Research 2030

 When we launched the series early in 2020, our goal was to share voices and perspectives from an ever-changing global research community. Little did we know how quickly change would come with the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic or the new challenges research and academic communities would be asked to tackle; from global collaboration to fight a virus to individual battles of living under lockdown.  As we push forward into this new era, the need to share and connect to one another grows. Although this podcast is no substitute for a serendipitous meeting in a conference corridor, we hope it offers a chance to connect to insights and perspectives from those leading change across the globe. 

Join us on Research 2030, as we explore the importance of societal impact and the role of the UN Sustainable Development Goals on research, examine the impact of university rankings, delve into the growing potential of university-industry collaboration, and navigate a changing research culture. 

In this episode, we turn our focus to university-industry collaboration, a form of partnership that is growing in popularity in many parts of the world. There are big rewards up for grabs, and both industry and academia benefit; for example, increased career opportunities, a bigger funding pot, exchange of knowledge, access to hard-to-find skills, extended networks, and the potential to speed up discoveries. Many also see these collaborations as the most promising avenue to tackle global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. Joining us for this discussion are Tony Boccanfuso, President and CEO of the University Industry Demonstration Partnership (UIDP), along with our guest host, Ann Gabriel, Senior Vice President for Academic & Research Relations, Global Strategic Networks, Elsevier.

Listen to and hear why Tony believes that industry/academic collaborations have never been so important as now – that they offer a promising path to solving some of the grand challenges our society faces today.

SHOW NOTES
Guest: Anthony Boccanfuso, President and CEO of UIDP

As UIDP’s President and CEO, Tony is a leading expert on university-industry relations. Over the past 32 years, he has gained significant experience and insights by working in the academic, corporate, government and non-profit sectors. He also serves as a consultant for government agencies, non-profit organizations and corporations and currently serves on the Cisco Advanced Security Research Advisory Board. Tony holds a doctoral degree in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of South Carolina and a bachelor of science degree in Chemistry and Political Science from Furman University. He is married to Dr. Laura Boccanfuso, who founded Van Robotics, a start-up that supports the educational needs of primary school students; along with their three children, they reside in Columbia, SC.

Guest Host: Ann Gabriel
Senior Vice President for Academic & Research Relations, Global Strategic Networks, Elsevier

Ann Gabriel and Elsevier's global team engage with key stakeholders across the research enterprise to establish strategic collaborations and to use analytics and data to address societal challenges in the area of sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and open science. She has held a variety of positions at the forefront of scholarly communication, most recently as Elsevier’s Publishing Director for journals in Computer Science and Engineering, as well as electronic product development for Elsevier’s ScienceDirect platform. Ann was previously with Cambridge University Press. Ann represents Elsevier on several STM (Scientific, Technical & Medical) industry committees, including the CHORUS board and RA21 (Resource Access for the 21st Century), each with a mission to enhance access to scientific data and publication. Ann holds a master’s degree in communications from the University of Pennsylvania.

We would like to hear from you. Take this survey to send us your feedback. We would like to get your input on Research 2030 to find out why you chose to listen and what topics interest you. Click on the link above to take our short, and anonymous, survey.

You can also reach us at: [email protected] 

Thanks for listening!

As we discovered in our last episode, episode 8, open science is driving new, more transparent and collaborative ways of working and sharing, which aim to help everyone access, participate in and benefit from scientific endeavour. The movement has been gaining momentum over the past decade and the COVID-19 crisis has only accelerated its growth, with nations, institutions, and publishers openly sharing data and studies on an unprecedented scale.

In this episode, Stephane Berghmans speaks with early career researcher Véronique de Herde, whose passion for open science was sparked by her volunteer role with Eurodoc - the European Council for Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers. She shares her belief that open science could trigger a radical transformation of our research culture. 

SHOW NOTES:

About Véronique De Herde
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vdeherde/
Ph.D. candidate in agronomy at UClouvain - Belgium, Véronique De Herde holds a master degree in contemporary history and a master degree in bioengineering. Her interdisciplinary Ph.D. studies the transition pathways in the dairy sector of the Walloon region. Before starting her Ph.D., she has had several professional experiences in Belgium, Germany and France. Véronique acted over the last two years as Secretariat Coordinator for Eurodoc, the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers. She also trained as one of Eurodoc’s Open Science Ambassadors and acted as a contact for plan S. Dedicated pianist and writer, she appreciates long walks in poetic landscapes.
See her research website: https://sytra.be/fr/membre/veronique-de-herde/ 

Véronique was also a panelist in the recent webinar: "Open Science and the reward system: how can they be aligned".

We would like to hear from you.

We would like to get your input on Research 2030, find out what drew you in to listen and what topics you would like us to cover. Click on the link about to take our short, and anonymous survey! Or, you can always send us an email at: [email protected]

This is the first episode in a short series discussing open science and the reward system. The open science movement has been gaining momentum over the past decade, prompting initiatives such as cOAlition S, with its plan to increase open access publications. But while the goals of open science are welcomed by many, challenges remain. And top of the list is the researcher reward system. 

