Over the last few years, one can scarcely open a prestigious national magazine or newsletter without coming across a sordid story about plagiarism at the highest echelons of science. There have been incidents at some of our most renowned institutions: Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Caltech, Harvard, and others. It’s both hard to wrap your mind around and very discouraging—and you’d be forgiven for wondering if there truly is an irresistible temptation for competitive scientists to take shortcuts. Adding to this is the fact that the publication of scientific literature has become big business. The number of new publications in traditional and interdisciplinary fields has been increasing steadily.
Even before we had the help of computers and powerful algorithms, a few skilled individuals seemed able to predict the next steps in research with reasonable confidence. And they were often right, though not always. But today’s highly competitive landscape has culminated in the creation of a new kind of scientist: the accomplished technician who seemingly publishes a new paper every 37 hours. Such successes—or maybe we should call them abscesses—indicate not so much that certain individuals have mastered the publish-or-perish game, but rather that the standard that society has set for scientists is no longer tenable.
Clearly, we must reassess the core values of scientific research. In my opinion, the work of the true research scientist must include enhancing the health of the overall research enterprise, fostering integrity in science, and promoting the public's understanding of science for the purpose of improving the human condition. Put more simply, all scientists should practice and promote ethics and excellence at all times in their research. The true scientist is also dedicated to mentorship and to the advancement of knowledge through research, service, and teaching. And then, of course, there is the work itself: The true scientist must painstakingly check and recheck their results, methodologies, and assumptions. Only in that way, in community with equal-minded peers, can we build the scientific advances and engineering bases of our increasingly technological society.
This, I submit, is the profile of a Sigma Xi member.
With this letter, I prepare to conclude my one-year tenure as president of Sigma Xi. I am very proud to report that we’ve seen our first increase in membership in the last 10 years, along with our largest ever in-person annual meeting attendance at the 2023 IFoRE conference. I thank the Sigma Xi staff and our amazing membership, who were all instrumental in achieving these accomplishments during my presidency.
In July 2024, I will transfer leadership to our current president-elect, Kathy Lu. She will chart the future course of Sigma Xi and its continued prosperity.
Sincerely,
Marija Strojnik, PhD
Sigma Xi President