TWO LEADING academics, who have voluntary positions on the board of Crann (Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices) in Trinity College Dublin, are calling for Ireland to invest more in research and development to help Ireland’s economic recovery.

“The amount of RD investment is so small for an issue that is so important,” said Prof David Awschalom, an expert in nanotechnology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, “particularly in a recession when you are talking about the country’s economic future.”

Prof Christoph Gerber is from the University of Basel in Switzerland, where, he said, there was tangible evidence of the benefits of long-term research investment.

“We are not suffering as much as other countries because of the work that was done in the past.”

The Swiss government recently announced €100 million in funding to support a centre of excellence for smoothing the gap between research and commercialisation.

Both academics warned against calling a halt to existing RD investment programmes.

“The worst thing you can do in the world of science and technology endeavour is to display to the world that you have no long-term commitment,” said Prof Awschalom. “The message would be relayed . . . that Ireland is not a serious player and pulls the plug when times get tough. That would be hard to repair.”

They said Crann had achieved much since it was established in 2003. It has forged links with HP and Intel and is working on products based on nanotech research that could get to market in five and seven years. Considering that 10 years is the typical timescale from discovery to product, the professors said it highlighted what well-run research centres could achieve.