Doctor Alister Scott
Nationality: United Kingdom
Year: 2001
Subject Area: Arts and Humanities
I received an award in 2001 to finish my doctoral research at SPRU, University of Sussex on the relevance of academic research. Academics often receive funding on the basis that their research will help society address problems such as environmental change. So how do academics become involved in decision-making, policy advice and media comment, and why do some avoid becoming involved?
I found the reasons to be in the incentive structures created by research funders, academic disciplines, and universities themselves. Individual researchers' motivations are also significant. Currently, the incentive system means that those academics who do engage beyond academia do so despite, not because of, the main incentives in their professional world.
This research underpins the services offered through his company, The Knowledge Bridge, which was set up in the same year as my Wingate Scholarship. The Scholarship gave me the support I needed at a crucial moment. It enabled me to break the back of my doctorate and also have the courage of my convictions in striking out on my own.