Scientific celebrity

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Scientific celebrities are researchers whose influence extends beyond the scientific community. Kang and Lee (2016) distinguish the term scientific celebrity from star scientist . The latter are very productive researchers, the top 0.75% of the contributors to the GenBank database are recognized in the scientific community, but do not receive any attention in the mass media . However, a scientific celebrity gets that media attention, like Stephen Hawking .

According to Kang and Lee (2016), scientific celebrities have a great influence on the development of their field. In their study, they analyze the case of the researcher Hwang Woo-suk , who became a celebrity in South Korea through his groundbreaking publication , but whose work was later withdrawn due to scientific misconduct . According to Hwang's publication in the journal Science , the South Korean government declared the biotechnology sector to be the "national strategic industry for the next 15 years". The Explorer's fall came about as soon as his rise was when his deception was discovered. In their study, Kang and Lee (2016) intensively discuss the institutional context.

Kang and Lee (2016) came to the conclusion that scientific celebrities produce a positive transference effect regarding knowledge generation to other scientists. In their work, they observed that the number of patent applications by other researchers in the biotechnology sector, the number of new scientists in the field, and government grants and biotechnology patents in general increased more rapidly after Hwang's misconduct was noticed than before (1994-2005). This shows that the influence of a scientific celebrity continues even after its reputation is ruined. However, Kang and Lee (2016) note that the majority of the patents come from South Korea . The number of patents from other countries in the specific field could also have decreased. Kang and Lee (2006) also examined the influence of star scientists, but could not find any correlation with knowledge generation.

A scientific celebrity must also be distinguished from authors and moderators who provide information on scientific topics, e.g. Patrick Moore , David Attenborough and Ranga Yogeshwar . These are better known for television shows and speeches than for their contribution to science.

Kang and Lee (2016) note that the concept of the scientific celebrity is still very young and that there is still no uniform academic definition.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Hyunsung D. Kang, Jeongsik J. Lee: Scientific celebrity, competition, and knowledge creation: The case of stem cell research in South Korea . In: Journal of Engineering and Technology Management . tape 39 , 2016, p. 26–44 , doi : 10.1016 / j.jengtecman.2016.01.001 (English, sciencedirect.com [accessed on September 6, 2016]).
  2. ↑ Lynne G. Zucker & Michael R. Darby: Star scientists and institutional transformation: Patterns of invention and innovation in the formation of the biotechnology industry . In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . tape 93 , no. 23 , 1996, pp. 12709–12716 (English, pnas.org [accessed December 21, 2016]).
  3. ↑ Lynne G. Zucker , Michael R. Darby, Marilynn B. Brewer: Intellectual Human Capital and the Birth of US Biotechnology Enterprises . In: American Economic Review . tape 88 , no. 1 , 1998, p. 290-306 (English).

Web links

The economist ranking of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung measures the reputation, prominence and political influence of German economists : Germany's Most Influential Economists , 2016.