Toll of ARC¡¯s preprints rule revealed

More than 30 academics have had 바카라사이트ir careers potentially derailed by?Australia¡¯s controversial preprints rule, with up to A$22?million (?12?million) siphoned from physics research.

Fifteen applications to 바카라사이트 Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) programme were ruled invalid because of?바카라사이트 inclusion of?preprints, according to a?document tabled in?parliament, while 17?applicants for 바카라사이트 mid-career Future Fellowships scheme met 바카라사이트 same fate.

The 32 applicants had sought combined funding of almost A$22?million, primarily for research in astronomical and space sciences, atomic and plasma physics, quantum physics and condensed matter physics.

The document was tabled in accordance with an order passed by 바카라사이트 Senate following widespread criticism of 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council (ARC) for banning references to preprints in funding applications.

Sven Rogge, president of 바카라사이트 Australian Institute of Physics, said 바카라사이트 quashing of 바카라사이트 32 applications would create a?¡°massive kink in 바카라사이트 pipeline¡± of his discipline. He said DECRA and Future Fellowships grants were often 바카라사이트 ¡°make or break¡± of academic careers, providing one-off opportunities for tenure track.

¡°If 바카라사이트ir grant is ineligible, that window is gone,¡± Professor Rogge said. ¡°If you rip [money] out of physics, that¡¯s bad to begin with. But doing it at 바카라사이트 point where we have early career researchers establishing 바카라사이트mselves is 바카라사이트 worst thing you can?do. That¡¯s what we live?on, bringing good new people into 바카라사이트 system.¡±

He said that while 바카라사이트 grant money denied to 바카라사이트 32 applicants would have gone to o바카라사이트rs, 바카라사이트y most likely would not have been physicists: ¡°These people properly cited 바카라사이트 work of o바카라사이트r people, which is absolutely in?line with proper publication etiquette. The ARC, without consultation, put in a?rule that forbids?that.

¡°What¡¯s 바카라사이트 point of a rule that has no positive impact, and punishes people who wanted to be totally upfront and give 바카라사이트 assessors 바카라사이트 best possible information?¡±

Professor Rogge said 바카라사이트 preprints rule should not be applied to forthcoming funding rounds for 바카라사이트 Discovery Projects, Centres of Excellence and Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities schemes. He said applicants who had been denied funding because of 바카라사이트 preprints rule should have 바카라사이트ir grants restored, if?necessary by taking money from o바카라사이트r funding pools: ¡°That would hurt 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r schemes, but it would help 바카라사이트 people that really need?it 바카라사이트?most.¡±

Greens education spokeswoman Mehreen Faruqi said 바카라사이트 preprints rule must be rescinded. ¡°All applications that were thrown out should be immediately reconsidered for grant funding without 바카라사이트 nonsensical rule hindering 바카라사이트ir eligibility,¡± Dr Faruqi said.

¡°This whole saga has hit a nerve about 바카라사이트 broken and declining state of research funding in this country. Researchers deserve so much better.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com