Welcome to another edition of Bears, Beets, Breaking News, where we explore the complex world of research with the same enthusiasm that Dwight Schrute brings to beet farming. Today, we’re diving into why “nice” research isn’t just a feel-good concept but a practical imperative for the future of science and society.
The Exponential Growth of Research: More Papers Than We Can Handle
In the immortal words of Michael Scott, “Sometimes I’ll start a sentence and I don’t even know where it’s going.” The same could be said for the current state of scientific research: we are producing knowledge at a rate that’s difficult to navigate or fully comprehend . The scientific literature is growing at an astonishing pace, with publication numbers following a clear exponential growth pattern of approximately 4-5% annually, which translates to a doubling time of about 17 years . Recent statistics paint an even more dramatic picture: global scientific output was 21% higher in 2019 than in 2015, with publications on cross-cutting strategic technologies surging by 33% . By 2022, global publication output reached a staggering 3.3 million articles, with China producing 27% and the United States 14% of this intellectual tsunami . Some fields are seeing growth rates as high as 11.7% per year, creating a situation where the increase in publications in a single year now surpasses the total scientific output of 1990. This exponential growth raises critical questions: Are we actually absorbing all this knowledge? Is it reaching the right people? And most importantly, is it making a difference beyond academic circles ?
From Science for Science’s Sake to Science for Society’s Sake
The traditional model of research—pursuing knowledge purely for knowledge’s sake—has produced remarkable discoveries throughout history. Like great works of art, many scientific endeavors weren’t created with an immediate practical purpose but have nonetheless enriched humanity. This “just for the sake of it” philosophy has delivered tangible benefits that weren’t initially anticipated, from NASA technologies that transformed everyday life to fundamental chemistry discoveries that later revolutionized materials science. However, there’s a growing recognition that science must also serve society more directly . As members of society, scientists have responsibilities that extend beyond producing quality research. These include participating in discussions about the appropriate use of science in addressing societal issues, bringing specialized knowledge to public education, and facilitating informed decision-making in a democratic society . The shift from “science for science’s sake” to “science for society’s sake” doesn’t diminish the value of fundamental research. Rather, it acknowledges that the ultimate purpose of scientific knowledge is to improve lives, inform decisions, and foster collective well-being. This perspective recognizes that while research provides many advancements in knowledge and technologies, researchers are now expected to collaborate with organizations and communities to ensure that society and research maintain a two-way dialogue.
Creating Offramps: Connecting Research to Society Without Reinventing the Wheel
Here’s where the concept of “nice” research comes in—research that intentionally creates “offramps” connecting academic work to societal benefit. Scientists don’t need to radically change their work; they simply need to be more deliberate about building bridges between their research and potential real-world applications . Most good research already provides pathways for future work in their field. The challenge is extending these pathways beyond academic boundaries to reach practitioners, policymakers, and the public . Implementation science—the study of strategies that promote the uptake of research into the real world—coupled with community engagement can help ensure that scientific results are meaningful and used by the broader population . Examples of these offramps include:
Clear recommendations for policy or practice that emerge from research findings
Open data and transparent methods that allow others to build upon the work
Engaging with stakeholders and communities throughout the research process
Translating findings into accessible language for non-specialist audiences
Creating these offramps isn’t just nice—it’s necessary for research to fulfill its potential for impact. Research can lead to the development of new policies, programs, and interventions that improve social welfare, reduce inequality, and promote economic growth, but only if it’s accessible and actionable.
Reaching Critical Mass: The Power of Well-Intentioned Offramps
The beauty of this approach is that it doesn’t require perfection from the start . What matters is a jump start—a surge in the quantity of well-intentioned offramps that can bring us to a point of criticality where interdisciplinary collaboration and societal impact become the norm, not the exception . When enough researchers make their work accessible and actionable, we reach a tipping point where knowledge flows more freely across disciplinary boundaries and between academia and society . This critical mass creates a virtuous cycle: as more research demonstrates real-world impact, more researchers are motivated to create similar pathways, and more stakeholders engage with research findings. The evolution of interdisciplinary research illustrates this potential . While some argue that interdisciplinary thinking dates back to Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, others place its emergence in the twentieth century, born from educational reforms and the transfer of knowledge across subject boundaries. What’s clear is that interdisciplinary approaches have gained momentum as researchers recognize the need to address complex problems through multiple lenses. A recent study examining the historical evolution of interdisciplinary research over a 40-year period identified three distinct phases: an initial period (1981-2002) marked by sporadic and limited interdisciplinary activity; a second phase (2003-2016) characterized by the emergence of large-scale interdisciplinary research led primarily by Medicine; and a current phase (2017-present) where interdisciplinary research has become a widely adopted paradigm . This evolution demonstrates how research approaches can transform when they reach a critical mass of adoption .
The Ethics of Nice Research: A Responsibility, Not Just a Courtesy
Being “nice” in research isn’t just about being polite or agreeable—it’s about embracing a broader ethical responsibility . Socially responsible science recognizes that researchers have obligations not only to their peers but also to the wider society that supports and is affected by their work . The social responsibilities of researchers include, but extend beyond, upholding ethical standards while carrying out research . They include opposing misuse or abuse in the application of research findings, attending to both the limitations and foreseeable impacts of their work, and participating in discussions regarding the appropriate use of science in addressing societal issues . Good research practices encompass integrity, transparency, and adherence to best practices. These practices are not just about ensuring quality assurance and control but are the basis for the trustworthiness of scientists and their results. Thus, “nice” research is the premise for acceptance of scientific work in both science and society and the essential requirement for sustainable success, trust, and long-term recognition in science.
Conclusion: The Case for Nice Research
Nice research acknowledges a responsibility to care for the society that nurtures it: research should aim to give back to the society that supports it. And just as the research hierarchy in environmental engineering connects ontology (the nature of reality) to practical methods, nice research connects abstract knowledge to concrete benefits. It recognizes that while quantitative and qualitative approaches differ in their philosophical foundations, they can complement each other to address complex challenges. By embedding kindness, accessibility, and societal relevance into our research practices, we create a virtuous cycle: research that is not only rigorous but also responsive to the needs and aspirations of the communities it serves. This approach doesn’t diminish the value of fundamental research—it enhances it by ensuring that knowledge flows freely between academia and society, enriching both in the process. In the end, nice research isn’t just about being nice, it’s about being effective, ethical, and engaged with the world beyond academia . And in a time of exponential knowledge growth and complex global challenges, that’s not just nice-it’s necessary .