Month: February 2010

Publications – Wind of change?

Via Die Zeit and Nature:
The DFG, Germany’s main funding agency, just put down new guidelines for proposals. Starting in July, the proposals should contain only two directly relevant publications per year of requested funding, as well as up to five other papers (presumably the most important ones) covering the researcher’s general background. Matthias Kleiner, DFG president:

It is quality, not quantity, which matters.

Good point. Nevertheless, although the publish and perish mentality lately became quite tiring, I wonder if (how quickly) these new conditions will change the mentality of the researchers in general, and in particular the ones who are reviewing the proposals and are sitting in the committees for professorship appointment;-)

[Update 25.2.2010] Find the original DFG statement here (pdf, german).

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Science talking vs doing – and status

There is an interesting post on The Scholarly Kitchen on Talking About Science vs. Doing Science, a critical view on Web 2.0 for Scientists.

Every second spent blogging, chatting on FriendFeed, or leaving comments on a PLoS paper is a second taken away from other activities. Those other activities have direct rewards towards advancement.

Actually, this is one of the reasons for the low activity in recent months: I just do not have time for the blog right now – I believe I can write again end of March or so. Nevertheless, I am active, having written proposals (1 won, 1 open) as well as two review-like papers. One of them is on Organic Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells, the other on the Role of the Charge Transfer State for Organic Photovoltaics. Writing a third one right now… Once they are published (if they ever are), I will link to them. You are likely to find some figures etc familiar from the blog… and finally something to properly reference :-)

[Update 25th March 2010] 2nd proposal won as well;-) Also, the CT review was accepted by Adv Mater: if you are interested in the preprint, drop me a line.

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