-Young Han
to be a special advisor of the now world renowned KAST (Korean-American Science and
Technology News.) The URL for KAST is http://www.skas.org

In the latest issue 08-20 (No. 596) November 5, 2008, there was a very interesting
section which originated from the Japanese daily online, Sankei Shimbun. This online
had a discussion on “great Nobel prize project” by Seoul National University.
Apparently according to the Sankei Shimbun, this is a project initiated by the current
President of SNU, President Jang-Moo Lee.

In my opinion, the article is so thought provoking, and eerily it can apply in essence
to many Asian countries, not just Korea.

...

The URL: http://sankei.jp.msn.com/world/korea/081017/kor0810170322000-n1.htm

The original article is in Japanese. Below we reproduce the original and our
translation of it in English.

[Foreign News] Letter from Seoul: Grand Strategy for Nobel Prize

[English translation by SKAS]

This year's Nobel prize rush by Japan is causing anguish to one person in particular
in Korea. That is none other than Dr. Jang-Moo Lee, President of Seoul National
University, the most prestigious university in Korea. Two years ago Dr. Lee vowed
during his campaign for the presidency of SNU that by 2015 SNU would produce Nobel
(science) prize winners.

Recently at the 62nd anniversary of SNU, Dr. Lee proclaimed that “Since Japan has
produced so many Nobel prize winners, there is no reason Korea cannot.” And Dr. Lee
instituted “Seoul National University Nobel Prize Project” by inviting top
professors from all over the world.

(Feng’s comment: There is now a website describing President Lee’s pronouncement..

It is http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/10/117_32671.html)

One of the goals of the project is to make SNU the 10th ranking university in the
world by 2025. The latest Times of London rankings of world university ranks U. of
Tokyo 19th, Kyoto U. 25th, Osaka U. 44th, and SNU 50th.

Having no Nobel science prize winners, compared to 15 of Japan, it is quite
understandable for Korea to suffer “Nobel prize complex,” especially with Korea’s
economy being the 13th largest in the world. [ED. The number of Japanese science Nobel
prize winners are not 15, but 13; 7 in physics, 5 in chemistry, and 1 in medicine. See
article #5, 2008, Koran American Forum, SKAS.]

In Korea, top students tend to avoid science and engineering, preferring instead
social science, law and medicine where prospects are more lucrative. Government
support of science is also insufficient. But it is the impatient nature of Koreans
that does not nurture long-term basic research. Perhaps this impatient nature of
Korean culture is the most detrimental factor.

Yes, it is "thought provoking" alright! I am provoked enough to start a discussion of this here.

Am I the only one to be completely repulsed by such a "grand strategy"?

I mean, you don't target a Nobel prize and get it. You do great work, others notice and decide to honour you with an award in appreciation. If Science (or Arts or Medicine or whatever for that matter) is pursued for the sake of medals and honours, there are some serious problems. Science is a journey in exploration -- to understand our world better and provide solutions to problems. Whether this effort results in a Nobel prize or not is totally immaterial -- what does matter is whether this effort resulted in a greater/better understanding of our world; whether we are able to find solutions to our problems and whether our lives are a bit more easier, a bit more harmonious and a bit more meaningful than before.

Why I am provoked is that, I have heard such "strategies" in person from more than one high-ranking and powerful officials in India as well. And they were dead serious about it! But I can't resist thinking "Yeah. Right." The ones who come up with such strategies don't have to do the "prize-winning" research. They probably don't have an idea what it takes to discover something new anyway. If the people whom they support don't win the prize, then they can always blame the failure of the "strategy" on them, their ineptness and their "impatient nature" and their "attitude problems" etc. The "strategists" themselves are never accountable whether this strategy succeeds or fails. And of course, no researcher can ever afford to say that the "strategy" is cow-dung. Because then, they will be promptly labeled as escapist, as someone wanting no accountability and someone who glorifies the days when people just stopped working after they were employed, etc.

Is it any wonder that Asian countries are the way they are? Everything reduces to social acceptance, glory, power and other such social measures. It does not matter that scientific pursuit has got nothing per se, to do with social metrics.

Arrrgh...