In this first episode, host Stephane Berghmans, Elsevier Vice President of Academic and Research Relations EU, welcomes Jean-Claude Burgelman to the podcast. Burgelman is eminently qualified to talk about this topic. Not only is he a part-time Professor of open science policy at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, but was also recently Head of Unit Open Data Policies and Science Cloud at the European Commission, and an open access envoy for the organization.

Show notes:
Jean-Claude Burgelman was responsible for open science and data policies of DG RTD, European Commission. He joined the European Commission in 1999 as a Visiting Scientist in the Joint Research Centre (the Institute of Prospective Technological Studies - IPTS), where he became Head of the Information Society Unit in 2005. In January 2008, he moved to the Bureau of European Policy Advisers (attached to the president of the EC) as adviser for innovation policy. Since 1-10-2008, he joined DG RTD, as advisor and then Head of Unit in charge of top level advisory boards like the European Research and Innovation Area Board, the Innovation for Growth Group and the European Forum for Forward Looking Activities. Read more

• Frontiers in Big Data article mentioned in the podcast "Open Science, Open Data, and Open Scholarship: European Policies to Make Science Fit for the Twenty-First Century"
• Related webinar: Open science and the reward system: how can they be aligned?

We would like to get your input on Research 2030, find out what drew you in to listen and what topics you would like us to cover. Click on the link about to take our short, and anonymous survey! Or, you can always send us an email at: [email protected]

Giacomo Mancini continues to explore research life under lockdown, this time from the perspective of New York University School of Medicine and international PhD student, Comzit Opachaloemphan. Together they discuss topics ranging from how the pandemic may impact the completion of Comzit’s PhD to the benefits new online courses provide. For Comzit, although his bench research is temporarily paused, he is not. He pushes forward, looking toward new opportunities to grow and strengthen him for the future.

About Comzit Opachaloemphan:
Comzit Opachaloemphan is an international PhD student from Thailand, where he earned his undergraduate’s degree in Biology. He is currently conducting his PhD study in the lab of Dr. Danny Reinberg in New York University School of Medicine. His research mainly focuses on the Ant epigenetics & rejuvenation. A social hierarchy in most ants is rigid and immutable but in the Indian jumping ant, the caste system is extremely flexible and reversible. An adult ant worker with a short lifespan can differentiate into the reproductive pseudo-queen and gain up to a 5X increase in lifespan. This transition is unique and contradicts the aging dogma in most other animals, which exhibits a trade-off between lifespan and reproduction. His research goal is to find a key to the remarkable aging plasticity.

Today we find ourselves standing in a major point in history. Research life is not what it looked like just a few short months ago. We are sitting down, virtually, with various members of the research community to hear about their research life in the here and now, and the potential impact they see on the future. These are the stories of science, research and the research landscape in unprecedented times.

In this episode Giacomo Mancini welcomes Clint Penick to the show. Clint is an Ecologist and Faculty member of Kennesaw State University in Georgia, USA. The work at his lab, the Penick lab, focuses on the evolution and ecological success of social insects (ants, bees, wasps, and termites). Clint shares how he has adjusted to life under lockdown, from transitioning courses online, to adjusting field courses, and to the impact the pandemic has on his field work. 

Show Notes: 

Dr. Clint Penick is an Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University, where his research focuses on the evolution and ecological success of social insects. Current projects in his lab focus on how ants use antimicrobials to fight disease, how social insects respond to climate change, and how urban ants exploit human foods on the sidewalks of New York City. In addition to research on social insects, Dr. Penick has collaborated with engineers and designers on projects related to bio-inspired design through funding from Google and NASA.

You can learn more about Penick’s lab and research at www.penicklab.com

Join Penick in baking sourdough bread while contributing to research. Find out more here: http://robdunnlab.com/projects/wildsourdough/

We would like to hear from you. Take this survey to send us your feedback. Now that we are into our 5th episode, we would like to get your input on Research 2030 and find out what drew you to listen and what topics are of interest to you. Click on the link above to take our short, and anonymous, survey.

This episode was recorded in late February, before the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic and a growing number of nations went on lock-down. However, the relationship between basic and applied research, as explored in this episode, seems even more relevant now in thinking about the future of research and solving world challenges.

Expert, curated information for the research & health community on SARS-CoV-2 (the novel coronavirus) and COVID-19 (the disease) can be found on Elsevier's Novel Coronavirus Information Center.

The world is facing unprecedented challenges. Some argue that blue sky, also known as basic research, is critical – that the serendipitous results it fuels provide the perfect shoulders for giants to stand upon. But, with so much at stake globally right now, is blue sky in danger of looking a little indulgent? Dr. Lesley Thompson, Elsevier Vice President of Academic and Strategic Alliances, continues to explore these questions on Research 2030. In this episode she is joined by President of New York University (NYU), Dr. Andrew Hamilton, who shares his perspective on why blue-sky and applied (mission-driven) research, can and should happily co-exist for the benefit of solving world challenges.

