Year: 1998
Type: article
Abstract: Collaborative Research: The Multiplex Advantage Earlier this year, while preparing the annual report of my professional activities for my department chair, I noticed that a growing fraction of my research publications now include collaborators as co-authors.These have been delightful projects where I have been able to expand my knowledge of chemistry into new areas where my collaborators are experts.Applied spectroscopy is a ® eld that is growing more diverse and complex.Much of that growth derives from spectroscopists striving to characterize more dif® cult samples and materials, by developing more selective methods to resolve the response of a small fraction of molecules or elements within inhomogeneous structures.Working on instrumentation design to improve sensitivity and lower detection limits for single analytes in homogeneous matrices can often be done within the domain of a single research group.It is dif® cult, however, to maintain both cutting-edge spectroscopy and knowledge of important problems in chemistry, biology, and materials science within an isolated research group.Collaboration is a simple approach to resolving this ``expertise dilemma'' .The bene® ts of collaboration are many.First, it allows one's research to be at the state of the art of several ® elds, which helps secure its novelty and impact.Second, one can learn a great deal of new science from collaborators in an atmosphere that is more intense than that which comes from simply reading the literature or going to a lecture.This bene® t is especially important for established investigators whose growing professional responsibilities leave little time for learning new ® elds.In academic settings, collaborative research allows students and postdocs to learn to work with other scientists having different backgrounds.This opportunity broadens their education and is great preparation for working in applied research settings and for adapting to changing products, technologies, and jobs.How is it done?Government agencies have actively encouraged scientists to build alliances through establishment of research centers with the occasional announcement of major funding initiatives.Proposals for these centers require declaration and coordination of overall goals, research activities, and the sharing of resources.These are worthy requirements for distribution of a few large research grants to teams who successfully compete for these funds, but they are satis® ed at a high cost.Since the funding decision controls large resources, a long review process is imposed with a small chance that risky (exciting) projects will be supported.There is signi® cant
Source: Applied Spectroscopy
Author: Joel M. Harris
Language: English
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W3012982229