Thomas Fink

How Britain can borrow America’s top scientists

If you knew Albert Einstein was considering leaving the Institute for Advanced Study, what would you do? (Photo: Getty)

From the time of Newton, Britain led the world in science. That began to change in 1940, when, with the Battle of Britain raging, Winston Churchill sent the scientist Henry Tizard on a secret mission to America. His objective was to secure financial and industrial help in the fight against Hitler. His currency was British military technology, in particular the cavity magnetron, a device that made it possible to locate the enemy with radar. This wowed the Americans and achieved his objective. According to one historian, it was ‘the most valuable cargo ever brought to [America’s] shores.’ 

The last ten foreign scientists we brought to the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences, where I work, cost us £3 million

While this was a hand-over of scientific power, it catalysed the Anglo-American scientific alliance, which has seen a flow of talent ever since between our two nations. At times there have been concerns that this might be one-way traffic: from us to them.

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Written by
Thomas Fink
Dr Thomas Fink is the director of the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences, an independent centre for curiosity-driven research.

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