According
to me, scientist has two roles to play – one is the hard-core science and the
other soft-core science. In the hard – core one, the real science is handled as
hypothesis – testing – inferring – forming theory and testing again. It
requires hard work day and night. There is no office time for it. Laboratory,
field or workshop is the site of hard-core science. On the other hand, the
soft-core science constitutes, writing of research projects, publication of
research results, teaching, training, conducting seminar etc. So a scientist has
great responsibility of handling these two important aspects day in and day
out. All scientists are paid salary to perform these functions both in private
and public concerns. They are also evaluated by competent authorities time to
time.
One
thing we need to keep in mind is that scientists are also human beings. They do
have emotions and desires. They are part of the society. They have family and
friends. Therefore we find some deviations in their behavior to meet the character
of a scientist. Faking results, copying, cooking up data, publishing
non-repeatable results, copying others’ results, plagiarism, mishandling
project money, harassing subordinates and students – are some of the unpleasant
activities we hear time to time. We all know that only a few do all these
things. But the scientific community gets a bad reputation in the minds of
public. Therefore scientists have to be careful in their duty and safeguard the
sanctity of science.
As
a Plant Physiologist for more than 30 years in Agricultural Science, I learned
many things which were conveyed at various occasions to my fellow Plant
Physiologists who heard me with keen interest and patience, but only few
followed my suggestions. However, I am happy that today’s young scientists have
gone far away from the old science and explored the unexplored with the help of
modern knowledge and equipments. The advancement of biotechnology,
nanotechnology, genetic engineering and bio-informatics is helping the modern
day science to progress and produce fantastic results which are very much
needed for all of us.
However,
I find a growing dissatisfaction among the scientific community because of the
bad attitudes of some of the so-called senior scientists who occupy high
positions. I always hear such murmuring from the mouths of many young and even
old scientists whenever I happened to interact with them. I am 75, still I feel
a pleasure to talk to young agricultural scientists. Most of them have a
negative thinking at the scientific institutions and the administration. Science is a bias less subject, but many
a time leaders in these institutions are biased and thus the young minds are
poisoned and work against the spirit of science.
One
of the best ways to avoid such attitudes is to train scientists by some
management gurus. Scientific management requires handling of plants, animals,
electronic equipment and above all highly qualified human beings. Of course I
know there is an Institute for Research Management. But we need to have
facilities for scientist management. Basically this has to start at the
post-graduate level of study or at the early stages of entering service. I wish
someone thinks the possibility of changing the attitude of scientists so that
science remains as science forever.
