Integrating Decentralized Science into Research and Development: Part One
Remember that feeling of excitement when we first imagined science without borders? Where anybody with a spark of curiosity and technology could join the global quest for knowledge? That was the promise of Decentralized Science (DeSci) — a paradigm shift away from the old guard of universities, governments, and corporations controlling research and development. It was supposed to be a collaborative playground, fueled by open data, shared contributions, and fair rewards.
So, where are we now? The buzz around DeSci hasn’t faded, but the promised revolution seems a little slow. Awareness is growing, yes, but real-world adoption? Not quite keeping pace. What’s the hold-up? Are we facing a case of overhyped potential, or are there genuine hurdles we need to overcome?
Let’s face it, discussing DeSci’s potential is one thing, actually integrating it into the complex fabric of scientific research is another. In this article, we’ll be discussing how decentralized science can be integrated into research and development. We hope this helps you decide on what to build or what to use. As usual, this article will be divided into two parts.
So let’s begin by telling a typical story of how traditional research and development works right?
A Typical Story of Traditional Research and Development
Dr. Sarah Mitchell, a seasoned researcher in environmental science, embarks on a mission to study the impact of climate change on a particular species of marine life. Driven by curiosity and a desire to contribute to the global understanding of ecological shifts, she submits a grant proposal to a well-established research institution.
Months go by as Dr. Mitchell awaits news on her proposal. The centralized nature of the funding process involves layers of bureaucracy, peer reviews, and administrative procedures. Finally, she receives a response — her project has been approved but with a fraction of the requested funds.
Undeterred, Dr. Mitchell sets out to collect data from various sources, collaborating with fellow researchers and utilizing datasets stored in centralized repositories. However, access to certain critical datasets is restricted due to subscription fees and licensing agreements, hindering the depth of her analysis.
As her research progresses, Dr. Mitchell faces challenges in disseminating her findings. Traditional academic journals, while prestigious, often require significant publication fees, limiting the accessibility of her work. The timeline from data collection to publication extends, as each step involves navigating through the established channels of academic publishing.
Throughout this journey, Dr. Mitchell encounters barriers to collaboration, struggles with funding constraints, and faces delays in sharing her discoveries with the broader scientific community. This is a typical life of a researcher in the field of science.
In cases where the researcher is dedicated, he or she could pull through. In some other cases, the researcher gives up. Either way, life shouldn’t be difficult for someone willing to contribute to the body of knowledge.
So what can be done? How can decentralized science be integrated into traditional science? Please take note that we’ll be discussing this from the perspective of you being a user, not a builder.
Integrating decentralized science into traditional research and development
Join a Community
As a researcher in decentralized science, there are several communities you could join that are specialized for different purposes. Some of these communities include DeSciAfrica, DeSci Global, DeSci Youths, etc. In communities like these, you could brainstorm research ideas with community members, collaborate with fellow researchers, and even share your published research works with others.
Now let’s assume that you now have your research idea and you’re willing to go forward to getting funds for your research, what would you do next?
Apply for Research Funding
The good thing about funding a research project in the decentralized science field is that it’s not a single entity that decides if your project is worth funding or not. It’s a community of people from diverse backgrounds so you have a better chance if your research idea is unique. To apply to fund your research projects, you could send your application to VitaDAO, AnthenaDAO, CryoDAO, Vibe DAO, Cherubs DAO, Hair DAO, People DAO, and so much more. It’s important to note that most of these platforms fund projects that are specialized in certain fields. So ensure that whatever platform you choose to apply to is specialized in your research field.
Good news! Your project is now funded. What next?
Kickstart your research project
You might be wondering. How does decentralized science still come in here? This depends on your research idea and the methodology. Certain platforms are usually specialized in computational tools that can make your research a success. Some of these platforms include lab DAO, DeSci labs, etc. With platforms like these, you could not worry about having a replicability problem for your research project.
Review and publish your research
Your hard work is almost coming to an end. It’s almost time to push out your research for the world to see. What decentralized science platforms support reviewing and publishing your project to a broader community without restricting you whatsoever? These include Ants Review, Longevity Review, and Scriptus.
It’s really exciting to see that you pulled through till the very end of this article. Are you surprised at how there is at least one decentralized science platform that’s specialized in each stage of your research process? Don’t be. Now you can see how nothing can stop you if you want to succeed in this space. So yes, we are rooting for you!
