I guess it was only a matter of time. My pal associate professor Steve Keen at the University of Western Sydney is now actively soliciting corporate sponsorship in order to boost his income. All power to him.
Steve has been a savvy user of online payments systems, and says he has raised $18,500 since September last year alone. Recognising that having a personal corporate sponsor might be perceived as undermining his academic integrity, Steve explains, "I am aware of the danger of letting commercial sponsorship alter one’s message, and I want to make it clear that I will not let that happen to me."
In answering the question as to how any funds he receives will be utilised in the name of research, he responds plainly, "Part will go to my income. I didn’t start the blog to make money, but to warn about its destruction on a global scale. However, now that I have succeeded in that aim, I want to be able to continue working...without having to consider my financial security while I do it."
Good luck to him. It is a rare blessing to be able to do what you love and never worry about your financial future. In person, I've always found Steve to be a very affable fellow.
