Two cultures: "them and us" in the academic world
Impact of academic research onto the non-academic world is of increasing importance as authorities seek return on public investment. Impact opens new opportunities for what are known as "professional services": as scientometrical tools bestow some with confidence they can quantify quality,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Institute for Condensed Matter Physics
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Condensed Matter Physics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5488/CMP.23.23002 |
| _version_ | 1819119400628781056 |
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| author | R. Kenna |
| author_facet | R. Kenna |
| author_sort | R. Kenna |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Impact of academic research onto the non-academic world is of increasing importance as authorities seek return on public investment. Impact opens new opportunities for what are known as "professional services": as scientometrical tools bestow some with confidence they can quantify quality, the impact agenda brings lay measurements to evaluation of research. This paper is partly inspired by the famous "two cultures" discussion instigated by C.P. Snow over 60 years ago. He saw a chasm between different academic disciplines and I see a chasm between academics and professional services, bound into contact through competing targets. This paper draws on my personal experience and experiences recounted to me by colleagues in different universities in the UK. It is aimed at igniting discussions amongst people interested in improving the academic world and it is intended in a spirit of collaboration and constructiveness. As a professional services colleague said, what I have to say "needs to be said". It is my pleasure to submit this paper to the Festschrift devoted to the 60th birthday of a renowned physicist, my good friend and colleague Ihor Mryglod. Ihor's role as leader of the Institute for Condensed Matter Physics in Lviv has been essential to generating some of the impact described in this paper and forms a key element of the story I wish to tell. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T06:04:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c7c6aa68d27e4d1c89f31b6c9b42ef84 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1607-324X 2224-9079 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T06:04:10Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | Institute for Condensed Matter Physics |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Condensed Matter Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-c7c6aa68d27e4d1c89f31b6c9b42ef842022-12-21T18:36:28ZengInstitute for Condensed Matter PhysicsCondensed Matter Physics1607-324X2224-90792020-05-012322300210.5488/CMP.23.23002Two cultures: "them and us" in the academic worldR. KennaImpact of academic research onto the non-academic world is of increasing importance as authorities seek return on public investment. Impact opens new opportunities for what are known as "professional services": as scientometrical tools bestow some with confidence they can quantify quality, the impact agenda brings lay measurements to evaluation of research. This paper is partly inspired by the famous "two cultures" discussion instigated by C.P. Snow over 60 years ago. He saw a chasm between different academic disciplines and I see a chasm between academics and professional services, bound into contact through competing targets. This paper draws on my personal experience and experiences recounted to me by colleagues in different universities in the UK. It is aimed at igniting discussions amongst people interested in improving the academic world and it is intended in a spirit of collaboration and constructiveness. As a professional services colleague said, what I have to say "needs to be said". It is my pleasure to submit this paper to the Festschrift devoted to the 60th birthday of a renowned physicist, my good friend and colleague Ihor Mryglod. Ihor's role as leader of the Institute for Condensed Matter Physics in Lviv has been essential to generating some of the impact described in this paper and forms a key element of the story I wish to tell.https://doi.org/10.5488/CMP.23.23002two culturesresearch evaluationrefimpactscientometricsthermodynamicsstatistical physics |
| spellingShingle | R. Kenna Two cultures: "them and us" in the academic world Condensed Matter Physics two cultures research evaluation ref impact scientometrics thermodynamics statistical physics |
| title | Two cultures: "them and us" in the academic world |
| title_full | Two cultures: "them and us" in the academic world |
| title_fullStr | Two cultures: "them and us" in the academic world |
| title_full_unstemmed | Two cultures: "them and us" in the academic world |
| title_short | Two cultures: "them and us" in the academic world |
| title_sort | two cultures them and us in the academic world |
| topic | two cultures research evaluation ref impact scientometrics thermodynamics statistical physics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.5488/CMP.23.23002 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rkenna twoculturesthemandusintheacademicworld |