Big Oil Buys Berkeley, California's Love Affair with Big Oil, Big Oil Goes to College

[Bill USA]

A recent post raised the issue of privatization of science in the U.S. http://www.democraticunderground.com/101688115

But Big Oil started doing this several years ago.

When Big Oil, an implacable foe of renewable fuels (ethanol is reducing gas/oil prices and thus reducing Oil industry revenues and profits. THis is NOT how to win friends in the oil industry), controls what research is done at public universities (i.e. research funded by Big Oil's grant money) can we still believe that we are getting unbiased research from these institutions?

Big Oil buys Berkeley
BP 'grants' Half a Billion to University of California Berkeley (with strings/chains attached) --
(emphases my own)
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-washburn24mar24,0,6286060.story#axzz2w9ccCchr

What's more, BP would set up shop on campus: 50 scientists employed by the company would work on joint projects with academic scientists at Berkeley and the University of Illinois. BP also would set up private labs on these campuses, where all the research would be proprietary and confidential.

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The fine print of the plan, which UC made public only after it was leaked, doesn't create much confidence. Californians need to know that their public university is dedicated to pursuing the best science, not just science that generates profits for BP. Unfortunately, the plan indicates that narrow commercial criteria could guide much of the Energy Biosciences Institute's research.


http://www.latimes.com/la-oe-washburn24mar24,0,5211524.story#ixzz2w9fO7EML


[font size="3"]Normally, even when university research is corporate sponsored, professors alone direct and shape it. Often, funds are assigned and research proposals are accepted through an independent, peer-review process.[font color="red"] In the BP deal, however, the institute — with a director to be "proposed" by BP and other high-level positions to be filled by BP employees or appointees — would play a major role in setting research agendas and controlling purse strings. The plan touts the company's role: BP's "business industry leadership will strongly differentiate the EBI from other primarily academic research enterprises."[/font]

The plan also would hand unusual control to BP in other areas. A bedrock principle of academia is that campus-based research should be published. That's why Berkeley bans classified military research from campus; the open exchange of information is fundamental to the advancement of science and education. But those 50 BP scientists on campus would, according to the plan, have "no obligation to publish."


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http://www.latimes.com/la-oe-washburn24mar24,0,5211524.story#ixzz2w9dvUgE9


Big Oil Goes to College - Center for American Progress
http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2010/10/15/206877/big-oil-goes-to-college-university-industry-research-collaborative/#

Why are highly profitable oil and other large corporations increasingly turning to U.S. universities to perform their commercial research and development instead of conducting this work in-house? Why, in turn, are U.S. universities opening their doors to Big Oil? And when they do, how well are U.S. universities balancing the needs of their commercial sponsors with their own academic missions and public-interest obligations, given their heavy reliance on government research funding and other forms of taxpayer support?

The answers to these three questions are critical to energy-related research and development in our country, given the current global-warming crisis and the role that academic experts have traditionally played in providing the public with impartial research, analysis, and advice. To unpack these questions and help find answers, this report provides a detailed examination of 10 university-industry agreements that together total $833 million in confirmed corporate funding (over 10 years) for energy research funding on campus.

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•In nine of the 10 energy-research agreements we analyzed, the university partners failed to retain majority academic control over the central governing body charged with directing the university-industry alliance. Four of the 10 alliances actually give the industry sponsors full governance control.

•Eight of the 10 agreements permit the corporate sponsor or sponsors to fully control both the evaluation and selection of faculty research proposals in each new grant cycle.
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(complete report, Big Oil Goes to College, in PDF can be downloaded here)



California's Love Affair with Big Oil

Last week, the Southern California Association of Governments turned down $11 million in stimulus money for Pearson Fuels to install 55 E85 stations. Huh. And this shortly after the expanded rules were announced for the Renewable Fuels Standard not to mention the Low Carbon Fuel Standard that went into effect on January 1.

What would cause the most notorious state, hailed around the world for its progressive environmental policies, to shun a lower carbon fuel? Hmmm…could it maybe, just possibly be that it is blinded by it’s Big Love for Big Oil?

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Last year California Lawyer Magazine Awarded its Clay Awards which are given to lawyers who show extraordinary achievements. Lawyers John Daum and Mary Nichols both won a Clay Award for two very different achievements. Daum won for his co-counsel regarding the worst oil spill in environmental history – the Exxon Valdez. But he didn’t win for his work to hold Exxon accountable for its actions – he won the award because he was able to lower the punitive damages that were to be paid to fisherman, landowners and others to one-tenth of the original damages. The magazine writes, “This was truly a signature punitive damages case, and it could have major implications for environmental and other torts in the future.”

[font size="3"]While Daum was given an award for his work in defending Big Oil’s environmental offenses, [font color="red"]Mary Nichols, who is the chairman of the California Air Resources Board and Daum’s wife, was given an award for her role in passing the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. This piece of legislation is intended to reduce CO2 emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. While the final rules are just now coming through the pipeline, the policy could potentially regulate all areas of energy use including land use and will be enforced through a “cap-and-trade” program. It is important to note that through this program, Big Oil doesn’t have to reduce its CO2 emissions solely through alternative fuels. If they bring to market technology that reduces CO2 but still uses fossil fuels, the technology will still meet policy requirements.[/font]
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[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Back when Bush Wah was in office

there were reports of Big Biz co-opting universities in this manner, with all proceeds,profits and results going to whichever biz was on campus.
Pharmacy was mentioned at the time.
it gave me shudders then, but I naively thought that no self respecting campus would allow it.

[yurbud]

2. corporate money DOES belong in universities...

tax the shit out of them and give it to educational institutions instead of making schools have to beg the assholes for handouts.

[Bill USA]

3. but that doesn't fit with our Corporate-Feudalist future. We must learn to watch FOXnews and be

happy serfs. Thank you, GOP!