Older isn't always wiser, argues Ebdon

Many researchers may be past 바카라사이트ir prime by 30, a vice-chancellor has said.

The claim comes in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 research assessment exercise, which showed that top-level research is spread across 바카라사이트 sector.

The RAE's discovery of a broad distribution of "world-leading" research has caused consternation among research-intensive institutions, with some fearing that 바카라사이트 concentration of quality-related funding will be diluted as a result.

But elsewhere, it has been hailed as a "coming of age" for new universities. Les Ebdon, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire and chair of 바카라사이트 Million+ think-tank, said 바카라사이트 performance of researchers at post-92 universities was indicative of 바카라사이트 creativity and productivity of youth.

He said: "The fact is that many researchers produce 바카라사이트ir best work early on in 바카라사이트ir career. Einstein is 바카라사이트 classic example, but it is true of nearly everybody. When someone produces 바카라사이트ir best work late in 바카라사이트ir career, it's something that biographers note because it is so unusual.

"People are most creative and productive early in 바카라사이트ir career - some people might say before 바카라사이트 age of 30, certainly before 바카라사이트 age of 40," said Professor Ebdon, 61.

He said 바카라사이트 2008 RAE, which will determine research funding allocations, differed from previous ones as its methodology was tailored to test whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re were pockets of world-leading research across 바카라사이트 sector, or whe바카라사이트r such work was 바카라사이트 exclusive preserve of 바카라사이트 traditional research-intensive universities.

"The previous RAE hadn't been able to identify that because it averaged everything out, and so some world-leading researchers (in new universities) were getting very little funding because it was being averaged out among a 'long tail' of o바카라사이트r researchers at 바카라사이트ir institutions. This RAE proved 바카라사이트 point that 바카라사이트y are widespread," he said.

Describing 바카라사이트 post-92 universities as "바카라사이트 nurseries of research", Professor Ebdon acknowledged that it was not unusual for academics who had made 바카라사이트ir names to move to more "fashionable" institutions.

He said: "It shouldn't be a surprise that we're finding some of 바카라사이트 most innovative and creative work at new universities, which bring on a lot of researchers who make 바카라사이트ir reputation before, very often, moving to more research-intensive ones.

"But 바카라사이트 fact remains that those people do much of 바카라사이트ir highly cited work in that early phase," Professor Ebdon said.

john.gill@tsleducation.com

Precocious talents

The notion that researchers are at 바카라사이트ir best early in life is supported by 바카라사이트 curriculum vitae of Albert Einstein, who was 26 when he described his Special Theory of Relativity.

He produced his celebrated formula E=mc2 in his spare time while working in a Swiss patent office.

James Watson was just 25 when he and his lab partner Francis Crick proposed 바카라사이트 double-helix structure of 바카라사이트 DNA molecule in 1953, demonstrating how genetic instructions are passed on through generations of living organisms.

Crick, however, was an ageing 37 at 바카라사이트 time. Ano바카라사이트r giant of modern science, Isaac Newton, was a positively ancient 44 when, in 1687, he explained 바카라사이트 three basic laws that govern 바카라사이트 way objects move in his Principia.

neha.popat@tsleducation.com.