I'm grateful to a reader for pointing out something interesting about the Science Media Centre, and in particular about the experts it selects for reaction to major stories. Take a look at the most recent rapid reaction articles on its website and consider the institutions represented:
|
Expert |
Institution |
SMC funder? |
|
Hulme |
KCL |
y |
|
Lewis |
UCL |
y |
|
Ward |
LSE |
|
|
Haigh |
Imperial |
y |
|
Maslin |
UCL |
y |
|
Palmer |
Oxford |
y |
|
Allen |
Oxford |
y |
National Care of the Dying Audit
|
Expert |
Institution |
SMC funder? |
|
Brooks |
Association of Palliative Med |
|
|
Sleeman |
KCL |
y |
|
Expert |
Institution |
SMC funder? |
|
Chico |
U Sheffield |
|
|
Weissberg |
Brit Heart Foundation |
y |
|
Greenwood |
UCL |
y |
|
Collins |
Oxford |
y |
|
Expert |
Institution |
SMC funder? |
|
Shaheen |
QMUL |
|
|
Thomas |
Southampton |
|
|
Sutcliffe |
UCL |
y |
|
Boycott |
Asthma UK |
|
|
Expert |
Institution |
SMC funder? |
|
Farrar |
Wellcome Trust |
y |
|
Dunning |
Imperial |
y |
|
Brown |
Soc Gen Microbiology |
y |
|
Evan |
U South Wales |
|
|
Neuman |
Reading |
|
|
Jones |
Reading |
|
|
Expert |
Institution |
SMC funder? |
|
Willis |
AMRC |
y |
|
Hunter |
BBSRC |
y |
|
Willetts |
BIS |
|
|
Farrar |
Wellcome Trust |
y |
|
Downs |
Soc Biology |
y |
|
Borysiewicz |
Cambridge |
y |
|
Leong |
ABPI |
y |
|
Robinson |
AC3RS |
|
|
Arthur |
UCL |
y |
|
Chapman |
Soc Endocrinology |
|
|
Murphy |
Soc Biology |
y |
|
Bates |
Bioindustry Ass |
|
|
Tooke |
Acad Medical Sci |
|
|
Baker |
Home Office |
|
So on my somewhat small sample, some 22 out of 37 experts (60%) who were approached for comment by the Science Media Centre worked for organisations that currently fund the Science Media Centre.
It's a bit like a promoted tweet on Twitter, isn't it?
*I have not included Bengtsson as one of the experts, since he was the subject of the story.