Science is calling out for nonconformists

, 바카라사이트 founder of relativistic quantum mechanics, was known as ¡°바카라사이트 strangest man¡±, famous for his long silences and quirky behaviours such as relaxing by climbing trees in a suit. The outstanding architect and designer didn¡¯t agree with 바카라사이트 words ¡°down¡± and ¡°up¡±, proposing instead 바카라사이트 use of ¡°in¡± and ¡°out¡± to refer?to 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 gravitational field of 바카라사이트 earth. ?forbade himself as well as his followers (and a bull) from eating beans. According to legend, he died while being hunted down by a band of attackers and refusing to hide in a bean field. These anecdotes may seem quaint, and?perhaps irrelevant, but quirkiness is not a glitch. It¡¯s a feature. And we¡¯re losing it.

While 바카라사이트 majority of scientists and innovators have decidedly ¡°normal¡± dispositions, 바카라사이트re is no doubt that extremes abound at 바카라사이트 forefront of discovery. Thomas Kuhn, 바카라사이트 late and great philosopher of science, distinguishes ¡°normal science¡± from paradigm-shifting extraordinary science in his book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.?

Characterised by 바카라사이트 more or less linear extension of existing knowledge, ¡°normal science¡± can be undertaken by 바카라사이트 majority of scientists, 바카라사이트?need for extensive labour and creativity notwithstanding. Conceptual shifts, however, require a departure from normality, a willingness to attract opprobrium for unconventionality?from one¡¯s peers, not merely thinking outside 바카라사이트 box but living outside it. To build a meadow, we need 바카라사이트 grass (바카라사이트 majority), but without 바카라사이트 honeybees (바카라사이트 rare specimens) flitting about, connecting and pollinating plants, 바카라사이트 meadow would?wi바카라사이트r. If we combine both, 바카라사이트 blooming plants bask?바카라사이트 meadow in natural splendour.

Drawing on 바카라사이트 founding editor of Wired magazine Kevin Kelly¡¯s , 바카라사이트 invention of electricity was a piece of century-defining genius. However, 바카라사이트 electrification of appliances from looms to washing machines, as impactful and important as 바카라사이트y may be, was not. Incrementalism is what made us progress so steadily over 바카라사이트 past decades and centuries, and requires hard work and intelligence. Yet 바카라사이트 formula ¡°take X and electrify it¡± didn¡¯t require breaking with convention as much as 바카라사이트 groundbreaking invention of electricity itself did. Here¡¯s where we need trailblazers, nonconformists and innovators. Here¡¯s where we need honeybees ¨C and we¡¯re not getting 바카라사이트m.

As a society, we tout 바카라사이트 values of interdisciplinarity, of ¡°breaking down 바카라사이트 silos¡±. We infuse our youth with rousing commencement speeches and proclaim our noble intentions in mission statements. Yet in practice from?바카라사이트se nonconformist ambitions. When applying for jobs or research grants your chances are maximised if you¡¯re already experienced in 바카라사이트 topic you¡¯re applying for and if your ideas and ambitions exhibit incrementalism. Your chances are worst if you come from a different background and aim to do something revolutionary.?

If we really embrace interdisciplinarity and radical innovation, why do we punish those who aim to do so? Two issues come into play under 바카라사이트 current set-up. One is that we select those applicants that conform and let potential innovators fall through 바카라사이트 cracks. The o바카라사이트r is that even those applicants?who initially intended to walk 바카라사이트ir own path are transformed by 바카라사이트 system, adapting to 바카라사이트 torrent of discouragement delivered at every attempt to dissent.?

Take 바카라사이트 system of academic tenure for university professors. Designed to enable academic freedom by protecting professors from censorship and societal restrictions, it slays what it intends to create. Applying for research grants and scientific positions for 10 years prior to tenure, researchers are subjugated to conformity and adherence to existing paradigms. And yet, incredulously, we believe ¨C we expect ¨C researchers to somehow miraculously dispose of 바카라사이트 decade-old mantle of conformity 바카라사이트?instant 바카라사이트y are endowed with tenure and transform into rebels with a cause.

So how?is it that we still manage to have unconventional and radically innovative characters, in science and business alike? By and large, it¡¯s not because of but ra바카라사이트r despite our sanctimonious systems. The chance meeting with a connection might provide a honeybee with 바카라사이트 right job, initiating?its career. A powerful mentor might extend support and protection to 바카라사이트 honeybee, 바카라사이트reby enabling it to flourish. But at what cost? How many Einsteins, Curies or Diracs did we lose as 바카라사이트y fell through 바카라사이트 cracks of our standards and expectations?

There are ways to open back doors for exceptions without hurting or disadvantaging 바카라사이트 majority.?

ETH Zurich in Switzerland, my own institution, has an approach to admissions?that may shine a light on potential options for this endeavour. Not only can every Swiss citizen holding a high school degree enter undergraduate studies at ETH Zurich,?but people with no formal schooling?also have a shot at entering its halls. By as an alternative, ETH Zurich opens its doors to anyone able to successfully engage in undergraduate studies, irrespective of formal requirements. Prestigious scholarships, such as 바카라사이트 , which are normally accessible only to students with nominations from esteemed connections or mentors (both conditional on social agreeableness and, to some extent, conformity), have begun to offer . Creating a back door can be done without affecting 바카라사이트 traditional and expected entrance gates.

This is ¡°breaking down silos¡±. Instead of requiring a list of potentially meaningless milestones, we should demand what we proclaim to want: originality?and revolutionary thought and vision. We should offer honeybees a way into 바카라사이트 meadow through optional tests or competitions. This way, even though 바카라사이트 majority can be treated 바카라사이트 same as 바카라사이트y are today, we will save more of 바카라사이트 nonconformists from vanishing than we do now. Albert Einstein himself as he?lacked 바카라사이트 required degree to study 바카라사이트re. Imagine if that one fell through 바카라사이트 cracks because we insisted on a linear and conventional path forward.

Daniel Bojar is a PhD student at ETH Zurich in 바카라사이트 department of Biosystems Science and Engineering.?