Radcliffe President Lambastes Competitiveness In Research

WASHINGTON--Fierce rivalries and ruthless competition among scientists traditionally have characterized the United States research environment, according to Radcliffe College president Linda Wilson. But leaders of the nation's science establishment should reexamine the value of this approach to science, she maintains, if the profession hopes to attract more women and minorities. Wilson, a chemist and former vice president for research at the University of Michigan, expressed her views last month during a panel discussion--and in subsequent interviews with a reporter--at a two-day meeting focusing on the draft of a National Academy of Sciences report entitled "Fateful Choices: The Future of the U.S. Academic Research Enterprise." She suggested to attendees at the meeting--held at academy headquarters here--that competitiveness comes naturally to Caucasian men, and it is they who, over the years, have set the tone for the way in which scientific investigation has been oriented. But the era of white-male-dominated science is over, she said, and "what worked well...even for present-day Nobelists, won't do today." During a question-and-answer session after her talk, she elaborated on her views, saying that such characteristics as "ruthless competition and single-minded devotion to the job at the expense of everything in one's life" do not appeal to the new population entering science. "Those cultures--and by that I'm thinking of women and minorities--don't work that way," she said. "These people bring other talents, ones that are different but equally valuable. And we need to make it possible for them to use those talents in research." Participants and observers at the meeting--among them more than 150 scientists--included such influential figures as former National Science Foundation director Erich Bloch, Washington University chancellor William Danforth, and Richard Celeste, former governor of Ohio. The objective of the gathering--which combined speeches and group discussions--was to critique and refine the 71-page preliminary version, four years in the making, of a report by the academy-sponsored Government, University, Industry Research Roundtable. The final report, which examines choices in academic research, is due for publication later this year. During the course of the proceedings, participants generally agreed on several broad issues, including the need for the federal government to increase its support of academic research; the requirement that science and government leaders set clear research priorities; and the necessity for academic institutions to make the best use of limited resources by becoming more specialized in their research objectives. However, Wilson's remarks struck a discordant note with some of her audience. Although the Radcliffe president claimed to regard the report's recommendations as valuable overall, she directed some comments, in a panel discussion, to what she sees as the impact on U.S. science of traditional white-male dominance as it pertains to peer review and other decision-making processes. During a sharp verbal exchange in the course of a question-and-answer period following her talk, Massachusetts Institute of Technology astrophysicist Bernard Burke defended the competitive spirit prevailing among researchers. Burke challenged Wilson, saying: "You don't get to do the best science by being a nice guy. Opportunism and competitiveness are essential" in pursuit of the best science. What riled Burke, he told a reporter during a break following his challenge to Wilson, was his concern that she was promoting the idea that the quality of a scientist's work should no longer be the overriding consideration in funding decisions. "I think that's a ridiculous idea," said Burke, a member of the National Science Board, which oversees NSF. "That would be a terrible thing to happen for all of science. Above all, we must retain quality." Other meeting attendees had reservations about the Radcliffe president's assertions, especially in light of the conference's objectives. "It's a controversial subject," physicist Fred Bernthal, deputy director of NSF, told a reporter. "Whenever you talk about making modifications to the current system of merit review [the method used to determine funding at most science agencies], a lot of people get upset pretty quickly." National Institutes of Health deputy director John Diggs, who oversees his agency's $6 billion extramural research program, expressed concern about Wilson's views, warning that they might lead to preferential treatment for select groups of funding applicants. "When you talk about differences, there's always the question of putting somebody into a category that makes them seem to be second-class," Diggs said to the reporter. Clarifying her message in a subsequent interview, Wilson said she was not proposing any dilution in the quality of federally funded science. Rather, she said, she was seeking changes in the way academic scientists go about their business in the decades ahead. "What I'm saying is that it's clear the system we have now isn't working well," she said in the interview. She noted that some problems now facing science--such as the increased demand for funds and the lengthening odds of obtaining such funding--may be linked to the existing ground rules of competition. "My point is that there are a lot of things that must be considered as we try to design ways to strengthen the academic research enterprise," said Wilson, "and this question of macho science is simply one issue that must be addressed." Although MIT's Burke and others questioned Wilson's assertions, others in attendance thought her remarks were appropriate. For example, Judith Liebman, an industrial engineer who is dean of the graduate college at the University of Illinois, told a reporter that changes in how science is conducted are overdue. Indeed, she believes that Wilson's viewpoint is epochal in nature. Said Liebman: "It marks an end to what I'd call killer science--the attitude that `I must be first with the best of everything--the latest equipment, the best students, the most prestigious journals.' "

Radcliffe President Lambastes Competitiveness In Research

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