John F. Allen

@AndyPerfors@aus.social Thanks. It’s a rough outline, but it broadly corresponds with the state of university research in the UK. It was not always this way. Szilard’s “fiction” has somehow become fact.

@AndyPerfors@aus.social Also get managers, however ignorant, to accept such measures of research “performance”. It will make them feel important, and help them in their ability to hire and fire. Also – most importantly – scrap tenure. Then researchers will rightly fear for the consequences of stepping out of line with new ideas.

@AndyPerfors@aus.social Szilard understood. One could add “turn researchers into peer reviewers; promise them anonymity; then break that promise, covertly, in specific cases in order to establish a sociogram of who supports, or opposes, whom.” Access to that information is essential for the would-be trendsetter, who will thereby be able to secure recognition for himself, and broker deals for collaboration, and funding. Then “measure” research “performance” by citations and grant income.