No longer locked in his ivory tower, scientific research has brand new features. It must be new also the criteria by which it evaluates the excellence. In order to enhance curiosity, dedication, flexibility, diplomacy, opening in comparison. That is, the skills and competencies typically female
“If everything here below were excellent, then nothing would be excellent” Rameau’s nephew by Denis Diderot, 1773.
Many aspects have to be addressed in order to conduct a workable discussion on assessing excellence in scientific research. First and foremost are the structural changes in scientific research that have occurred in the post-academic era. No longer is science viewed as detached in its mythical ivory tower, but as part of the present day Agora’ containing all sciences. [Gibbons L. et al. (1994) “The new production of knowledge. The dynamics of science and research in the contemporary societies”, London, Sage; Nowotny H., P. Scott and M. Gibbons (2002) “Re-thinking science. Knowledge and the public in an age of uncertainty”, Blackwell Publ. Inc., USA].
Such change is related to the fact that research institutions are mostly state run and that jobs within them are subject to the rules and regulations of public employment.
It is clear that these factors impact on the connotations of freedom and independence of science. Moreover, the inclusion of science in the Agora’ means that it is not only subjected to orders, but also to state responsibilities that call for achieving goals, transparent communication, assessment of risk and of non material, ethical, cultural implications of research.
This is the core of the discussion of what it means to be excellent in scientific research today. Many profiles have been proffered, but only few have considered this change. Some organizations have given their opinions after studies on gender equality. Indeed, it emerged that merit is often not the main feature in assessing excellence. It also appeared clear that the absence of women in research, especially in top positions, leads to a drain of competences and talents for a society that invests a lot in their education (EU Commission, Directorate General for Research, (2004) “Gender and excellence in the making”. htpp://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/pdf/bias_brochure_final_en.pd).
Women graduate sooner and get better marks than their male colleagues, only to disappear in some disciplines (horizontal segregation) and in career advancement (vertical segregation) as a result of more or less occult segregation mechanisms.
We produced a document on this topic for the European Project Genislab that examines the post-academic context of science, its relations with the market, acquisition of wider social responsibility. We describe the features excellence takes on in this new context where not only scientific competences, but also additional values and characteristics, are recognized. These characteristics (motivation, curiosity, dedication, flexibility, diplomacy) are recognized as belonging mainly to women (National Academy of Sciences (2007) “Beyond bias and barriers. Fulfilling the potential of women in academic science and engineering”. The National Academy Press www.nap.edu/catalog/11741.html). It is also acknowledged that women posses an elevated sense of responsibility towards society. The recent CERN document listing the professional characteristics required demonstrates the need to update professional requirements and provides a by no means indifferent list of behavioural qualities (CERN July 2012, “Values and Behavioural Competences” ).
Our document also tackles the assessment procedures and methods underpinning the mechanism of power, and proposes fairer, more transparent and efficient ones.
This will not only benefit women, but all those who carry out research with passion, thus, science itself will be revitalized.
