Synthesis research: Opportunities

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Synthesis research delivers innovation from the fresh perspective of multiple lenses of different disciplines. One might have already conducted such research, or you already get the idea from "Synthesis research- An introduction". One might say, "but wouldn't this be multidisciplinary research"? Not really; synthesis research is different from multidisciplinary research as it is about disciplines creating a new field that can stand on its own by having its unique scopes and creating new technologies based on existing and/ or novel tools.

The oldest example of a tool we have been using to materialise any science and turn it into engineering and technology is maths. Maybe maths is the only universal, original and innovative tool we have created that it is a category by itself and transcends all old, new and upcoming STE (Science, Technology, Engineering).

Otherwise, STE could still be philosophy.

How can we create opportunities for synthesis research at the conception stage, and why is this important now?

In the past, we saw doctoral and research studies could be put to rest for a decade or decades before being applied to and becoming products. Now, the time gap between research and industrial and technologies applications minimises, almost coinciding in timing. Would this be because:

- the economy aligned its priorities with those of research, or

- research aligned its priorities with those of the economy, or

- have both the economy and research started to converge their priorities?

Many of us might argue for any of the three, but as we discuss empowering STEM research in this newsletter, let us focus on the opportunities based on current and projecting toward future trends.

Synthesis research requires the perspective of a philosopher.

For example, researchers who developed precision medicine might have yet to think of how to improve current therapeutics, to innovate existing research outputs by taking the debottleneck approach of engineers. Instead of targeting cancer cells, precision medicine identifies small molecules (responsible for genetic defects causing tumours) and uses them as targets, as they know that many different types of cancer originate from disrupted, deleted, or mutated genes. Precision medicine is therapeutic and preventive, identifying individuals who tend to get, e.g. cancer. Even though one might argue that precision medicine combines genomic medicine and bio-informatics, its scope still makes it a new, unique area of research and services and an example of synthesis research.

What opportunities can we look for in research?

- What makes a service/ product unproductive?

- Focus on the root that makes a service/ product unproductive.

- Can we change the root cause?

- How can we change the root cause so that a service/ product transforms a sector by bringing in a new perspective?

- Could the transformative STE determine a unique scope, thinking outside the box and causing disruption?

Not all innovations bring breakthroughs in knowledge, but synthesis research is about it.

I help doctorates and prospective doctorates in STEM to create portfolio-based actions and deliverables and showcase them during or after their doctorate to move towards their future careers (academia, business, start-up).

You can learn more about how the empowerment of doctorates in STEM research can happen in upcoming (or previous) newsletters. You can also join the LeanIn Circle "Women in STEM research" and listen to the Global Greek Influence podcast on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple podcasts.