Why Do Scientists Travel? For Applause, Of Course

An ecological study of scientists conducted in the pre-jet plane era concluded that the likeliest place to find a scientist was at O’Hare airport in Chicago. Now, a similar statement can be made about important international airports, such as Heathrow in London and Orly in Paris. Every terminal seems to be populated with scientists on the move. Why do scientists travel? Hans Selye, the father of the concept of stress, wrote that scientists are not motivated by fortune, but by fame. They work for approval and applause from fellow scientists. I think that scientists travel to receive the approval and applause that they cannot find at home. Even the most brilliant scientist is just another member of the faculty of his or her own university, or just another one of the many scientists in a research institute. In the performing arts, a resident diva may receive as great an ovation in her own house as in a distant house, but rarely does a research institution provide the opportunity for its own scientists to be applauded. In many cases the home institution may only honor its own people upon their death or retirement. Brilliant papers are only single entries in the annual report of a department, without any indication of worth. So, for the recognition that motivates and strokes the ego, a scientist must travel. This phenomenon was brought home to me recently. I received a invitation to be a guest of the So viet Academy of Sciences, with all expenses paid for me and my wife within the Soviet Union. Unfortu nately the academy was unable to pay for the air fare to Moscow. I was too late to apply for travel money from the usual sources, such as NIH, and we did not have the spare cash to buy two tickets to Moscow. I requested permission from the administration of my institution to accept the invitation and also asked whether they knew of a source of funds to fly to Moscow. Back came a memo that said “You have permission to accept the invitation provided that no College funds are used.” In other words, if I raised the travel money within my institution, then I would not have permission to accept the invitation! This classic example of a catch-22 situation merely served as a challenge to get travel funds without endangering the permission to travel. How I did it must remain a dark secret. I was told by a frequent traveler to the Soviet Union that an invitation from the Soviet Academy of Sciences is a great honor and a sign of recognition of the worth of one’s research. I was naturally flattered by the invitation. But I was also disappointed that my own institution did not appreciate my scien tific achievements as much as the faraway Soviets. The trip to the USSR was very enjoyable. As a guest of the academy, the issuance of the visa was swift We were met at the airport and eased through the formalities ahead of other travelers. Cabs, hotels, sightseeing trips, meals, and entertainment were laid on us. We always seemed to be at the head of queues. My lectures were well attended by appreciative audiences, who asked penetrating questions. My work seemed to be important to them. I basked in the glow of appreciation. On the long flight home, I thought about the pleasures of recognition and about the lack of it at home. , I think I was right in his assessment of the motivation of scientists. I still savor the thrill of the standing ovation I received after one of my early papers at a national meeting. I shall never forget the elation of the enthusiastic reception of our reports by the Soviets. I have yet to present my work to my own department. So, whenever I need a psychological shot in the arm, I’ll seek out an invitation to travel. Murray Saff fran is Professor of Biochemistry at the Medical College Ohio.

Why Do Scientists Travel? For Applause, Of Course

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