Scientist calls U of C energy centre a failure
Former director of group within Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy speaks out
CBCNews, Studio Calgary: „David Keith is right here in our studio tonight. He was one of the star scientists recruited to run the institute, however he left. He is now at Harvard University in Massachusetts. First of all, let me start off, David, by saying: 'Thank you for coming in today.'“
David Keith: „Thanks very much. Great to be here.“
CBCNews, Studio Calgary: „So, first question is: Why did you leave ICE?“
David Keith: „I left cause it wasn't working very well. I left because I didn't see a prospect for really succeeding because of the kind management failures of the university.“
CBCNews, Studio Calgary: Oh when you joined it was very infancy in the early days. There were big plans to create some meaningful dialogue and communication between industry and policy makers, environmental researchers. What went wrong in your view?“
David Keith: „So there are hard to do first of all.“
CBCNews, Studio Calgary: „Yeah.“
David Keith: „So to some extent it's just hard when the stakes are made. But I think the thing you got to focus on at least three seperate big initiatives have all kind of foundered away not totally failed but really not succeeded anything like the dreams in public announced many of us had. And so: it's time to ask: Why? And for me the central reason is the university did not really think of creative and serious ways to manage conflicts of interests. It's not that the conflicts of interests are bad. They are natural. So it's normal for industry to have a point of view. That's what they should do. And it's normal for regulators to regulate and for environmental advocates to advocate. No problem. The problem was the university has to have a backbone and the university has to think really creatively about how to manage those conflicts to get a good public dialogue going and get good analysis out there. I think instead university senior management tended to think of these conflicts as kind of a sideshow they manage on adhoc basiis when problems arose.“
CBCNews, Studio Calgary: „Alright and you expected these major donors – these industry experts or companies to be weighing on these sorts of decisions. That's not a surprise to you then?“
David Keith: „No, it's healthy. Industry knows much more about how the energy sector works than the academics do in many cases. So you need active involvement with industry and in effect the industry interest is actually the right answer.“
CBCNews, Studio Calgary: „O.K. And you suggested earlier that Enbridge actually had some say or its input was taken seriously by the university to the point that an employee was let go. Enbridge has come out today and responded saying it has never meddled in any of these sorts of things. So what is your response to that?“
David Keith: „Soo I don't know precisely what Enbridge told you. I don't have no particular beef with that. What I know what happened inside the university the employee was recommended to drop out on being on the EPA's Scientific Advisory Board (U.S. Board) and eventually decided he wouldn't return to that center. He wasn't gone (?) to the university and from my understanding that was Enbridges request but I don't know that for fact.“
CBCNews, Studio Calgary: „And what do you think about the university's response? We have not told the public exactly what the response was. We are going to get there in a short time. But basicly the university is saying that it is happy with the way things are being run.“
David Keith: „So that's a very odd response I think it speaks to the measurements we are talking about. I mean it would have been much more afresh when the university has said: „Hey, we know there are problems. We've got plan(?) effects (?). That here's what we are gonna do: we welcome Edward. So, I see the main mist I was involved with it's not answer(?) about two or less than two or less than two fulltime equivalent faculty. They have divided the staff by about half in the last half year the executive director's offices is open if you go around there. Moral is very low so if that's success that's a very weird kind of success.“
CBCNews, Studio Calgary: „Alright, we have to leave it at that for today. Thank you so much for coming in, David.“
David Keith: „Thank you very much.“
CBCNews, Studio Calgary: „We appreciate that. And David Keith is the former head of ICE. He now teaches at Harvard University.“
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2013/01/28/calgary-university-energy-centre.htmlThe former director of an interdisciplinary research group of an energy research centre at the University of Calgary is calling the centre a failure.
Climate scientist David Keith says the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy is critically important, but has not been able to balance the interests of private industry and environmental advocates.
Keith says the university for example, removed an academic at the request of Enbridge.
