From: krystek@alcor.bms.com (Stanley Krystek)
Subject: Re: University/industry research diaspora
Organization: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Macromolecular Modeling
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 17:05:16 GMT


In article <Aug.27.10.52.15.1992.23679@cadenza.rutgers.edu> masticol@cadenza.rutgers.edu (Steve Masticola) writes:

>   Someone posted an article about the deteriorating quality of academic
>   research in a response to the Fabrikant affair. I heartily agree, and
>   see the following reasons:

>   - A glut on the number of researchers, which produces:

There may be a glut of so-so researchers, but the researchers on the 
cutting edge of sciences are maybe more scarce than ever before.


>   - The "publish or perish" syndrome of academia, which inflates the
>     number of junk articles, and is basically incompatible with:

>   - Industrial research that is increasingly driven by next quarter's
>     profit margin, making long-term or basic research projects unstable.
>     All of which results in:

Most academic universities I have been in contact with also take into account
the quality as well as the number of publications.  Papers in PNAS, Science
and Nature are highly valued in a scientists CV.  Many companies are also
targeting these "QUALITY" journals for publication.


>   - The difficulty in getting collaboration between industry and
>     academia. Industry sees academic research as useless to them;
>     academia values neat theory and sees industrial research problems as
>     too complex to be good research topics.

Industry does not see academic research as useless, in fact you cannot be more 
worng!  Industry keeps a keen eye out for academic projects which are on the 
cutting edge and if opportunities for collaborations or research agreements
can be made industry is swift to do so.  Take for example the hundreds of 
Biotech companies that have started up in the last 10 years, the successful ones
have agreements with or came from academic spin-offs and have lisence or 
product development plans with larger pharmaceutical companies.


>   I know of one school (Renssalear or Rochester, I forget which) that
>   requires its professors to collaborate with industry. But that is the
>   exception in the U.S. 

It is also seen as the future of successful academics, look at Harvard, Stabford,
Yale, MIT etc... these universities have successful patnet programs, startup
company funds and procedures, and research agreements with many leading companies
in most aspects of industry.  Harvard, for example has arranged with Bristol-Myers
Squibb for a 26 million dollar effort to fund a cardiovascualar research center
headed by Edgar Haber.  I think the companies (at least my field) are thinking of
the future and we spend nearly a billion dollars on research a year as does Merck
and Glaxo, and all have significant efforts in exploratory research that is very
much like academic research.  I would not be here were it not so.  


>   Comments?
>
>   - Steve (masticol@cs.rutgers.edu).

I feel that both companies and Universities see that at some point they must 
work together to compete on an international level. At appears the the Japanese
are setting up such collaborations between their privat industries and national
universiites.  Let us be the leaders again with such technology development rather
than the consumers.

stan

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