British Scientist Accused Of Okinawa Absenteeism

[Mulboyne]

[floatl][/floatl]Yomiuri: Boffin picked for OIST job rarely at desk
The head of the preparatory body for a government-backed project to establish a science and technology graduate school in Okinawa Prefecture worked an average of just one day a week, despite the position being designated a full-time post, it has been learned. Sydney Brenner, a leading molecular biologist who won the 2002 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, was appointed as the head of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), in keeping with the government's desire to have a star in the field of science lead the new school. The British scientist took up his 17.6 million yen-a-year position last September and is a candidate to become the first president of the school. However, with research activities in Britain, Singapore and the United States, Brenner attended to his work in Japan for just 63 days during the 15 months to the end of November. In addition, he did not travel to Japan at all in December 2005, nor during the following month, because of poor health...Hidehiko Itaya, deputy chief of the New Graduate School Project Office in the Cabinet Office's Okinawa Development and Promotion Bureau, said: "Even if he isn't in Japan, he attends to his work and keeps in touch by telephone and e-mail. So his working conditions are regarded as full-time"...more...

Looks like someone doesn't want Dr Brenner around anymore.

[Mulboyne]

Asahi: Questions raised over scientist's trip claims

Improper paperwork appears to have dogged the head of a government-funded Okinawa organization attempting to open a top graduate school of natural sciences. An investigation by The Asahi Shimbun has found that Sydney Brenner, president of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Promotion Corp., used public funds for trips that were not backed with proper documents showing they were taken for business purposes. Brenner, a British molecular biologist, won the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 2002 and was appointed president of the corporation in September 2005 by then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, upon establishment of the corporation. Initial plans called for opening the graduate school in 2007, but difficulties in recruiting "the best minds of the world" in natural sciences has delayed the opening until 2012, at the earliest.

The trips in question cover seven around-the-world tickets purchased in fiscal years 2006 and 2007, according to internal documents and organization sources. All tickets were for first-class seats, and the organization paid the full amount of about 9.4 million yen in total. Brenner's travel expenses including these trips totaled 11.8 million yen in fiscal 2006 and 12.1 million yen in fiscal 2007, according to the organization. In a written response, Brenner, 81, indicated that internal paperwork had not been sufficient and that measures would be taken to improve document processing related to business trips. At the same time, Brenner defended his trips, saying they were necessary to attend international conferences or recruit researchers.

Large portions of Brenner's around-the-world trips did not have paperwork indicating they were taken in connection with official business. For example, Brenner flew from San Diego to San Francisco and then to Kansai International Airport in July 2007, using an around-the-world ticket costing about 1.5 million yen. This portion has been confirmed as being business-related, but the subsequent portion that took Brenner to Singapore, London and back to San Diego has not been confirmed, in part because there were no documents attached, as required by in-house regulations, to show the trips were work-related. Similar problems arose in relation to the other six tickets. The seven tickets covered a total of 32 segments, but there are no documents that clearly proved that 25 of the segments were directly related to work.

Other questions also have been raised about whether government funds are being used efficiently in connection with the organization. For example, Brenner has been treated as a full-time employee, entitling him to an annual salary of 17.6 million yen. However, records show that he was only in Japan for 56 days in fiscal 2006, while he was only in Japan for 44 days in fiscal 2007. Questions have also been raised about staffing plans for the graduate school, with only 19 researchers recruited as of September, well short of the goal of 50.