Editor’s note: These letters were written in response to Trevor Fanning’s June 30 column, “BP’s grant to University could be propaganda.”
BP grant column contains factual errors.
I just saw Trevor Fanning’s op-ed piece in the June 30, 2010 Reveille. Wow! I would like to point out a few factual errors in it and express my disappointment that its author did not interview me to get his story straight.Fanning started by referring to “BP’s generous grant to the LSU School of the Coast and Environment — a $500 million chunk to pay for studies on dispersant usage in the Gulf of Mexico and the grim toll it exacts on marine life.”In fact, BP has disbursed only about $25 million of its planned 10-year multi-institutional Gulf Research Initiative — $5 million was to all of LSU (not our School alone); $10 million was to the Northern Gulf Institute headquartered in Mississippi; and $10 million was to Florida Institute of Oceanography. Many universities and researchers will conduct research supported by this funding.The disposition of the remaining $475 million is uncertain.A quote attributed to me is simply incorrect, “ironically beneficial effects that the cocktail of dispersants and oil plumes have had on our study’s sample of coral reefs.” I have not studied coral reefs and dispersants, and I would be very surprised to find that such a cocktail would be beneficial to coral reefs.Mr. Fanning made a sardonic comment about “impartiality,” and commented that “the whole story leaves me with a deeply-rooted but totally unverifiable suspicion [about the grant].” All universities that received BP funding did so with the proviso that they will have total freedom to conduct whatever research they see fit. Resulting publications are to be subjected to rigorous peer-review standards.LSU researchers need external funding. They cannot conduct expensive environmental research without it, and LSU certainly does not have adequate internal resources. It would be preferable to have a broad diversity of funding sources available as we deal with this devastating environmental disaster, but other funding sources have yet to materialize.
Chris D’EliaDean, School of the Coast and Environment
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Columnist’s “suspicion” unfounded.
Re: Fanning’s comments concerning BP grants to LSU School of the Coast and Environment:You impugn without cause the integrity of Dean Chris D’Elia, a man of high standing in the academic and scientific communities with unquestioned ethical and moral standards.You impugn without cause the integrity of the [LSU School of the Coast and Environment] scientists,a premier assemblage of men and women devoted to science in the purest sense.You impugn without cause the integrity of LSU by suggesting that any of the work done by LSU scientists under research grants is tainted.You neglected to note that the expertise of SC&E in coastal and environmental science makes it the logical and proper choice for this research for the benefit of the state and its citizens.You neglected to note that there will be multiple scientists involved in the research so that the all elements of the of the research will be subject to constant review.You neglected to note that such grants are specifically without strings as to what research is done, where, and how it is reported.You neglected to note the long term value of this research. This will not be the last time oil will threaten a marsh, here or elsewhere in the world. This is and will be critical w.ork and SC&E is the right choice.Mr. Fanning’s “unverifiable suspicion” would have been resolved by asking a few questions.
W. Luther Wilsonmember of the SC& E Advisory Council
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