Metascience 101 - EP3: "The Scientific Production Function"
Sep 25, 2024
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In this engaging discussion, Kelsey Piper talks with Adam Marblestone, CEO of Convergent Research, and Paul Niehaus, an economics professor and co-founder of GiveDirectly. They delve into the complex factors influencing scientific production, from funding ecosystems to selecting impactful research questions. The trio emphasizes the importance of innovative funding and the cultural dynamics within science. They also explore the balance between academic convention and groundbreaking research, advocating for clearer communication to enhance public trust in science.
The podcast emphasizes the need for a structured roadmap in scientific research to focus on significant long-term societal challenges.
Collaboration across disciplines is essential for solving complex scientific questions, requiring funding models that encourage such partnerships.
Cultural dynamics in academia can hinder innovative research, highlighting the importance of fostering an inclusive environment for diverse ideas.
Deep dives
Funding Ecosystem and Research Prioritization
The discussion highlights the complexities of selecting scientific problems to address and the challenges associated with funding. Scientists often face a tension between their interests and the availability of grants, which can skew problem selection toward short-term, less impactful research. The speakers emphasize the importance of having a structured roadmap similar to a product development process in companies, allowing researchers to orient their inquiries towards significant long-term challenges. This approach would foster a culture of strategic planning in research, enabling scientists to invest their time and resources in problems that carry the most potential for impactful discoveries.
Barriers to Collaboration and Interdisciplinary Research
Collaboration across different fields is presented as essential for tackling complex scientific questions, yet barriers often prevent effective partnerships. The speakers discuss how traditional academic structures and peer pressures can stifle innovative collaboration. They suggest that funding models should encourage interdisciplinary approaches by specifying problems to be solved, thus guiding researchers to collaborate based on shared goals rather than random interactions. This structured approach would help create a dynamic environment where the right experts from various disciplines come together to solve crucial issues.
The Role of Curiosity and Directed Research
The episode discusses the balance between allowing creative exploration and the necessity of directed research for solving important societal problems. While encouraging curiosity can yield valuable breakthroughs, there is a strong case for having researchers focus on issues that align with broader social needs and scientific goals. The speakers assert that creating a space for directed research agendas can provide clarity about the types of problems worth pursuing, enhancing the visibility of research contributions to the public. This dual approach promotes both innovation and relevance, appealing to researchers' scientific curiosity while addressing critical issues.
Cultural Dynamics in Science and Academia
The conversation dives into the cultural aspects of scientific inquiry and how subcultures within academia shape research directions and careers. Certain research ideas can become taboo within academic circles, limiting the exploration of potentially groundbreaking topics, such as organ cryopreservation due to its associations with cryonics. The speakers argue for creating a more inclusive academic environment where diverse research perspectives are nurtured. By fostering a culture that embraces mavericks and unconventional ideas, the scientific community can cultivate innovation while ensuring that novel concepts receive the necessary recognition.
Future of Funding Models in Science
The speakers explore emerging funding models that could reshape the research landscape, including initiatives that prioritize larger, long-term projects over traditional grant mechanisms. They suggest incorporating flexible funding structures that allow for rapid responses to unforeseen challenges and opportunities. The potential for collaborative platforms where funders and researchers articulate common goals can streamline the grant application process and enhance research relevance. Overall, reinventing funding strategies is seen as vital for fostering innovation and addressing pressing issues effectively, ensuring that scientific endeavors yield tangible societal benefits.
IN THIS EPISODE: Journalist Kelsey Piper interviews Convergent Research CEO Adam Marblestone and Professor Paul Niehaus on the inputs to scientific production. They talk through the funding ecosystem, labor force, the culture of scientific labs, and the search for important questions.
“Metascience 101” is a nine-episode set of interviews that doubles as a crash course in the debates, issues, and ideas driving the modern metascience movement. We investigate why building a genuine “science of science” matters, and how research in metascience is translating into real-world policy changes.
Chapters
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:01:49) Picking scientific questions with a long view for impact
(00:06:15) GiveDirectly example
(00:08:54) Scientific labor force
(00:13:21) The field architect
(00:20:03) Indicators on the value of scientific questions
(00:23:15) Ideal scientific architecture
(00:29:22) Bettering the funding ecosystem
(00:42:29) Culture in science
(00:47:54) Tradeoff between impact and academic convention
(00:53:48) From a ‘doing’ career to a research career
(00:57:00) Benefit of a roadmap for communicating broadly
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.macroscience.org
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