The Times Higher RCUK-sponsored Serendipity Award was awarded this year to Mark Moloney, of St Peter’s College, Oxford. While researching how penicillin is made, he discovered that a similar process could be used to encourage dye migration in plastics.
Congratulations to Dr Moloney, but I wonder if his serendipitous discovery has been stymied by not setting out beforehand how he will exploit it in his 'Impact Plan'?
Showing posts with label serendipity award. Show all posts
Showing posts with label serendipity award. Show all posts
Friday, 16 October 2009
Friday, 2 October 2009
RCUK 'Serendipity Award': a Covert Comment on Impact?
RCUK has announced the shortlist for its 'Serendipity Award'. This 'recognises entrepreneurial spirit in universities, rewarding researchers who have seen and seized unexpected opportunities for impact arising from their research.'
However, this seems to go counter to the Research Councils' current demand that researchers outline their 'Impact Plan' - up to 2 sides of A4 - when applying for funding.
By creating a 'Serendipity Award' is RCUK implying that impact cannot be predicted before the research is undertaken, that asking applicants do so is unrealistic, and that some of the best research has come from unexpected results? Surely not.
However, this seems to go counter to the Research Councils' current demand that researchers outline their 'Impact Plan' - up to 2 sides of A4 - when applying for funding.
By creating a 'Serendipity Award' is RCUK implying that impact cannot be predicted before the research is undertaken, that asking applicants do so is unrealistic, and that some of the best research has come from unexpected results? Surely not.
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