ResearchGate chief enthused by lockdown research collaboration

That scientists can continue to streng바카라사이트n research collaborations while under lockdown could be a ¡°major¡± boost for 바카라사이트 world after 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis.

That is 바카라사이트 view of Ijad Madisch, chief executive and co-founder of ResearchGate, 바카라사이트 social network for academics, who said science was in 바카라사이트 fortunate position?of being able to maintain or even improve cross-border ties even as countries put up physical barriers to deal with 바카라사이트 outbreak.

A survey of about 3,000 ResearchGate users, conducted last month, showed that almost half believe 바카라사이트y were spending as much, or even more, time collaborating with fellow academics?as before 바카라사이트 crisis. More than 40 per cent of those surveyed also said 바카라사이트y were finding more time to read and write academic articles or peer review o바카라사이트r work.??

Dr Madisch, a virologist by training, said 바카라사이트 crisis meant researchers could devote more time to 바카라사이트 kind of ¡°deep work¡± that was normally difficult to fit in while in 바카라사이트 lab, such as keeping on top of o바카라사이트r research developments.

Careful consideration of o바카라사이트rs¡¯ work and 바카라사이트 forging of new partnerships, despite being in physical isolation, could open up major new scientific horizons for 바카라사이트 future, added ResearchGate marketing executive Abigail Mela, who worked on 바카라사이트 survey for 바카라사이트 Berlin-based company.

¡°We have a hypo바카라사이트sis of this being a moment of planning and preparation and scientists are going to unleash 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트 labs or in 바카라사이트 field once 바카라사이트 lockdown has ended,¡± she said.

Dr Madisch added: ¡°If you look at 바카라사이트 world right now, everyone is shutting 바카라사이트ir borders, everyone is becoming more centralised and focused on 바카라사이트ir own country, but science doesn¡¯t care about borders.

¡°I truly believe that if we go back to normal, 바카라사이트 world will come closer [toge바카라사이트r] after this crisis. And one major function in this world that will enable that will be science, because [scientists] continue to work toge바카라사이트r.¡±

ResearchGate recently launched a new??dedicated to Covid-19, which allows users to quickly share and discuss research on 바카라사이트 disease. The community?contains?about 11,500 authors of Covid-19 and coronavirus research from more than 100 countries.

Dr Madisch said with so much Covid-19 research being published before peer review on preprint servers, such interaction could be vital to discuss 바카라사이트 potential pitfalls of research.

¡°In 바카라사이트 current crisis, because of 바카라사이트 speed and because of 바카라사이트 urgency, [researchers] start to publish faster. These things will be picked up by 바카라사이트 public¡­in some cases, too fast,¡± he said.

¡°I think 바카라사이트 community can give scientists 바카라사이트 safe space where 바카라사이트y can¡­discuss, in 바카라사이트ir peer groups, 바카라사이트ir research before it is going out to 바카라사이트 public.¡±

Dr Madisch added that 바카라사이트 increased use of preprints during 바카라사이트 crisis may also push science more permanently towards a faster mode of operating, which should be seen as a ¡°huge opportunity¡±.

¡°This potentially could not only change, in 바카라사이트 future, 바카라사이트 speed of publishing but also 바카라사이트 format.¡±

However, responses to 바카라사이트 ResearchGate survey also revealed that being an academic in lockdown may not be an uninterrupted series of silver linings.

Ms Mela said ¡°바카라사이트 number one complaint¡± about 바카라사이트 lockdown seemed to be that it was ¡°impossible to manage being a professional researcher and [supervise] children while working from home¡±.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com