Science eats its seed corn 28 Oct 2009 An essay in PLoS Biology observes that the state of granting in science is having a chilling effect on research, by selecting for a lack of originality and allowing too short a time frame to plan and undertake research. As a result, scientists are dropping out of doing science altogether early in what should have been their careers. As the author, Peter Lawrence, says, having described the plight of “K” (not the Kafka character, but close): K.’s plight (an authentic one) illustrates how the present funding system in science eats its own seed corn[2]. To expect a young scientist to recruit and train students and postdocs as well as producing and publishing new and original work within two years (in order to fuel the next grant application) is preposterous. It is neither right nor sensible to ask scientists to become astrologists and predict precisely the path their research will follow—and then to judge them on how persuasively they can put over this fiction. It takes far too long to write a grant because the requirements are so complex and demanding. Applications have become so detailed and so technical that trying to select the best proposals has become a dark art. This is not confined to the sciences, of course, but it is particularly problematic there. I have watched a number of academics struggle to find funding while trying to run an existing research project. One almost needs to have done the present project altogether before you apply for the funds. General Science Politics
Politics Caste in India 2 Mar 2010 3 Quarks Daily has an excellent essay on the evolution (cultural, of course) of the Varna and Jati system in India. This is often referred to by westerners as “the” caste system. Read More
Evolution NYE: the aftermath 1 Jan 200818 Sep 2017 OK, so the next door party finished about 1.30, but the family disputes finished about 5 am, so instead of thinking, I’m going to let others think for me, and round up a few New Years Day links… Read More
General Science Begging questions about philosophy, science and everything else 1 Sep 20121 Sep 2012 Those who know me well take great care not to say (at least when I am in earshot) “That begs the question…” and mean by that “That raises the question…”, or else they will get a dissertation delivered for a period on the right use of that phrase. That’s right, folks,… Read More
How odd – I’m basically a scientist who has dropped out of science for that reason, and I keep meeting other smart scientists in the same boat or at the very least having trouble staying motivated to finish up the PhD. And doing the research before writing the grant is not new. I met several rather senior scientists in the 1990s who only kept their large, established labs running with tricks like that.