The Dinosaur Feather

awarded a single grant to fund Masters, PhDs or postdoctoral studies this year, and that means that when the money runs out, well, then that’s it.’ Hanne fished out a thin string of pearls from under her blouse and started fidgeting with it.
    ‘The Faculty Council controls the distribution of faculty grants and, like in any other council, they agree an overall plan. What to invest in and why. It’s important for Denmark to have a competitive research profile, which not only matches what happens elsewhere in Europe, but also in the rest of the world. Saying that, few people believe that the Faculty Council bases its decisions exclusively on what’s best for Denmark.’ Hanne gave Anna a hard stare. ‘Of course, a certain amount of nepotism exists in the charmed circle that is the Faculty Council. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. A mechanism which has undoubtedly enjoyed great popularity since the government slammed its coffers shut,’ she added tartly. ‘I’m not saying it’s an easy job and that’s why I’ve always avoided administrative work myself. You won’t believe how much money we need to save right now. Council members are under pressure, and they experience, first hand, how even their own areas of research are being slimmed down. They try to compensate for that in the notorious faculty meetings. They trade pots of money and grants like kids trade stickers, and when they make an announcement, everyone holds their breath and crosses their fingers.’ She held her breath for a moment.
    ‘I do actually believe that they’re trying their hardest – up to a point – and that some level of self-promotion is unavoidable. Let me give you an example: take the Natural History Museum’s beetle collection. We have one of the most impressive collections in the world, and it’s left to rot. There’s no one to look after it, and no research happens within that field. Beetles are low status, they’re not “sexy”. The Faculty Council shut down the Department for Coleoptera Systematics, which used to be in this building. At first glance, it seemed a small sacrifice, the department had only two staff, Professor Helge Mathiesen, who was about to retire anyway, and a very young scientist, Asger . . .’ Hanne shook her head, as if she had forgotten his surname. ‘He went into a total tailspin. Before the summer holidays, he had a promising academic career ahead of him, after the summer holidays, his department had been closed. For a scientist who has micro-specialised within a specific field . . .’ Again she shook her head. ‘He’s finished. It’s the end of his science career. That’s the way it is. Certain areas of research are high status because they reflect what’s happening globally, others have high status because they’re areas of interest to members of the council, whose decisions have huge consequences for all of us, depending on whether or not we work in a field which happens to be flavour of the month. Up until this year, I had never been directly affected by the council’s priorities and have always been given my fair share. However, this spring, it was finally our turn. My turn. The department will be closing.’ Her voice rang hollow.
    ‘The bombshell was dropped on the first day after the Easter break. We have three years to finish our work. Research,which has already cost the Danish tax payer millions of kroner, and projects which – were we allowed to complete them – could save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the Third World where parasites kill people every day. Three years. That may not sound unreasonable to you, but it’s the equivalent of building the Great Wall of China in an afternoon. It’s a preposterous timescale.’ Hanne gave Anna a dark look. ‘My research is my life, Anna,’ she said. ‘I’m forty-eight, and I have devoted my life to my academic career.’
    Slowly Anna began to grasp the implications.
    ‘And now you’re scared that you’ll be sacked on the spot if the material found in Helland is traced back to your department?’
    ‘Yes,’ Hanne said.
    ‘What do you want from me?’ Anna asked.
    Hanne shook her head softly. ‘Sorry, I was ranting. Listen, I can’t start asking questions around your department. Not now, after what’s happened. At worst, it will look suspicious; at best, it would be inappropriate. But I need to know about the investigation and, more importantly, in which direction it’s moving.’ She