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Discovering ‘galaxies’ of research within universities

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University research data looks like something from outer space – let’s zoom in and see what’s there Research institutions need the right tools to discover their strengths and weaknesses, to plan for the future, and to make a greater impact for the communities of tomorrow. In this post, Digital Science’s VP Research Futures, Simon Porter, uses a digital telescope to view the ‘galaxies’ of research within our best and brightest institutions – and explains why that matters. When we see new images of our universe through the lens of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), we’re left in awe of the unique perspective we’ve witnessed, and something about our own universe – even the perception of our own existence – has altered as a result. What we see are entirely new galaxies, and worlds of possibility. That’s also what I see when I look at the research data spanning our many universities and research institutions globally. Each one of these institutions represents its own unique u
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My First 100 Days: Leadership for Change

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Dr Alison Mitchell, Chief of Staff, Digital Science. In keeping with many Digital Science new starters, Chief of Staff Alison Mitchell has had an exhilarating first few months at the company. Here she reflects on the theme of change in terms of leadership and growth in a complex organization. For many years I’ve watched Digital Science from afar, and I’ve always been aware of its long-held commitment to helping researchers and research institutions make a difference. For more than a decade, Digital Science has been committed to maximizing the impact research and researchers can have throughout society. We do this by providing researchers with the full range of data they need, by giving them access to analytics that enable better decision-making about research, and by supplying better tools to help communicate the outcomes – including the impact – of their research more broadly.  We’re in an era of major crises across the world that can be solved only through open debate and k
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For Scholars’ Eyes Only?

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Unravelling the academic impact of 007 The first edition of Ian Fleming’s novel Casino Royale (inset) was published 70 years ago on 13 April 1953. Daniel Craig (pictured) portrayed James Bond in the 2006 film adaptation of the book. James Bond remains the property of Eon Productions and Ian Fleming Publications. On the 70th anniversary of the publication of Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel, Casino Royale , we ask the question: Why does James Bond have such a large footprint in scholarly literature? Our analysis reveals that Bond, James Bond, is about more than just espionage, vodka martinis and cinema studies. Every so often a fictional character is so well drawn that even though they often embody the ideals or sensibilities of a non-contemporary era, with all the challenges that can present, they transcend their original zeitgeist to be constantly reinvented, renewed and, to use a modern term, rebooted for new generations. In science fiction and fantasy, this is a famil
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NASA partners with Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Eclipse viewing experience

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INDIANAPOLIS — The Solar Eclipse will be visible in Indiana one year from today. This event marks the first total solar eclipse in the United States since August of 2017 and the first one in Indy since the year 1205. Aside from Austin and Dallas, Indy is the largest city with a direct hit in the path of totality. The 'Eclipse Capital of the Midwest' is expected to have an influx of more that 1 million visitors to witness the phenomenon. To prepare, NASA and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway have teamed up for an exciting day of programming and celebration. On April 8, 2024, NASA will broadcast live from the IMS and be on hand to answer questions and guide viewers through the experience. IMS is one of only three broadcast locations across the country to partner with NASA for the event, according a NASA announcement. In addition, over 100 events will take place over the Solar Eclipse weekend in Indy. Some of the events include: Total Eclipse of the Art festival at The Indianapolis
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Elsie Widdowson: Long-lasting impact on health

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Dr Elsie Widdowson . In the final of our series to celebrate Women’s History Month, we look at the remarkable career of Elsie Widdowson. Born in 1906, she was one of the first women to graduate from Imperial College, London, and went on to earn her first PhD from there. Following an early research interest in plants, she became an expert in human diets, going on to provide invaluable input into the UK’s rationing project after World War II. In this short series of blogs, Digital Science is using modern tools to assess three women and their research legacies to amplify their achievements during Women’s History Month. We saw earlier this month the major contributions made by Marie Maynard Daly and Rita Levi-Montalcini , and in the final part we review the impact made by Dr Elsie Widdowson in her long career.  The first remarkable thing to note about Dr Widdowson is the change in disciplines she covered in her early work. At first she was interested in plants, and her first PhD a
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Star Wars Day sees Return of the #FuturePub

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Over the last few years, many things were put on hold only to come back bigger and better; the Academy Awards, COP26, and of course Liverpool FC’s eventual triumph over the rest of the Premier League. However, none have been so hotly anticipated as #FuturePub – Return of the Research Tech Innovation Social! We’re really excited to announce that #FuturePub is BACK ! We’ll be at the Royal Institution (the Ri to its friends) on May the 4th (be with you) for everything you know and love and SO MUCH MORE. Don’t worry, the sky isn’t really spinning – you’re just experiencing the excitement of #FuturePub! Join us for food, drinks, lightning talks from cutting-edge innovators in research tech, networking with a bunch of like-minded people, and even explore the historic building that is hosting us. Hosted by Digital Science, the evenings are designed to be fun and informal – we aim to give opportunities to those working on new ideas and innovations a chance to present and get feedback
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Zooming in on zoonotic diseases

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Analysis reveals disparities in funding to combat global impacts of climate change on health “Climate change is one of the biggest threats to health.” —Dr Beth Thompson, interim Director of Strategy, Wellcome Trust (7 February 2023). Laboratory worker in the Rodolphe Mérieux laboratory of Bamako, Mali. This lab is known for its work to help diagnose Ebola virus, Zika virus and Lassa fever. Photo credit: Mérieux Foundation . This blog addresses the impact of climate change on infectious diseases, in particular infectious diseases with the potential to transmit from animals to humans, also known as zoonotic diseases. To set the scene for this, we first consider the wider context of how global warming has far-reaching consequences for humans and the planet. The global changes that we are currently experiencing have never happened before, with climate change representing one of the principal environmental and health challenges. We use Dimensions to explore published research,
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