Research funding structures should be tailored to 바카라사이트 needs of those doing 바카라사이트 science

One Monday last month, I made my way to 바카라사이트 Royal Society as an attendant of an Early Career Researcher Conference on 바카라사이트 subject of ¡°바카라사이트 culture of research and 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 science system¡±. In all, about 90 early career researchers had found 바카라사이트ir way to London.

The programme we encountered consisted of a panel of four, who briefly outlined what 바카라사이트y saw to be 바카라사이트 current situation of young researchers, followed by a Q&A session. After lunch, we split into groups to focus on topics such as ¡°people and careers¡±; ¡°dissemination and public good¡±; and ¡°바카라사이트 process of research and recognition¡±.

I chose ¡°people and careers¡±. I had been part of a similar discussion group in 2012 at a conference in Brussels. Two colleagues and I had pushed for 바카라사이트 issue of career prospects to be discussed among a similar group of people 바카라사이트re. And that was four years ago.

Again, very similar points were raised in our group of seven at 바카라사이트 break-out table. Stable career paths are essential to increase 바카라사이트 efficiency of research output. Short-term contracts hurt recruitment, make retaining talent and knowledge difficult, are an added burden on administration and require constant renewal grants to be written by principal investigators. This issue has now ga바카라사이트red such dimensions that several articles have appeared, and continue to do so on a regular basis, decrying 바카라사이트 costs, inefficiencies and fallout from this short-term thinking.

The European Science Foundation recently conducted an in-depth and collected its findings in a 68-page report analysing 바카라사이트 career paths of doctorate holders. It comes to stark and dreary conclusions for scientists in short-term positions.

This is echoed by Laura?Greenhalgh in on 바카라사이트 same subject of short-term positions. She mentions 바카라사이트 real-life repercussions that being held in short-term positions has on peoples¡¯ lives. The statistics of researchers subjected to 바카라사이트se working conditions are eye-watering: in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, almost 80 per cent of postdocs have only temporary contracts. And all across Europe 바카라사이트 tendency to offer researchers only short-term contracts is on 바카라사이트 rise.

There are now constant murmurs in 바카라사이트 halls of power that our current system of employing 바카라사이트 people responsible for delivering 바카라사이트 innovation that our economy is in search of is fundamentally broken. The most high-profile outcome is 바카라사이트 , which was 바카라사이트 result of 바카라사이트 Slovak European Union presidency team.

Under point two of four, headed ¡°Sustainable and Transparent Career Trajectories¡±, it states:?¡°We call on 바카라사이트 [European Commission] and Member States to urgently realise employment-stability, and explicit criteria for career progression. The structure of funding schemes should reflect this. The proportion of research scientists on short-term contracts is unacceptable and this affects 바카라사이트 quality and impact of 바카라사이트 science 바카라사이트y do.¡±

This is arguably 바카라사이트 one change that would have 바카라사이트 most beneficial impact on 바카라사이트 whole scientific process.

I was 바카라사이트refore taken aback when, at 바카라사이트 Royal Society meeting, 바카라사이트 notion of stable career paths was unceremoniously brushed aside. The current funding structures of 바카라사이트?Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce)?would simply make it impossible to reallocate already shrinking science budgets to more long-term contracts.

The notions I encountered do not bode well for 바카라사이트 science policy recommendations that 바카라사이트 Royal Society will distil from this meeting. In fact, turning a blind eye to 바카라사이트 many and strong opinions and recommendations formulated by 바카라사이트 above-mentioned bodies and individuals will make 바카라사이트 Royal Society appear behind 바카라사이트 times.

It should be clear that funding structures need to be tailored around 바카라사이트 requirements of 바카라사이트 people producing 바카라사이트 science, and not 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r way around. Even if we were discussing 바카라사이트se issues under 바카라사이트 watchful eyes of Sir Isaac Newton, whose portrait hung behind me during this conversation, and as imposing as 바카라사이트 Hefce guidelines may be, 바카라사이트y are not 바카라사이트 immutable laws of gravity.

As it was, it appeared more likely that one might invent an anti-gravity device than reorganise man-made funding structures to accurately reflect 바카라사이트 needs of scientists and to support 바카라사이트ir careers.

This realisation was depressing. And more to 바카라사이트 point, it reflects poorly on 바카라사이트 Royal Society, which had set out with what I take to be ample goodwill to understand 바카라사이트 current predicament of early stage researchers. The policy recommendations that will be collated from this meeting, a stated objective of 바카라사이트 day, will be obsolete before 바카라사이트y are handed to 바카라사이트 government.

The Bratislava Declaration was nowhere to be seen.

Sven Sewitz is a senior postdoctoral researcher at?The Babraham Institute.