Thread by @PWGTennant

Most people don't realise that academic science is a very long way from healthy.

In fact, all good academic scientists must, at some point, go through a reckoning. When they awaken from the 'dream of science' to realise just how broken things are.

🧵 1/11
#ScienceInCrisis

My own crisis happened during my PhD. It was gradual, but at some point I realised academic science wasn't driven by truth, quality, or collectivism, but ego, opportunism, and exploitation. I couldn't believe it. It seemed so wrong and unfair.

2/11
#ScienceInCrisis

It hit me like grief. Anger, depression, bargaining. Years later & I'm still struggling. It hurts when I see bad science or a bad scientist getting celebrated.

I've been been told my 'problem' is I 'care about doing good science'. But I refuse to give in.

3/11
#ScienceInCrisis

95%+ of health research can be put straight in the bin. Flawed from the start. Yet it still gets funded, published, & shared.

That wouldn't matter if we 'self corrected'. But those who raise concerns are often branded jealous, negative, or bullies.

4/11
#ScienceInCrisis

I used to assume it was enough to show something was wrong for things to change. In fact, you need power, influence, & luck. But most power is claimed by those who seek it. And they'll use their power to protect their ego & reputation.

5/11
#ScienceInCrisis

This is why Max Plank said 'science advances one funeral at a time'. The old guard are very good at defending their old ideas. They block or isolate those pushing against them.

But death doesn't guarantee progress; the culture breeds more of the same.

6/11
#ScienceInCrisis

Academic science needs a revolution. Some of this might come from the #OpenScience movement. But it can't manage alone. Even open science can be done 'cynically'. Where bad research is done for the wrong reasons, yet ticks all the 'open' boxes.

7/11
#ScienceInCrisis

The #Covid pandemic offers an insight & chance to change. The flood of research was unheard. Some good. Most rubbish. We were overwhelmed with opportunistic research; chasing the COVID coin. Some exemplified #OpenScience, except when criticisms were raised.

8/11
#ScienceInCrisis

The truth is we can't improve academic science until we improve #academia. And that means changing the culture within #HigherEd itself. We must move away from rewarding self promotion & 'income generation' to collectivism & truth seeking.

9/11
#ScienceInCrisis

Changing #academia starts & ends with unionisation. Nothing can change without fighting the toxic precarity & exploitation that spits out the best scientists.

After that, we must manage our grief. I tell myself 'I hate academia but love science'.

10/11
#ScienceInCrisis

I'm hopeful things will change. Part is because the alternative is too depressing. But I also believe most people who enter science are good people with good values. So it won't take *that* much. Just effort & patience. And we scientists are good at that!

11/11
#ScienceInCrisis

PS Many have pointed out that trade unions cannot fix the problem of #ScienceInCrisis alone. This is true.

Like any complex problem, it'll need a multi-prongued approach; applying pressure from inside & outside. That starts with telling the story about the scale or the problem.