Many scientists in what was once East Germany are certain about only
one thing these days 鈥� the uncertainty of their future. Those working in
institutes of the former East German Academy of Sciences are anxiously waiting
their fates as the German Science Council evaluates their work. But even
a recommendation from the council will not guarantee survival: the institutes
still have to compete for a slice of the country鈥檚 science budget.
As science budgets are hammered out in Bonn and the new 鈥楨ast鈥� German
states, some scientists have decided not to wait and see what happens but
have found work in the old 鈥榃est鈥� German states or abroad.
Bernd Wilhelmi, of the Central institute for Optics and Spectroscopy,
a former institute of the Academy of Sciences, estimates that 20 per cent
of his research staff have found positions elsewhere. 鈥楻ight now, many gifted
young scientists are going to the western part of the federal republic or
to other countries. That鈥檚 a real danger for future research, because it
is changing the composition of our insitutes in the wrong way,鈥� says Wilhelmi.
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The institutes need more than money to survive. They also need efficient
administration. 鈥楾he evaluation process provides a judgment (on the quality
of the science) but it doesn鈥檛 supply an organisational framework,鈥� says
Dieter Bimberg, a physics professor at the technical university in West
Berlin. 鈥楾he people have the political responsibility, the Federal Ministry
of Research and Technology, the Max Planck Society and the Fraunhofer Society,
have to develop a positive policy which will lead to the survival of these
颈苍蝉迟颈迟耻迟别蝉.鈥�
The future of the academy is also murky. The institutes have already
been detached from the academy and handed over to the German Lander, the
states that make up the federal republic. Struggling to divorce itself from
its political past, the academy is trying to reform its internal structure
and decision-making processes. It also has to fight for funds.
