In the era of exponential growth in scientific publications, the likelihood of an individual scientist causing significant disruption in their field appears to be dwindling. However, when viewed collectively, the overall level of disruption in the realm of science—marked by the prevalence of new discoveries reshaping existing paradigms—remains as potent, if not more so, than it was half a century ago. In essence, while our individual impact on the expanding world of science may be diminishing, the world of science itself is experiencing unrelenting disruption.
A recent publication in Advances in Complex Systems is of particular interest to leaders in innovation, industry, scientific policy, and education. Rather than discouraging, the takeaway is that the realm of science and innovation has grown stronger due to its increasing reliance on the collaboration of extensive, diverse, and multidisciplinary teams of researchers.
Lead author Bentley commented, “In a world of information and innovation that is expanding exponentially, our individual roles may be shrinking, but the momentum of disruption and the pace of cultural and technological change continue to accelerate.”
Authored by contributors from Tennessee, Texas, and Barcelona, Spain, the paper draws from diverse perspectives in cultural evolution, complexity theory, ecology, and the evolution of technology. The finding that disruption remains steady while individual roles diminish underscores the growing importance of collaborative, cross-disciplinary research in the realms of science and innovation.
The corresponding author for this study is Alex Bentley, the Associate Dean of the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies and Professor of Anthropology at the University of Tennessee. The full paper, titled “Is Disruption Decreasing, or Is It Accelerating?” can be accessed in the journal Advances in Complex Systems.
Source: World Scientific Publishing