The Simons Foundation

Discuss funding sources for polywell research, including the non-profit EMC2 Fusion Development Corporation, as well as any other relevant research efforts.

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JoeStrout
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The Simons Foundation

Post by JoeStrout »

Resources for the Future has just received a number of grants, including $500K for climate-related activities. This is from The Simons Foundation, whose home page says:
The Simons Foundation wrote:The primary mission of The Simons Foundation is to advance the frontiers of research in the basic sciences and mathematics.
So, they're interested in basic science and math, but clearly not above dipping into some applied work too (e.g. the climate-research grant to RFF). They also give out grants of at least the half-million range. Seems like a good candidate for funding EMC2 FDC, don't you think?
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Post by MSimon »

At this point funders are reluctant to go ahead without Dr. B. aboard. Getting him on board has been difficult to do.

If he was serious about funding he would be talking to all potential sources.

This is not in fact the case.

This can mean one of two things:

1. A deal is close
2. The Drs. rqmts re: funding are very narrow.

Nanos
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Post by Nanos »

I think a 3rd option also exists, in that he wants to get on writing up his work to date and doesn't have time to waste talking to potential sources on the basis that probably most of them will at the end of the day, not be interested and just waste his time, of which he does not have a huge amount left.

As you get older you get more impatient with people giving you the runaround and are less prepaired to spend time in areas you see little future potentional return in.

My impression is that if someone is serious about funding his work, they will make the effort to get him onboard, and thus he will know they are serious and worth the effort to get in bed with.

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Post by MSimon »

Nanos wrote:I think a 3rd option also exists, in that he wants to get on writing up his work to date and doesn't have time to waste talking to potential sources on the basis that probably most of them will at the end of the day, not be interested and just waste his time, of which he does not have a huge amount left.

As you get older you get more impatient with people giving you the runaround and are less prepaired to spend time in areas you see little future potentional return in.

My impression is that if someone is serious about funding his work, they will make the effort to get him onboard, and thus he will know they are serious and worth the effort to get in bed with.
I am familiar with at least one rebuffed effort to get the Dr. aboard from what I consider to be serious people. However, they believe the Drs. person will be required to get the funds. The funders want to meet the "superstar".

My take is the Dr. wants cash in hand and no "time wasters". However, the kind of fund raising required is much like political fund raising. The funders want to meet the "candidate".

The rqmts. for solving physics problems are different from the rqmts of fund raising.

My take is that doing the next experiment will have more value than writing up the last one.

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Post by Nanos »

In that case, it sounds like he wants someone who understands his work.

Are you able to talk about the rebuffed effort ?

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Post by MSimon »

Nanos wrote:In that case, it sounds like he wants someone who understands his work.

Are you able to talk about the rebuffed effort ?
It turns out the individual who is spearheading the effort is physics conversant.

The effort is not over. However, it is stalled.

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Post by Nanos »

Offer more money perhaps to kick things along.

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Post by MSimon »

Nanos wrote:Offer more money perhaps to kick things along.
At this point in time no money will be raised until the Dr. sign's on in some way.

The initial fund raising was to be based on building a continuous operation test reactor.

If the tests are successful raising more $$$ will not be an issue.

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Post by JoeStrout »

MSimon wrote:At this point funders are reluctant to go ahead without Dr. B. aboard. Getting him on board has been difficult to do.

If he was serious about funding he would be talking to all potential sources.

This is not in fact the case.
On what do you base this? Is there any evidence that he is turning away any serious potential funders who want to see him?

He may not be beating the pavement as vigorously as someone half his age would do, but then, he's over 80 and not in the best of health. I haven't heard anything to indicate that there's anything more to it than that. What makes you think he's not looking for funding, or being picky about it (or whatever it is you're trying to say)?

EDIT: I should have read the rest of the thread before replying. So, there's an effort underway, but they're having trouble getting through to Dr. Bussard himself, and so it has stalled. But you can't tell us any more about it?
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Post by MSimon »

JoeStrout wrote:
MSimon wrote:At this point funders are reluctant to go ahead without Dr. B. aboard. Getting him on board has been difficult to do.

If he was serious about funding he would be talking to all potential sources.

This is not in fact the case.
On what do you base this? Is there any evidence that he is turning away any serious potential funders who want to see him?

He may not be beating the pavement as vigorously as someone half his age would do, but then, he's over 80 and not in the best of health. I haven't heard anything to indicate that there's anything more to it than that. What makes you think he's not looking for funding, or being picky about it (or whatever it is you're trying to say)?
Direct feedback from the fund raiser in question. I'm working with him as sort of a "I'll answer any of your deep technical questions" resource and also a brain storming resource. We are working on devising simple explanations to attract funding. When it gets more polished I'll probably publish.

BTW re: "what ever it is" I'm trying to say. It is impression based on fact. It may or may not have anything to do with reality.

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Post by JoeStrout »

MSimon wrote:Direct feedback from the fund raiser in question. I'm working with him as sort of a "I'll answer any of your deep technical questions" resource and also a brain storming resource. We are working on devising simple explanations to attract funding. When it gets more polished I'll probably publish.
OK, so it's not somebody who wants to fund Dr. Bussard himself — rather, it's somebody who wants to help him raise funds. Still valuable, of course, but that may be an important distinction in Dr. B's eyes.

But I hope it goes well. Let us know if there's anything we can do to help.
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Nanos
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Post by Nanos »

Yes, I'm a bit confused, between, is it someone whose got the funds already, or someone who wants to help raise funds for him ?

At the moment it sounds rather than stalled, only in the middle of negoations.

Old people can be very tough when it comes to getting their own way :-)

Whilst not wishing to tell people how to suck eggs, I would like to suggest one asks the good doctor just what he does want as simply as possible, and see if you can provide that. Older people (particularly of that age and ability) do not suffer fools gladly and will not waste time on anything that isn't really important. So if your trying to get through to someone like that, keep communication simple and to the point, do not dress it up in any fancy lawyer speak/etc.

Re-reading the thread, I do get the impression the funding does not yet exist, is that so ?

(If so, I hate to say it, but I can understand why the good doctor isn't taking such an approach seriously.)

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Post by MSimon »

Nanos wrote:Yes, I'm a bit confused, between, is it someone whose got the funds already, or someone who wants to help raise funds for him ?

At the moment it sounds rather than stalled, only in the middle of negoations.

Old people can be very tough when it comes to getting their own way :-)

Whilst not wishing to tell people how to suck eggs, I would like to suggest one asks the good doctor just what he does want as simply as possible, and see if you can provide that. Older people (particularly of that age and ability) do not suffer fools gladly and will not waste time on anything that isn't really important. So if your trying to get through to someone like that, keep communication simple and to the point, do not dress it up in any fancy lawyer speak/etc.

Re-reading the thread, I do get the impression the funding does not yet exist, is that so ?

(If so, I hate to say it, but I can understand why the good doctor isn't taking such an approach seriously.)
Yes. I'm talking to a fundraiser who is the member of a board of a foundation.

He has raised funds for other important projects.

For this project new funds would have to be raised.

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Post by Nanos »

Does that mean the foundation itself does not have the money in hand to spend today ?

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Post by MSimon »

Nanos wrote:Does that mean the foundation itself does not have the money in hand to spend today ?
No money in hand.

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