Movers’ advantages: The effect of mobility on scientists’ productivity and collaboration

With the rapid globalization of science, mobility is perceived as an important driver of scientific progress and innovation success. However, we have little knowledge about whether and how scientists’ mobility influences their career development, especially scientists’ productivity and collaboration. In this case study, using the data on 62,330 scientists, the Chinese computer scientists who published at least one computer science paper and published no fewer than 10 papers in total from 2000 to 2012, we apply difference in differences models in conjunction with PSM methods to show the effect of domestic mobility (i.e., moving inside China) on scientists’ research quantity and quality by distinguishing the direction of mobility. In contrast to the existing literature that documents a short-term negative effect due to adaption costs or disruption of routines and social capital, we do not observe an initial detrimental impact of following moves on productivity and collaboration, even for non-upward moves. We further find that mobility leads to increased collaboration with new partners without dampening scientists’ collaboration with previous collaborators. However, scientists have a higher probability of collaborating with new collaborators, as evidenced by the decreased share of previous collaborators to the total co-authors after they move. The findings of this case study imply that the benefits of mobility might outweigh its costs and that mobility improves scientists’ productivity and collaboration for prolific scientists in emerging countries.     

基于国际合著论文的中国学术贡献度研究

国际学术合作能够提高科研效率,推动知识创新,探讨国际合著论文中的国家贡献度,对反映国家领域影响力,提升国际合作态势具有重要意义.从数值和内容两个层面构建国际合著国家学术贡献度分析模型,以中国作为重点研究对象,以Web of Science为数据来源,通过构建国际合著网络,结合学术贡献度计算公式,分析近十年中国在Info...     

中澳知识资源对比研究与差距分析

随着国家间竞争的日益加剧,作为一国综合国力表征的知识资源越来越引起各国的重视.文童从R&D经费投入、科研力量、科学教育、信息技术、知识成果情况、国际科技合作等几个方面.对比分析了中国与澳大利亚两国之间的知识资源差距情况,为我国在未来的知识资源发展中提供更多的经验借鉴.     

An investigation of the relationship between scientists’ mobility to/from China and their research performance

A large number of overseas elites were brought back to China by the policy in the past decade. However, name disambiguation defied investigations on the relationship between their mobility and research performance. By taking advantage of the ORCID website and applying causal inference strategies, we investigated 2489 China-connected scientists’ academic performance in the Web of Science database in terms of their job mobility, including 1388 scientists who moved to China the treatment group, and 1101 scientists with a possibility to move to China the control group. The results show that first, scientists moving to China have a new growth pattern where both their productivity and the rates of being corresponding authors in publications grew more rapidly than before; however, they made fewer contributions to the four top journals, Nature, Science, Cell, and PNAS. Second, the research performance of the scientists is affected by the time of mobility towards China, the countries from which they moved, and the disciplines of their publications. Last, China now maintains symmetrical inflow-outflow patterns with most countries, especially developed countries in Europe and North America, with only a few exceptions (e.g., Pakistan).     

iSchools国际交流与合作及其启示

选取32个英语语系的iSchools联盟院系,从师生队伍的国际化水平、人员的国际交流、参与及发起的国际学术会议、国际合作研究4个方面开展比较详细的现状调查。在调研基础上,总结国外iSchools在国际交流与合作中的发展趋势与成功经验,对我国LIS教育的国际交流与合作提出若干建议。     

中国科研人员的国际流动趋势研究

[目的/意义] 在规范化和重构中国科研人员ORCID履历的基础上,深入分析中国科研人员的国际流动趋势及特点,为国家人才政策的制订提供实证依据。[方法/过程] 充分利用科学文献的作者关联信息,采用数据挖掘方法实现中国科研人员个人履历的重构,并从地理区域分布、流动模式、时间趋势和流动效益等视角,深入地讨论他们的国际流动趋势。[结果/结论] 随着中国科技创新水平的提升,中国人才流动模式逐渐呈现多元化趋势。中国与"一带一路"沿线国家形成人才环流态势,近5年人才回流趋势显著,中国迎来留学生回国就业的高潮。但整体上看,中国人才流失的现象依然严重,对优质人才的吸引力较弱,主要表现为中国科研人员的引进和流失数量失衡,人才内外交流的质量存在一定提升空间。     

