scholarly journals Standing on Shifting Terrain

2002 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-28
Author(s):  
Jason Owen-Smith ◽  
Walter W.Powell
Keyword(s):  
Life Science ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Academic Careers ◽  
Work Practices ◽  
Faculty Work ◽  
University Campuses ◽  
Close Analysis ◽  
Funding Opportunities ◽  
Science Innovation

Drawing on interviews with more than 80 scientists on two university campuses, we create a typology that offers insights into how transformations in the nature and locus of life science innovation influence academic careers and work practices. Our analyses suggest that a strong outcome of increased academic concern with research commercialisation is the appearance of new fault lines among faculty, between faculty and students, and even between scientists’ interests and those of their institutions. We argue that life science commercialisation is driven by a mix of new funding opportunities, changing institutional mandates for universities, and novel research technologies that bring basic research and product development into much closer contact. The rise of patenting and commercially motivated technology transfer on U.S. campuses stands to alter faculty work practices and relationships, while transforming the criteria by which success is determined and rewards are allocated. Through close analysis of interviews with four researchers who typify a range of academic responses to commercialism, we demonstrate emerging patterns of conflict and agreement in faculty responses to commercial opportunities in the life sciences.

scholarly journals Repairing the ‘Broken Middle’ of the Health Innovation Pathway

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 103-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Mittra
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Research ◽  
Life Science ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Health Innovation ◽  
Multiple Meanings ◽  
Institutional Landscape ◽  
Science Innovation ◽  
Institutional Boundaries ◽  
Complex Activities ◽  
Institutional Mechanism

The emergence of Translational Medicine (TM) as a potential solution to health innovation challenges has gained currency in scientific, clinical and policy discourses. Using interview data from key professionals involved in TM, this article explores diverse practitioner definitions and the multiple meanings ascribed to TM in the context of a purportedly broken R&D system and promissory visions and expectations built around new life science. It also begins to address some of the transformative impacts of TM on the broader institutional landscape for life science innovation, particularly the changes in traditional institutional boundaries. I conclude that in light of the multiple framings of TM, it might best be conceived as an institutional mechanism or process for co-ordinating multiple actors and complex activities in the new collaborative research and development contexts now demanded of the life sciences.

scholarly journals How significant are the public dimensions of faculty work in review, promotion and tenure documents?

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan P Alperin ◽  
Carol Muñoz Nieves ◽  
Lesley A Schimanski ◽  
Gustavo E Fischman ◽  
Meredith T Niles ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Careers ◽  
Faculty Work ◽  
Public Funds ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
The Public ◽  
Promotion And Tenure ◽  
Traditional Research ◽  
The Us ◽  
Public Evaluation ◽  
Work Done

Much of the work done by faculty at both public and private universities has significant public dimensions: it is often paid for by public funds; it is often aimed at serving the public good; and it is often subject to public evaluation. To understand how the public dimensions of faculty work are valued, we analyzed review, promotion, and tenure documents from a representative sample of 129 universities in the US and Canada. Terms and concepts related to public and community are mentioned in a large portion of documents, but mostly in ways that relate to service, which is an undervalued aspect of academic careers. Moreover, the documents make significant mention of traditional research outputs and citation-based metrics: however, such outputs and metrics reward faculty work targeted to academics, and often disregard the public dimensions. Institutions that seek to embody their public mission could therefore work towards changing how faculty work is assessed and incentivized.

scholarly journals Educational Challenges of Molecular Life Science: Characteristics and Implications for Education and Research

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena A.E. Tibell ◽  
Carl-Johan Rundgren
Keyword(s):  
Applied Sciences ◽  
Pure Sciences ◽  
Life Science ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Technical Innovation ◽  
Research And Teaching ◽  
Educational Challenges ◽  
Starting Point

Molecular life science is one of the fastest-growing fields of scientific and technical innovation, and biotechnology has profound effects on many aspects of daily life—often with deep, ethical dimensions. At the same time, the content is inherently complex, highly abstract, and deeply rooted in diverse disciplines ranging from “pure sciences,” such as math, chemistry, and physics, through “applied sciences,” such as medicine and agriculture, to subjects that are traditionally within the remit of humanities, notably philosophy and ethics. Together, these features pose diverse, important, and exciting challenges for tomorrow's teachers and educational establishments. With backgrounds in molecular life science research and secondary life science teaching, we (Tibell and Rundgren, respectively) bring different experiences, perspectives, concerns, and awareness of these issues. Taking the nature of the discipline as a starting point, we highlight important facets of molecular life science that are both characteristic of the domain and challenging for learning and education. Of these challenges, we focus most detail on content, reasoning difficulties, and communication issues. We also discuss implications for education research and teaching in the molecular life sciences.

Microfluidics and Beyond – Devices for Applications in Biotechnology -

2004 ◽  
Vol 820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Daub ◽  
Rolf M. Kaack ◽  
Oliver Gutmann ◽  
Chris P. Steinert ◽  
Remigius Niekrawietz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Life Science ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Microarray Technology ◽  
Parallel Operation ◽  
Modern Life ◽  
Liquid Handling ◽  
Microtiter Plates ◽  
Integration Density ◽  
Volume Range

AbstractFor the performance of certain analytical and diagnostic tasks in modern Life Science applications high throughput screening (HTS) methods are essential. Miniaturization, parallelization and automation allow to decrease consumption of expensive materials and lead to faster analyzing times. The miniaturization of total assay volumes by the use of microtiter plates as well as the microarray technology have revolutionized the field of biotechnology and Life Sciences. Neither printing of microarrays with droplet volumes of several picoliters, nor handling of precious enzymes in the upper nanoliter range can be accomplished with traditional liquid handling devices like air displacement pipettes. The development of novel low volume liquid handling devices, which are subject to current research, addresses the diverse requirements shifting steadily to lower volumes. Various novel non-contact dispensing methods in the nanoliter and picoliter range are presented and classified according to their working principles like air displacement and direct displacement methods (TopSpot®, NanoJetTM, Dispensing Well PlateTM). Properties of the various methods are compared in terms of flexibility, integration density, speed of operation, precision, addressable volume range and amenability to multi-parallel operation.

The Pursuit of Meaning: Placing Biodiversity and Biography at the Center of Biology

2021 ◽  
pp. 002205742110268
Author(s):  
Joel I. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Life Science ◽  
Charles Darwin ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Scientific Understanding ◽  
Conservation Funding ◽  
Female Scientists

Naturalists enrich our scientific understanding of biodiversity. However, just as countries have fallen behind on commitments to provide biodiversity conservation funding, so has the focus of life science stayed arm’s length. The purpose of this article is to consider why biodiversity should be the center of life sciences education and how biographies of Charles Darwin and the incorporation of female scientists allow important findings, paintings, and journaling as part of standard teachings. The addition of female naturalists will provide role models for diverse, underrepresented student populations. This article suggests that biodiversity and biography become central to hteaching life sciences while supplemented by other practices. Such reallocations provide students an opportunity to learn not only what these scientists discovered but how these individuals “developed” into scientists.

Managing Life Science Innovation

2015 ◽  
pp. 207-228
Author(s):  
Alexander Styhre
Keyword(s):  
Life Science ◽  
Science Innovation
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document