"That just fundamentally misconceives the university's role," says Keith who is now a professor at Harvard University in the United States.
Liberal MLA David Swann says he's concerned.
"It's affecting both the direction of research and the results of research and it throws into question the results we're producing at the university of Calgary," Swann said.
Meanwhile, Liberal leader Raj Sherman is calling for an investigation.
"The Integrity of one of our top institutions has been brought into question by a highly respected individual," Sherman says. "This needs to be looked at."
Enbridge released a statement to CBC saying the company was not involved in the recruitment process, the appointment nor changes to leadership roles at the university and "any claims to the contrary are categorically false."
"A lot of people put a lot of effort into this institution. A lot of good will effort. A lot of good people at U of C worked hard and we basically fumbled this institution," says Keith.
He adds poor management on the part of the university, which took too long to make important decisions about the Institute, contributed to its failure.
U of C issues statement
In a written statement to the CBC, the University of Calgary says the centre was created to develop cost-effective solutions to the environmental challenges of energy production and use.
"We believe ISEE is delivering on that mandate," reads the statement.
On Wednesday, the U of C issued the another statement from president Elizabeth Cannon:
"The University of Calgary believes in and supports the academic integrity and independence of scholarly inquiry that is the foundation and core value of great universities. Balancing the views and interests of the academy, industry, government and non-governmental groups is not always easy, and often there are conflicts and disagreements. We believe that a university offers a valuable forum for debate, collaboration, and ultimately, ground-breaking research to address the significant challenges facing our society and our world. The University of Calgary’s belief in independent scholarly inquiry and academic freedom guides us when there are conflicts. The university’s executive is committed to continuous improvement in academic and administrative leadership and management.
The University of Calgary is moving forward with an ambitious agenda to become one of Canada’s top five research universities. Our Eyes High strategy was launched at the end of September 2011 after extensive consultation with faculty, staff and students. During the 2011 – 2012 academic year, with extensive input and consultation from the academy, the university developed an Academic Plan and a Strategic Research Plan. The Strategic Research Plan identified six themes, one of which is “Energy Innovations for Today and Tomorrow.”
Beginning in 2012, the university began developing an interdisciplinary energy research strategy with extensive input from, and consultation with, the internal academic community, the energy industry and government. The strategy builds on existing research strength at the university, led by more than 200 researchers in a wide range of disciplines, including science, engineering, law, economics, health, management and public policy.
An independent panel of international academic experts will be asked to review the strategy to ensure that it is of the highest calibre and at a global level. Effective September 1, 2011, David Keith, a respected academic and researcher, resigned from the University of Calgary. He stepped down from his full-time professorship and accepted an appointment with Harvard University in applied physics and public policy. He remains an adjunct professor in the Physics and Astronomy Department at the University of Calgary, and is a visiting fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy (ISEEE). On November 15, 2012, the University announced that ISEEE was moving into the Faculty of Science and that its future direction would be determined within the context of the emerging energy research strategy. While ISEEE has had successes, there have also been challenges.
We believe that more closely aligning the activities of ISEEE with our Energy Research Strategy will lead to greater success for all involved. All of us — academics, industry, government, NGOs, and community leaders — have a role to play in addressing societal challenges. This requires collaboration and mutual respect. The University of Calgary values the support of our many industry partners, including Enbridge.
The Enbridge Centre for Corporate Sustainability in the Haskayne School of Business is designed as an incubator for the research and development of business practices that account for social, environmental, and economic considerations. We are proud to partner with Enbridge on this important initiative. The Centre’s terms of reference make it clear that it will at all times operate within the mandate of the university for independent scholarly inquiry and academic freedom. We believe that the University of Calgary can create neutral ground for impactful and relevant research and education. We welcome all perspectives, including constructive criticism, to help us better deliver on this commitment to our students, faculty, staff and all Albertans."
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2013/01/28/calgary-university-energy-centre.html
