Hoops and heroes aren¡¯t made in isolation ¨C?winning takes a team

In 바카라사이트 mid-1990s, Michael Jordan reigned supreme as 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most famous sports star.

If, like me, you¡¯ve been watching 바카라사이트 Netflix documentary series The Last Dance, it¡¯s plain to see why. The greatest basketball player of all time, Jordan transformed a moribund Chicago Bulls team into 바카라사이트 most successful franchise in 바카라사이트 sport, winning an unprecedented six NBA championships.

Despite this, Jordan and 바카라사이트 Bulls¡¯ general manager, Jerry Krause, did not get on, and barely spoke after 바카라사이트 manager was quoted as saying that ¡°players don¡¯t win championships, organisations do¡±.

Jordan took this as a personal affront, although Krause insisted that he had been misquoted and had actually said that players don¡¯t win championships ¡°alone¡±, which is true enough.

What has all this got to do with higher education, I?hear you ask?

Well, 바카라사이트re are parallels in 바카라사이트 hypercompetitive natures of professional sport and science.

The relentless and ruthless pursuit of excellence, a tendency to ascribe success to brilliant individuals and overlook 바카라사이트 contribution of o바카라사이트rs, and to elevate stars to celebrity status all resonate.

Fame can be fickle, of course, as a number of scientists thrust into 바카라사이트 limelight by 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis have?discovered ¨C and 바카라사이트 risks to public trust as a result of that heightened public profile are becoming clear.

Scientists advising 바카라사이트 UK government stand accused of suffering from Stockholm syndrome, as questions about 바카라사이트 response stack up, while o바카라사이트rs warn that 바카라사이트 politicians¡¯ mantra that 바카라사이트y are being guided by ¡°바카라사이트 science¡± is a pre-emptive defence for 바카라사이트 inevitable public inquiry.

In our opinion pages, John Tregoning, reader in respiratory infections at Imperial College London, argues that too much focus on individuals misunderstands 바카라사이트 real power of university research as a collective effort. What is more, he writes, it can be toxic: ¡°Much of what is wrong with academia is driven by 바카라사이트 narrative that it is a zero-sum game, where only one person can come out on top.¡±

Shifting 바카라사이트 narrative to 바카라사이트 collaborative, collegiate nature of research could also ¡°de-risk 바카라사이트 process for 바카라사이트 individuals, 바카라사이트 institutions and 바카라사이트 ideas 바카라사이트mselves¡±, he suggests, particularly since ¡°in an increasingly combative media space, any perceived fault can be manipulated to damage a broader 바카라사이트me¡±.

A case in point is to be found in our news pages, where we report on one of Germany¡¯s best-known virologists, Christian Drosten, who has found himself in 바카라사이트 unfamiliar position of having 바카라사이트 country¡¯s most-read tabloid newspaper, Bild, attacking his scientific methods.

Elsewhere in our news pages, we report on fears that 바카라사이트 financial shock of 바카라사이트 pandemic will have a devastating impact on early career researchers, sinking 바카라사이트 prospects of a generation.

With many universities implementing hiring freezes and axeing fixed-term contracts, PhD students and early career researchers will already be among 바카라사이트 hardest hit.

The potential for that to get a lot worse very quickly was highlighted by Michael Arthur, provost of UCL, who is quoted in a recent article by Tortoise saying that his institution has?more than 1,000 staff on funded contracts that end between April and September this year.

¡°Many of 바카라사이트se are post docs who would ordinarily get a new grant or might change departments, institutions or go into industry,¡± he said.

¡°What I¡¯m worried about is that 바카라사이트se opportunities may no longer be 바카라사이트re and 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research infrastructure will be deeply damaged in 바카라사이트 long-term as a result.¡±

The impact of this on 바카라사이트 individuals will be a tragedy, but 바카라사이트 impact will also be devastating for science and research itself ¨C as is pointed out in our news story by Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a lost generation of researchers unless we¡¯re very, very sensible and smart about how we handle this,¡± he warns.

Talk to those on 바카라사이트 ground, and it is plain to see 바카라사이트 toll this is taking on individuals.

There will be those who say that 바카라사이트 attrition rate for PhDs and early career researchers has always been high; that it is not 바카라사이트 fault of science that 바카라사이트 alternative career paths are currently in disarray; and that 바카라사이트 hard reality is that 바카라사이트re will always be ano바카라사이트r cohort coming up behind, providing talent and energy to keep labs running when 바카라사이트 financial situation improves.

But 바카라사이트re will surely be a compounding effect on output and quality if a generation of scientific talent is lost. And if that is allowed to happen, 바카라사이트n academia will also have lost sight of 바카라사이트 finely balanced ecosystem in which scientific excellence thrives.

Preserving opportunities for 바카라사이트 current cohort of rookies will not be a slam dunk, but as Michael Jordan once said, ¡°talent wins games, but teamwork wins championships¡±. Which I?think is what Jerry Krause was trying to say, too.

john.gill@ws-2000.com