Establishing an eScience Programme

• Will happen (only) if national government invests– effectively it is a pre-seed fund investment

• National government will invest if:– key research institutions support and are prepared to invest

– it is persuaded that eScience is a key enabler for the future economic and social wealth/progress/survival of the country

• Industry will invest if:– it sees government is prepared to invest

– it sees opportunity for future strategic and commercial benefit

– it sees a durable programme of activity

Establishing an eScience Programme

• Must be seen as a long-term programme based on a living strategy– the long-term future is fuzzy

– the total cost over a decade is fuzzy, large

• Funding:– While existing programmes will probably be the source of initial funds,

the processes are not a good match for the strategic investments required

– Need to establish a new and durable programme for this purpose

• Structure– a real collaboration and interaction between key research institutions in

Chile and between those institutions and the government

Establishing an eScience Programme

• What benefits does Chile get from establishing and eScience programme?– Innovation is the key to economic and social development

– Research and development is the foundation for innovation

– Access to data, analytic and simulation capability, research infrastructure, and collaborative interaction nationally and internationally is the key enabler of modern R+D

– Provides an environment to develop, attract and retain key innovative personnel

– Providing an access framework under an eScience programme affords

opportunities for more equitable outcomes for education (K-12 and

tertiary), health and social programmes across the country

Establishing an eScience Programme

• What’s the research/innovation case?:– Is a key platform for research in areas of key social and economic interest

to Chile: agriculture, mining, environment,etc

– Is a key platform for research area where Chile has a comparative advantage - eg astronomy

– allows broader access to international resources that Chile cannot afford alone- eg advanced instruments, synchrotrons, data bases

– allows for research training to a larger and broader group of (young) Chilean researchers at home

• What’s the society benefit case?– Improved capacity to deliver equitable outcomes in education, health and

government services (access and delivery mechanisms)

– Improved capacity to deliver better ‘environment’ outcomes