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Department of Genetics

 

Alfonso Martinez Arias participated in a workshop on 'Responsible Research' at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitet in Munich (Germany), discussing the world of biomedical publishing; how it has changed over the last few years, leading to a problematic gridlock; how these changes affect the careers of researchers and academics; and what are possible solutions.

Abstract of Alfonso's presentation : Science depends on the communication of scientific findings. Traditionally this has been a measure of achievement, and as such is used in the assessment of career progression. Over the last few years, the journals we used to publicise our findings in have been playing a more influential role in the evaluation of the results. Nowadays, it is where you publish, rather than what you publish, that often determines how the work is perceived. This has led to deterioration in the way we do science and, more importantly, a challenge to the way PhDs are conceived and performed. Issues of the method of peer review, the ownership of the publication, and the impact that these shifts in focus have on career progression are very much at the centre of science discussions today. I shall be considering these issues and possible solutions to the gridlock in which we find ourselves.

>> You can find the text of the lecture on the Martinez Arias Group website at :  http://amapress.gen.cam.ac.uk/

>> A video of Alfonso's  presentation, together with that of other speakers in this interesting session can be found at : http://www.responsibleresearch.graduatecenter.uni-muenchen.de/presentations/videos/index.php