Words of Wisdom #2

What better way to start the new year than with Words of Wisdom? For the second installment of our blog series featuring interviews with science managers, we welcome Dr. Serge Moore. Serge is the manager of Québec’s Laboratory of Environmental Testing at Environment and Climate Change Canada. He oversees one of Canada’s five environmental toxicology and forensic chemistry laboratories, focusing on water metal content analysis across much of Ontario’s eastern border. Beyond his PhD in Chemistry from Université de Montréal, Serge is skilled in electronics, computer programming, and even woodworking.

In this edition of WoW, we explore the challenges and unique aspects of managing science in the public sector.

SPTS: What would you say are the main challenges of scientific work in a public-sector non-academic space? How do you contrast it with academia or industry?

SM: In my experience, politics and public opinion significantly influence the scientist’s work—decisions on how to use results, whether to publish them, or even what to focus on. While similar dynamics exist in academia and industry, the public sector is particularly vulnerable to changes in government leadership. These shifts introduce additional layers of complexity that can take decision-making out of scientists’ hands.

SPTS: What would you say is harder to fund in public-sector research: infrastructure or sustained operations/projects?

SM: This depends on definitions. We distinguish among infrastructure, capital, operational, and human resources:

• Infrastructure: Buildings and general assets not directly related to specific scientific equipment. These often have decent budgets, especially when safety or security improvements are needed.
• Capital expenditures: High-value instruments or equipment. Funding for new instrumentation is particularly challenging.
• Operational budgets: Consumables and tools needed to run equipment. These budgets are typically fixed and rarely increase, one of the reasons why new instruments are hard to fund.
• Human resources: Team headcounts, which are significantly influenced by political factors.

In my daily work, the hardest to fund (in order) are operational > capital > human resources > infrastructure. However, circumstances can shift—for example, human resources can sometimes be particularly difficult to secure.

SPTS: How do you view motivation? What keeps a scientific team motivated?

SM: Two main aspects come to mind—practical and professional.

• Practical: Flexible working hours are incredibly impactful, particularly for employees managing family responsibilities.
• Professional: Helping employees feel proud of their work. This is especially important for specialists—for example, someone deeply knowledgeable about fish toxicology can become highly attached to their contributions. Respect and recognition go a long way in maintaining motivation.

SPTS: What pitfalls have you observed in your career that you’d advise junior scientific managers to avoid?

SM: The most important advice is to consistently self-reflect and understand your ambitions. The public sector has strict rules to ensure information is accessible to everyone, which can help employees navigate their career progression. However, climbing the ranks is often opportunistic, so timing is also critical. While this may not be a direct pitfall, being mindful of it is essential for long-term success.

That is it! Thanks Serge for your Words of Wisdom! Set Physics to Stun hears you!

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