Tag Archives: Royal Society

Human enhancement will change how we work, says report

Posted on by
3

{credit}Comstock/Thinkstock{/credit}

If I told you that you could be more productive at work, make better decisions and even enjoy the worst parts of your job more, would you be tempted?

Such are the promises of cognitive enhancing pharmaceuticals and technologies, many of which are increasingly being used by students and professionals to improve their performance at work.

But a new report by scientists and ethicists, which says that these developments will undoubtedly change the way we work in the future, raises concerns about the ethical and safety questions surrounding their use.

“There are many exciting prospects for enhancing production in the workplace,” says Barbara Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge, and one of the members of the report working group, adding that now is the time to consider the issues and “find a way forward.”

The report is timely as a number of cogntive enhancing drugs are already being used. Modafinil, which was originally developed to treat sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, has gained a reputation as a brain boosting-drug which can improve concentration and memory, and even make work feel more enjoyable.

Sahakian says it’s impossible to know exactly how many people are using the drug off-label but the fact is that many more prescriptions are given out than there are people with the conditions the drug is supposed to treat. Surveys suggest that such cognitive enhancers are well known to the student population, who reportedly see them as a better alternative to caffeine, helping them to stay awake longer to revise or write essays, or keep them going during exams.

The US army has also been testing out cognitive enhancing drugs to keep soldiers alert for longer. Then there’s the realm of physical and technological enhancements that may bring other benefits. Cognitive enhancement through ‘brain-training’ video games has also been effective in studies, and could help older workers to keep up to speed with their younger colleagues, for instance.  Other technological advances help improve hearing and vision, limb function, and more, which could all make people more productive.

The question is, how should these technologies be used? For a start, studies have shown that taking cognitive enhancing drugs reduces the number of accidents related to shift workers, and can also help surgeons do a better job, especially compared to caffeine which can cause their hands to shake. If it means saving lives, shouldn’t these advances be made compulsory by employers?

Many of the ethical concerns are not new, or reserved for developments in human enhancement, but where they are unique is that they will affect the workplace, said Jackie Leach Scully, an ethicist from Newcastle University, speaking at the report launch at the Science Media Centre in London. “What is special in the context of work is the competitive nature so it is likely that employees will be under big pressure to use enhancements to perform better,” she said, “but there might be lots of reasons why they don’t want to self enhance.” These include religious beliefs, safety concerns, or their own ethical reasons. Continue reading →

Female scientists in UK report improved prospects – but there’s still a long way to go

Posted on by
Reply

The gap between men’s and women’s careers in academia in the UK is closing as women become more ambitious, according to the 2010 Athena Survey of Science, Engineering and Technology (ASSET) summary report published earlier this month.

The 2010 survey, which included responses from over 7,000 male and female academics and postdocs from 84 UK universities, found that women are increasingly likely to aspire to senior leadership positions and are as likely as men to hold posts such as head of research and director of postgraduate studies.

Female postdocs are more positive about their career success to date than female academics, suggesting a more positive outlook for younger generations of scientists, and the availability of flexible working is having a beneficial effect on career development.

However, there are still significant differences between men’s and women’s experiences at every career stage. For example, on average:

  • Women are more likely to be employed on temporary contracts

  • Men are more likely to receive routine appraisals

  • Women have less understanding of the promotion process and criteria

  • Men feel more valued and visible in their departments and have more control over their employment choice

In the foreword to the report, Royal Society president Paul Nurse said there is still a long way to go before the UK can be confident it is making the most of the talents of female scientists. “It is more important than ever that we ensure the best scientists can flourish,” he wrote. “All groups should be able to participate to the full extent of their abilities.”

What is your opinion on prospects in the UK? Share your thoughts below.

‘Brain circulation’ and other trends in global science

Posted on by
1

Forget ‘brain drain’ – many countries are now focusing their efforts on making the most of ‘brain circulation’, according to a new report on global science from the Royal Society, Britain’s national academy of science.

In a shift away from attempting to stem the flow of talented scientists overseas, countries such as China and India are setting aside resources to attract native scientists back home later in their careers while maintaining their links with host countries.

Many nomadic scientists who remain overseas are also keen to maintain links with their home countries but are unsure where to start, making them an “untapped resource” for international collaboration, according to the report, Knowledge, Networks and Nations: Global Scientific Collaboration in the 21st Century.

Where brain drain is still a major problem, such as in Africa, governments need to reward talented scientists and enable them to foster global networks while ensuring they also help build national research capacity.

Other highlights of the report include:

• International collaboration is growing, and has a significant effect on a research paper’s impact (see ‘Research sans frontières’ for more)

• In addition to the meteoric rise of China and, to a lesser extent, Brazil and India, other rapidly emerging scientific nations include Turkey, Iran and Tunisia

• R&D investment in developing countries is increasing: the share of foreign-owned business R&D in the developing world grew from 2% in 1996 to 18% in 2002

• Regions and cities are displacing countries as the relevant unit when discussing R&D – in the United States, the state of California accounted for more than one-fifth of national R&D spending in 2004, while Moscow accounts for 50% of Russian research articles

• Many established research centres and funders have become global brands that are no longer necessarily confined to their geographic location – the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom has a campus in China, for example, while the UK-based Wellcome Trust helps fund institutes in Asia and Africa

What’s your reaction to the report? If you’re a scientist working overseas, do you plan to return home later in your career? Are you seeing the benefits of international collaboration? Share your thoughts below.