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After writing about specialization and tenure, particularly in the context of scientific history, it was interesting to read a recent interview with the head of the National Science Foundation, Dr. Arden L. Bement, Jr.

Bemet discusses the NSF’s strategic plan, future goals, and context in the overall U.S. government and society.

But here are some interesting quotes for young scientists:

Not only do we have to provide more opportunity for faculty and students to have an international experience, but we also have to have more collaborations and more interactions with researchers in other parts of the world. … Before tenure review, it’s critically important for investigators to demonstrate their ability to do independent, world-class research. … to demonstrate that they can form a research team and be very effective in mentoring graduate students … it can be very difficult to conduct those sorts of activities in conjunction with collaborative arrangements. … [After tenure] there is greater flexibility and freedom to engage in collaborative and interdisciplinary research.

So his advice is to specialize first, and then after tenure to turn around and collaborate and do interdisciplinary research. Am I the only one who thinks that seems a little strange? Yes, it’s important in the tenure process to showcase original, independent work. However, if interdisciplinary research and collaborations should be important in scientific careers, shouldn’t there be some weight to that element for students and young faculty? Otherwise, it seems to this naive scientist, that we’re supposed to change directions several times in our careers:

• collaborations and interdisciplinary research as graduate students
• specialization and independent research as a young faculty member
• collaboration and interdisciplinary research after tenure

And of course, there’s a call for collaboration between disciplines which translates into a general support for science, engineering, technology, and mathematics across the board (rather than for one specific subject):

As the fields converge, however, it’s important to advocate for science in general, because a field will not progress if it does so narrowly and in isolation.

So the fields (and science in general) benefit overall from integration and diversification, but young faculty are supposed to isolate themselves? Somehow this seems like a strange concept to me.