We would like to hear from you. Take this survey to send us your feedback. Now that we are into our 5th episode, we would like to get your input on Research 2030 and find out what drew you to listen and what topics are of interest to you. Click on the link above to take our short, and anonymous, survey. 

SHOW NOTES
Dr. Andrew Hamilton (President of NYU)
Andrew Hamilton was named the 16th president of New York University (NYU) in March 2015. He most recently served as the vice chancellor of Oxford University, the university’s senior officer, after an academic career that took him from Princeton to the University of Pittsburgh, and then to Yale, where he was named provost. Throughout his time in academic leadership positions, he has maintained his scholarly work, including an active research laboratory, and will continue to do so at NYU.

A distinguished chemist and a Fellow of the Royal Society, Dr. Hamilton’s scholarly work lies at the intersection of organic and biologic chemistry. He received his PhD from Cambridge University, his master’s degree from the University of British Columbia, and his undergraduate degree from Exeter University.
Dr. Hamilton also hosts his own podcast, Conversations, which you can enjoy here.

Dr. Lesley Thompson joined Elsevier in 2016 as Director Academic & Government Strategic Alliance in the UK. Previously, she worked for 26 years at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the largest of the UK’s seven research councils. Read more.

Resources: Future-proofing research
In the Research Futures report , Elsevier and Ipsos MORI, one of the world’s largest research agencies, joined forces to understand how trends – from advances in technology and funding pressures to political uncertainty and population shifts – might be fueling the changes we’ll see in the coming decade.

Some argue that blue sky, also known as basic research, is critical – that the serendipitous results it fuels provide the perfect shoulders for giants to stand upon. But, with so much at stake globally right now, from climate change to population growth, is blue sky in danger of looking a little indulgent? And with public research funding under pressure and universities facing calls to focus on practical skills, is it living on borrowed time? Dr. Lesley Thompson, Elsevier Vice President of Academic and Strategic Alliances, explores these questions on Research 2030. In this episode she is joined by Regius Professor of Chemistry in Glasgow, Lee Cronin.

SHOW NOTES
Leroy (Lee) Cronin FRSE was born in the UK in 1973 was appointed to be Regius Professor of Chemistry in Glasgow in 2013 after being a professor (2009 & 2006) and reader in Glasgow since 2002. Read more about Cronin and about the Chemify project.
Scopus author profile

Dr. Lesley Thompson joined Elsevier in 2016 as Director Academic & Government Strategic Alliance in the UK. Previously, she worked for 26 years at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the largest of the UK’s seven research councils. Read more.

Resources: Future-proofing research
In the Research Futures report , Elsevier and Ipsos MORI, one of the world’s largest research agencies, joined forces to understand how trends – from advances in technology and funding pressures to political uncertainty and population shifts – might be fueling the changes we’ll see in the coming decade.

The resulting large-scale future-scoping and scenario-planning study raised many questions and sparked interesting conversations – some of which we are capturing in this podcast.
Download report here

You can also send us comments or feedback at [email protected]. 

In this episode, we consider the sobering results of a recent study which shows that women researchers are around 20% less likely than men to author invited commentaries for scholarly journals – even when they have the same level of experience as their male peers. Incredibly, this figure rises to 40% for more senior female scientists. Join Anita de Waard as she explores the study with two of the authors, Emma Thomas and Bamini Jayabalasingham, in an attempt to explore some of the factors attributing to their findings and the impact the results have on the larger research landscape.

SHOW NOTES:
Invited commentaries are short articles that provide an author’s personal perspective or view points on a leading, significant or controversial topic. Typically the invited author is a leading expert in the subject matter and usually invited by the editor. “In medical journals, publication of an invited commentary is a recognition of expertise and can raise an author’s profile.” (Emma Thomas in Women scientists author fewer invited commentaries in medical journals than men with comparable credentials) 

Articles mentioned in the podcast:

• Original study referenced in this episode: Gender Disparities in Invited Commentary Authorship in 2459 Medical Journals 
• Referenced Holman et al article: The gender gap in science: How long until women are equally represented  

 Related articles and interesting reads:

• I thought patriarchy in science was fading. Then I saw it in the data
• Women scientists author fewer invited commentaries in medical journals than men with comparable credentials 
• We have a responsibility. Elsevier's Holly Falk-Krzesinski on gender equality in research

NOW AVAILABLE! The Elsevier Gender Report 2020
Gender disparity and bias in research, as explored in this podcast episode, negatively affect the breadth and impact of research, and the opportunities for researchers to advance in their careers. In order to understand this impact and overcome barriers, the global research community must closely examine the critical issues using an evidence-based approach.

Elsevier has an ongoing commitment to promoting gender diversity and advancing gender equity in global research. On March 5, 2020, we published The researcher journey through a gender lens: A global examination of research participation, career progression and perceptions. This is our third report on gender and research.

Download the report now here