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To: Elsewhere who wrote (12207)	10/15/2003 7:09:03 PM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793903

"All around the world, people come to America!" Leaving Germany behind Exodus of high achievers threatens the country's biotech industry \| By Jane Burgermeister Germany's business leaders are warning that the continuing exodus of young scientists, in spite of government programs to entice them back home, is now threatening the future of the country's biotechnology industry. Like elsewhere in Europe, many of Germany's brightest science graduates in all disciplines seek their fortunes abroad—but the stream flows fastest in the life sciences. Biotechnology companies badly need these well qualified researchers, Christoph Anz from the Confederation of German Employers'; Associations told The Scientist. “The trouble is that we are losing our highest achievers,” Anz said. “We have reached the point where we will no longer be able to compete in the booming biotechnology sector.” Every seventh person with a doctorate in science leaves Germany for the United States. And three of the four Germans who have won a Nobel Prize are currently working in the United States, noted Markus Albers in Die Welt am Sonntag. “The top scientists know their own value, and they rightly insist on excellent working conditions and an appropriate level of pay. These two together can hardly ever be found in Germany,” said Helmut Schwarz, vice president of the German Research Foundation, a body that promotes research at universities and other publicly financed research institutions in Germany. “We don't have proper career paths, people are paid according to set bands and not according to their performance. In America, scientists can earn three times as much,” Schwarz said. He added that money was not the only problem; young German researchers are hampered by government regulations. “A passion for science and a stimulating international campus atmosphere” are also missing in Germany, he said. However, Barbara Dufner from the German Ministry for Education and Research told The Scientist that the government's campaign to reverse the exodus of young researchers was bearing fruit. The government has spent 110 million euros in the past 3 years on a “brain gain” campaign, including offering special funds to lure back young expat researchers. Furthermore, a new academic position of junior professor has been created in universities. “The junior professorship goes some way to offering young researchers freedom, flexibility, and independence,” Dufner said. Until now, postdocs in Germany have had to do a second doctorate, called the Habilitation—lasting up to 6 years—before being able to apply for full professorships. But Michael Madeja from the nonprofit Hertie Foundation, which has started a special 1.2 million euro program to keep young brain researchers in Germany, said he was doubtful that the creation of a limited number of underfunded junior professorships would be enough to tempt young researchers to stay. Christoph Anz also said that the government's moves were a step in the right direction but that more action was needed. “Sweden has shown that it is possible for a country to create attractive conditions for researchers in spite of high taxes,” he said. “It will be a long haul before Germany has anything like the same conditions.” biomedcentral.com