The science behind a successful year

As the New Year comes up, what should our resolutions and wishes as scientists working in India, be? Typically, a survey gets answers which fall into two sets. Many will resolve to do better and eliminate all their vices in the first week of 2017 and similarly expect that society, the government and science-funders will magically accede to their every wish in the first quarter of 2017. Suppose, we similarly ask what does society expect from us as scientists in India? Here, too, the responses have a disconnect with reality. The term ‘science’ is used for technology and vice-versa and the view is that science and technology have either caused all our problems or must solve all of them in 2017.

Just as scientists take a stance to deal with that delivery, we are simultaneously bowled a googly: “And by the way, where are your Nobels?” Scientists, society and the  government seem to be talking past each other and we need to move together rather being tied together, moving in random directions. But, the good news, at least as far as science and society and government go in India, is that much can be simply and effectively done if we work together. Let me illustrate this with a few examples over the past year. One of the biggest criticisms of us as scientists, and a valid one with some notable exceptions, is that we are too ensconced in our silos. So, the few examples I will give about how working together is effective are also from other science departments and not just from the Department of Biotechnology, where I work.

This year, one of the major scientific breakthroughs was the detection of gravitational waves by an Observatory called LIGO. The scientific paper reporting gravitational waves had hundreds of authors, 30 of whom are scientists working in India in institutes supported by multiple science agencies. All the authors were awarded the Breakthrough Prize, considered a next-gen Nobel, as it rewards not just an individual, but the collective effort of the team.

More ‘top-down’, how many of us know that for some time now the Ministry of Earth Sciences has put in place a state-of-the art tsunami warning system that will allow time for rapid responses should another catastrophe hit our coasts. Earth Sciences has also set up high resolution global weather prediction models at 12 km resolution. This, too, is of the highest global standard and reach our farmers through short message service (SMS). These again require partnerships of very diverse kinds.

In health, sanitation and disease are major challenges. Cleaning our rivers is a massive, long-term and complex task. India has led a global coalition against epidemics and we will be better prepared should new and emerging diseases such as Zika or Ebola hit India. If so much is going on in basic and applied research, why are we talking past each other? There are three reasons. The first problem is the scientists’ poor empathy with our society. This is not a problem peculiar to the scientific community — all of us who can eat a stomach-full each day and not worry about where tomorrow’s meals will come from need to connect more. For example, as a technocrat or a scientist in a committee, it is easy to postpone taking a difficult decision, say the introduction of a vaccine, a health measure or a new programme that will create jobs or a large basic-science programme whose ‘benefits’ will take time. Don’t postpone difficult decisions. A decision is not improved by its age. If introducing a vaccine will save 100,000 lives a year, look at the pros and cons carefully. But each year it is postponed results in loss of lives. Decide speedily and well. The second is a lack of ambition. As a scientist, it is easy to do ‘me-too’ science and do it well. It’s easy to say that you need more money and then all will be well. Be ambitious, ask for more but bootstrap your way up.

Similarly, we in science agencies should have a stake in this ambition and ensure that resources are made available, particularly when ambition is not lacking. We have much to improve here.

The third problem is the shackling of science. If you are in charge of oversight, it’s easy to find problems that will gridlock any scientific daring and adventure. If it is a Law, we must obey it. If it’s a rule, we must interpret it wisely and not use it as an instrument of harassment. If it’s poor norms that either ‘side’ is following, let’s change them right away and not pretend that a ‘norm’ is the law. Let’s see how we can enable rather that thwart.

The solutions to these problems are simple to start in 2017. Some of the examples illustrated show empathy, daring and un-shackling. There are many, many more. By talking and communicating with each other, we can improve each year.  Science in India has had a great recent tradition, but we need to shake ourselves up — scientists and science administrators — if we are to grasp our future. Now is a good time.

The author is secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India