The current process for material transfer agreements involves way too much paperwork and puts unnecessary stress on both researchers and technology transfer offices.
There is a clear need for additional training at all levels, but uncertainty remains as to how to deliver it all in a fair and systematic way.
Guest writer Sarah Masefield explains why she created the "How to Thrive and Survive in your PhD" project to help postgraduate researchers connect and help one another.
This past year has accentuated issues that needed to have some light shone on them and we should be very careful not to push them back in the darkness.
While the advantages of preprint servers are numerous, researchers need to be very clear about the fact that these findings have not been formally assessed by the scientific community.
There is an opportunity to learn from dramatic changes in behaviour that have been imposed on us.
The academic community is at risk of losing a large percentage of researchers, unless institutions and funding agencies start implementing proactive solutions.
We would like to see major organizations make their reviewer comments available to other funding organizations for grants that “just missed” getting funded.
Many of the mental health challenges universities are trying to address tend to be exacerbated by the pride of academics themselves.
Some people need to be pushed to achieve their best work, but it is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Both David and Jonathan hope that many new and good things can come from this period of lockdown.
