Transforming Research

The second Transforming Research conference, to be held at Brown University on 3 and 4 October, will include international leaders and innovators across research policy, strategy, communication, advocacy, and evaluation. The organising committee have announced the first confirmed speakers. Submissions for presentations are welcome through Tuesday 7 August. Themes of the conference include: Research Policy and Strategy; Careers, Review and Promotion; Metrics, Evaluation and Behavior; and, the Structure of Research and Institutions.

Mike Taylor, chair of the conference organising committee, said: 'As research moves forward in an increasingly data and evidence driven research environment, a deeper, shared understanding of impact and research evaluation is essential.  Our goal for Transforming Research is to promote conversations among funders and institutions, publishers and research managers, information and data scientists and technologists. Together, we can discuss new ideas and shared challenges across the research community with diverse perspectives to advance discovery, influence policy and increase public trust in research. We thank Brown University, our generous host and are delighted to announce our early confirmed speakers.'

The first confirmed speakers include distinguished, innovative leaders from diverse organizations will be welcomed by the event host, Jill Pipher, Vice President for Research and Elisha Benjamin Andrews Professor of Mathematics at Brown University.

Keynote presenters include:

James Wilsdon, Professor of Research Policy, Department of Politics and Director of Research and Innovation, Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Sheffield, will present a key note related to research policy and strategy. Wilsdon’s research interests include research policy in the UK and Europe; scientometrics; the impact agenda; public engagement in research; and the role of evidence and expertise in policymaking. He is a champion of impact and interdisciplinarity and currently serves as vice-chair of the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) and program leader for Centre for Global Higher Education. Wilsdon will advance discussions on impact metrics, gamification of the assessment process having recently chaired an expert panel on Next Generation Metrics for the European Commission. He is also author of The Metric Tide.

Cornelia Dean, New York Times science writer and Writer in Residence at Brown University, author of Making Sense of Science, which draws on her thirty years as a science journalist to equip the wider public with a set of critical tools to evaluate the scientific claims and controversies that shape our lives.

Leaders from scientific societies, information science, and funding agencies will also present, including:

• Anne Bowser, Director of Innovation and Innovation Specialist, Science and Technology Innovation Program, Wilson Center;
• Barb Brownlee, Senior Policy Advisor at Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation;
• David Eichmann, Associate Professor and Director, School of Library and Information Science, University of Iowa;
• Helen Marshall, Senior Lecturer in Writing and Publishing & Director of the Centre for Science Fiction and Fantasy, Anglia Ruskin University; and
• Catherine Roberts, Executive Director, American Mathematical Society.