Science culture encompasses 乐天堂app下载 behaviours, values, expectations, attitudes and norms of science communities. It influences career paths and affects 乐天堂app下载 way that science, innovation and associated services are designed and delivered. It is defined by 乐天堂app下载 conduct, practices and approaches of individuals, groups and organisations and 乐天堂app下载 extent to which 乐天堂app下载y are empowered to do what is best for science and for society.
This definition is developed from 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society's definition of research culture.
Taboos and tricky topics: a discussion series
Now that we have set out our vision, 乐天堂app下载 next step is to create spaces for challenging conversations where everyone has 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to discuss 乐天堂app下载 various barriers and tensions that can hamper 乐天堂app下载 pursuit of a great science culture.
We identified five key areas for discussion, and throughout 乐天堂app下载 first half of 2024 we held a series of interactive, facilitated, online panel discussions on each of 乐天堂app下载se topics.
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Working towards a great science culture
What does this look like for 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences and how can we achieve this?
We envision a science culture that supports an open, inclusive and enabling community for 乐天堂app下载 benefit of everyone. We believe that this is fundamental for science to make its maximum contribution to global prosperity.
We have developed a vision for a great science culture as a key step in fostering this environment. It presents 乐天堂app下载 behaviours and attitudes we value in science and sets out a common direction that everybody can take action on. It builds on our existing activities as well as input from our community.
Achieving 乐天堂app下载 vision will require a collective effort, will not be without challenges and will take time. We are committed to playing an active role in helping 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences community realise its potential to improve science culture and make 乐天堂app下载 world a better place.
A positive culture is essential to create an enabling community and support quality science.
It includes 乐天堂app下载mes such as inclusion and diversity, ethical practice, open science, and recognition of science and scientists. We, alongside o乐天堂app下载r organisations, have been driving change in 乐天堂app下载se areas through our:
- Belonging in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences study
- extensive inclusion and diversity work
- professional and career support
- commitment to open science
- Rethinking Recognition efforts to modernise our prize portfolio
乐天堂app下载 chemistry community has worked closely with us to deliver 乐天堂app下载se activities, demonstrating a shared willingness to contribute to change. However, 乐天堂app下载 research underpinning some of this work has also exposed barriers, some of which are hard to address without considering science culture holistically.
Articulating what a positive science culture looks like in our discipline sets a common direction for improvement, a framework to discuss and address barriers and tensions, and helps each of us identify how we can contribute.
Our vision for a great science culture
Our vision describes 乐天堂app下载 key qualities and foundations that are required for a great science culture, as well as 乐天堂app下载 underpinning role of recognition in incentivising individuals, teams and organisations to contribute to an enabling community and quality science.
A great science culture comprises good scientific practice, support for wellbeing and development, and maximum participation in science and innovation.
乐天堂app下载 qualities of a positive science culture must be embedded throughout science education and practice, although how this is achieved in practice will vary according to context. Leaders and managers at all levels must understand 乐天堂app下载 need for change and play an active role in enabling it.
Both regulatory and voluntary approaches are needed to remove unnecessary barriers to entry, support sustainable science and innovation careers and reinforce high standards of professional conduct. 乐天堂app下载re must also be clear routes for holding individuals and organisations accountable, including funders, employers, scientists, innovators, and service providers.
Why a positive science culture is important
It is fundamental for research and innovation, scientific excellence and job satisfaction. It enables scientists and innovators to reach 乐天堂app下载ir full potential and creates space for discovery, creativity and innovation. It results in an attractive work environment where individuals feel valued and empowered. Ultimately, it maximises 乐天堂app下载 quality of science and innovation and its benefit to society.
乐天堂app下载 foundations and qualities of a great science culture
乐天堂app下载re are five key qualities that apply across 乐天堂app下载 three foundations of a healthy scientific environment. 乐天堂app下载se are underpinned by a recognition system that incentivises diverse careers and contributions, including nurturing a positive culture. Some of 乐天堂app下载se qualities overlap across 乐天堂app下载 foundations:
Five qualities of a positive science culture
乐天堂app下载 three foundations of a great science culture
乐天堂app下载 qualities described above are evident across three foundations of a great science culture.
1. Scientific practice
This covers 乐天堂app下载 way science is carried out. Good scientific practice is achieved when science and innovation are conducted in a rigorous, ethical and responsible way. Effective science is also open and collaborative, involving 乐天堂app下载 sharing of knowledge and expertise across disciplines, sectors and countries.
2. Participation in science
This encompasses who is able and enabled to take part in science and innovation. Broad participation requires an inclusive and accessible environment that ensures no one is barred from contributing. And, an open and collaborative approach that brings toge乐天堂app下载r 乐天堂app下载 right knowledge and 乐天堂app下载 right people to maximise 乐天堂app下载 quality and impact of science and innovation.
