Collections

Research culture

In this collection we explore fostering a positive research culture and scientific practices, covering topics such as reproducibility, open science, diversity and inclusion, leadership and mentorship, career instability, discrimination, misconduct and the evolving landscape of research ethics and integrity.

Leadership

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What’s wrong with research culture?

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A knotty mess of problems affects people doing academic research in the UK. Rachel Brazil tries to untie the tangle

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How to improve research culture

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Five ways to make chemistry departments better places to work

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How EPSRC fosters inclusion

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The pandemic has provided valuable lessons for funders to rethink research culture

Support and wellbeing

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Act now to support early-career researchers

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The Covid-19 pandemic has further highlighted long-existing issues that leaders need to take a stance on

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Mental wellbeing in academia

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Not enough has been done to support students during the pandemic

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Science and research ‘are dead’ in Afghanistan

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Afghan researchers and scholars flee or go into hiding as the Taliban’s return to power sees the science academy and universities closed

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UKRI response to Black female academics on funding decisions called inadequate

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Pledge to improve understanding and monitoring of inequality comes a year after open letter was first published

Diverse cultures

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In situ with Tebello Nyokong

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The influential chemist on nurturing confidence in students and taking inspiration from the humanities

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The science of team science

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Researchers and funders are exploring ways to make large collaborative projects more successful

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Science faction

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Taking inspiration from nerd culture

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Science as a product of culture

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The role of background beliefs and assumptions in the development of science

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Change at the top

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Improving research culture requires effort – but it’s worth it

Impact of Covid-19

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Let it go

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We have to accept that we can’t catch up on time lost in lockdown

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How Covid-19 has changed us

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While the pandemic has introduced more efficient and global ways of working, researchers and educators still have challenges to overcome

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Pandemic continues to disrupt and depress UK researchers, survey finds

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Researchers reported spending more time on peer-review activities, teaching and writing

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Leading a lab through pandemic-induced uncertainty

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Emphathy is vital to support mentees effectively

Publishing

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Depositing hope for the future

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The rise of ChemRxiv might mean that chemists can tackle thornier cultural problems

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Australian Research Council’s ban on preprints in grants prompts outcry

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Move derided as ‘hopelessly outdated’ and a setback for open science by researchers

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Chemists react to UK umbrella funding body’s new open access mandate

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Agency aligns itself with principles of Plan S by insisting on immediate open access

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Four years of chemistry preprints

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Nina Notman takes stock of how preprint severs have settled into the chemistry community