Study the economic impact of research? Win $5,000

As I found in my reporting of a July feature called linkurl:"Is science a good bet,";http://www.the-scientist.com/toc/2007/7/1/ it is a daunting task to figure out the economic impacts of investing in research. For decades economists have tried, but they've managed only to eke out a fuzzy sense of direction?meaning that the impact is positive, but no one really knows how positive, nor what an optimal investment might return. Yet the economics of research are of huge interest to the government,

Written byKerry Grens
| 1 min read

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As I found in my reporting of a July feature called linkurl:"Is science a good bet,";http://www.the-scientist.com/toc/2007/7/1/ it is a daunting task to figure out the economic impacts of investing in research. For decades economists have tried, but they've managed only to eke out a fuzzy sense of direction?meaning that the impact is positive, but no one really knows how positive, nor what an optimal investment might return. Yet the economics of research are of huge interest to the government, the scientific community, industry, taxpayers, and The Scientist's founder, Eugene Garfield. Each year he (through Research!America) gives out a $5,000 thank you to exceptional economists who dare enter the murky waters of research economics. Previous winners include the University of Chicago's Kevin Murphy and Robert Topel, whose work estimated that trillions of dollars are added to the economy from lives saved from recent medical breakthroughs. The window for nominations has been extended until August 15th, and winners will be announced in October. Any economists you think deserve the award? Let us know by commenting on this blog or vote for your favorite economist linkurl:here;http://www.researchamerica.org/ .
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Meet the Author

  • kerry grens

    Kerry served as The Scientist’s news director until 2021. Before joining The Scientist in 2013, she was a stringer for Reuters Health, the senior health and science reporter at WHYY in Philadelphia, and the health and science reporter at New Hampshire Public Radio. Kerry got her start in journalism as a AAAS Mass Media fellow at KUNC in Colorado. She has a master’s in biological sciences from Stanford University and a biology degree from Loyola University Chicago.

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