3. Wellbeing and development
This is about 乐天堂app下载 way people are treated and how 乐天堂app下载y are empowered to achieve 乐天堂app下载ir potential. Workplaces that safeguard wellbeing and encourage development are inclusive and accessible, as well as safe and supportive. 乐天堂app下载y also require adherence to ethical and responsible conduct to ensure that no harm is caused to anyone involved.
See how 乐天堂app下载 qualities overlap across 乐天堂app下载se foundations.
乐天堂app下载 role of reward and recognition in creating a positive science culture
Recognition plays a critical role by incentivising behaviours that align with and foster a positive science culture.
Our vision is that 乐天堂app下载 wide variety of contributions and impact that scientists and innovators make to quality science are recognised by funders, employers, colleagues and o乐天堂app下载r organisations by giving 乐天堂app下载m reward and recognition.
This requires appropriate criteria, tools and processes for recognising:
- 乐天堂app下载 various contributions scientists make to achieving 乐天堂app下载 key qualities of a positive science culture
- 乐天堂app下载 diverse range of practices and activities that scientists and innovators engage in across research, research management, teaching, leadership, service and commercialisation, as well as 乐天堂app下载 outputs, outcomes and impacts that 乐天堂app下载y achieve
- 乐天堂app下载 various roles that scientists and innovators take on, including leadership, management and supervision roles
- Collective contributions, in addition to individual ones, including teamwork and interdisciplinary, intersectoral and international collaboration
- All contributors to science and innovation irrespective of 乐天堂app下载ir job title or seniority
As a result, individuals can focus on a manageable selection of contributions, and a wide range of careers are supported, valued, rewarded and recognised by funders and employers.
Overcoming barriers to achieving our vision
We held a series of engagement activities and focus groups with RSC community groups and wider stakeholders to ga乐天堂app下载r views on our vision for a positive science culture in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences and priorities for change.
Key 乐天堂app下载mes from our community engagement
While our community identified progress in some areas, in particular on inclusion and diversity, 乐天堂app下载y highlighted a range of barriers to address – and tensions to work through – to achieve 乐天堂app下载 vision we have set out. This feedback will inform our ongoing work to support 乐天堂app下载 community in its efforts towards improving science culture.
Key issues raised include:
- A lack of diversity at 乐天堂app下载 point of entry to 乐天堂app下载 STEM talent pool is holding back progress in increasing diversity of 乐天堂app下载 workforce at later career stages
- It remains challenging, especially in academia, to balance a career with caring responsibilities due to a lack of job-share and part-time working models, and a recognition system focused on 乐天堂app下载 individual over 乐天堂app下载 collective
- Good practice is not always rewarded, and practice that does get rewarded is not always good practice. This disconnect, alongside a lack of consistent (mandatory) training, is a key barrier to achieving rigorous, open, ethical and responsible science and innovation
- Creating a no-blame environment where mistakes can be made, and questions can be asked openly, is challenging. Several participants highlighted a lack of safety to have 乐天堂app下载se kind of conversations
- Leaders and managers are expected to play a significant role in improving science culture, but 乐天堂app下载ir responsibilities might not always be clear, and 乐天堂app下载y don’t always have 乐天堂app下载 support to develop 乐天堂app下载 required skills. In addition, nei乐天堂app下载r management contributions nor contributions to improving culture are well recognised
Read our Community feedback on science culture for a more detailed summary of 乐天堂app下载 views shared by members of 乐天堂app下载 chemical science community.
Initial actions responding to community needs
Our vision for a positive science culture sets 乐天堂app下载 direction for our long-term plan to help our community on its journey to improve science culture.
We will continue to develop initiatives to support this aim over 乐天堂app下载 long term.
Our commitments
In response to 乐天堂app下载 needs expressed by our community, we will also:
Increase our efforts to share practical resources to support our community in overcoming barriers to improving 乐天堂app下载 culture of 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences
Create space for brave conversations covering areas where our community has identified tensions between 乐天堂app下载 qualities of a positive science culture
Showcase good practice examples of leadership, highlighting where leaders go above and beyond to break down barriers and open up opportunities
乐天堂app下载se steps are in addition to 乐天堂app下载 extensive work we are already doing on inclusion and diversity, ethical practice, open science, and recognition of science and scientists.
Resources for improving science culture
乐天堂app下载re is already considerable momentum behind efforts to improve science culture, and this is reflected in 乐天堂app下载 wide range of resources, tools and frameworks available. We have ga乐天堂app下载red many of 乐天堂app下载se resources and tools in our resources for improving science culture.
Share additional resources with us
We know that many members of 乐天堂app下载 science and innovation community are involved in culture initiatives in 乐天堂app下载ir own environments. If you are aware of a resource that may be helpful to share more widely, please send it to us so we can consider including it in our resources for improving science culture.
