A Vision of Hope for Scholarship
Description
In a short inspirational talk, I would like to share my hope for the future of scholarly communications. This is a hope that reaches into the individual efforts of researchers and allows building upon each thought and moment of insight without waiting for a perfectly composed paper. This is a hope for a welcoming environment where everyone can receive acknowledgement for every contribution, no matter how small, A system of interacting and building together and lifting each other by collaboratively utilizing our own strengths to bless and to allow others that opportunity to lift where we are weak. No researcher is the best that they hope to be in every aspect of research and that should not keep us from offering our very best as much as possible and working with others to develop our weaknesses into something more. No one is the dream teacher AND the most expert method developer AND incredibly insightful with analyzing results AND intuitively and inquisitively able to recognize holes where further questions wait to be asked AND exquisite at putting thoughts into cohesive written words and so on, all at the same time. Many of those that are truly expert in one of these, or other, areas may fail to reach their potential if constrained by a system where all efforts are measured in terms of a paper submitted and many will spend far more time that is optimal for them, and for the world that could benefit from their expertise, on efforts which are dependent on other’s strengths instead of their own. I have a hope for scholarly communications that value every type of contribution and open paths for each researcher to share and build in ways that will most effectively and fully build themselves, their peers, and the knowledge of the world.
Format
A 5–10 minute flash talk.