Britain's loss is Perimeter Institute's gain

Dissatisfaction with the British government's handling of science funding played an underlying role the appointment of Dr Neil Turok as executive director of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (R$, May 20/08). In interviews with British media, Turok criticized several of the government's recent decisions, including its handling of physics research and a major accounting gaffe which led to a budget shortfall and the decision to pull out of two major space telescope projects (later reversed). Turok accuses the government of failing to understand the importance of science for the UK's future, pointing to the appointment of Malcolm Wicks as science minister even though he has no scientific background. Wicks was subsequently replaced by Ian Pearson, another official with no scientific training. But perhaps the last straw was the government's refusal to fund Turok's plan for establishing the Hawking Institute in Cambridge in honour of his good friend and colleague, Dr Stephen Hawking. Hawking has been invited by Turok to spend up to three months a year at the Perimeter Institute — an offer Hawkings is reportedly seriously considering….