国外数据科学家能力体系研究现状与启示

[目的/意义]梳理并分析国外关于数据科学家能力体系的相关研究,为我国构建数据科学家能力体系提供参考借鉴,既有利于提高数据科学人才培养效率,也有益于满足数据科学家职业发展的需要。[方法/过程]选取主要国家（地区）的典型数据科学家能力研究成果,解读分析其中的能力框架与要素,探讨目前国外数据科学家能力体系的研究方法、数据科学家职业准入条件以及信息环境变化对数据科学家能力的影响。[结果/结论]国外数据科学家能力体系的建设值得借鉴。我国应该尽快构建数据科学家能力框架,明确数据科学家的培养目标与职业发展路径;通过顶层设计、多方协同,加强数据科学专业人才培养;强调理论知识与实践能力并重,注重数据科学家的在职技能拓展。     

Scientists’ genders and international academic collaboration: An empirical study of Chinese universities and research institutes

In the previous literature, no clear conclusions have been reached about the effect of gender differences on research performance (RP) in science, as measured by publication productivity, number of citations, and academic awards. Meanwhile, a gap also exists in the research regarding gender differences in international academic collaboration. To complement the existing literature, this study investigated the achievements of scientists engaged in international academic collaboration, which places heavy demands on language and communication skills and in which female scientists appear to have more advantages than male scientists. We investigated the effect of international collaboration carried out by chemists from China’s Project 985 universities and the Chinese Academy of Sciences and compared the extent to which the international collaboration improved female and male scientists’ academic performance. The results indicated that, compared to male scientists, female scientists performed better and significantly improved their academic performance through international collaboration. This conclusion was valid for different periods throughout chemists’ academic careers. The policy implications are discussed at the end of this study.     

How to Be Engaging: Recreational Reading and Readers' Advisory in the Academic Library

The Future Voices in Public Services column is a forum for students in graduate library and information science programs to discuss key issues they see in academic library public services, to envision what they feel librarians in public service have to offer to academia, to tell us of their visions for the profession, or to tell us of research that is going on in library schools. We hope to provide fresh perspectives from those entering our field in both the United States and other countries. Interested faculty of graduate library and information science programs who would like their students' ideas represented in these pages are invited to contact Nancy H. Dewald at nxd7@psu.edu.

Heather Nicholson is a recent graduate of the Library and Information Science program at the University of Western Ontario. Here she discusses leisure reading and readers' advisory in academic libraries.

The Master of Library and Information Science program at University of Western Ontario aims to graduate qualified professionals with a thorough knowledge of theory and practice in library and information science. The program is at the graduate level because professional activity in this area is based not just on traditional and current practices but also on theory that has been tested and supported by research. We strive to maintain and improve our national and international stature in research and education through multidisciplinary programs delivered by faculty members with a wide range of scholarly interests and qualifications. Through our optional co-op program, students gain exposure to the professional environment, an opportunity to use and develop newly acquired skills, and practical experience in the field.     

我国国际论文的真实影响力分析

科学研究的目的在于创造知识,并应用理论成果解决我国社会、经济、文化等发展中的实际问题。将论文发表在国际期刊上可以让更多的国际同行了解我国最新的科研成果,为我国获得更多的国际影响力,所以在过去二十多年里SCI论文成为我国科研考核的一个重要指标。在这种科研评价导向下,我国学者发表的国际论文数量已居世界第一位,而大量来自国内同行的引用使得我国国际论文的被引量排名世界第二。本文提取1990至2015年Web of Science论文及其引文的数据,分析不同国家、不同学科在国家层次的自引情况,并在不同国家、不同学科之间进行比较。研究发现,在排除国内同行的自引后,我国国际论文的真实国际影响力仍然有限,除了临床医学和物理等少数学科外,其他学科仍然低于全球平均水平。     

The many facets of academic mobility and its impact on scholars' career

International mobility in academia can enhance the human and social capital of researchers and consequently their scientific outcome. However, there is still a very limited understanding of the different mobility patterns among scholars with various socio-demographic characteristics. By studying these differences, we can detect inequalities in access to scholarly networks across borders, which can cause disparities in scientific advancement. The aim of this study is twofold. First, we investigate to what extent individuals’ factors (e.g., country, career stage, and field of research) associate with the mobility of male and female researchers. Second, we explore the relationship between mobility and scientific activity and impact. For this purpose, we used a bibliometric approach to track the mobility of authors. To compare the researchers’ scientific outcomes, we considered the number of publications and received citations as indicators, as well as the number of unique co-authors in all their publications. We also analyzed the co-authorship network of researchers and compared centrality measures of “mobile” and “non-mobile” researchers. Results show that researchers from North America and Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly female ones, have the lowest, respectively, highest tendency towards international mobility. Having international co-authors increases the probability of international movement. Our findings uncover gender inequality in international mobility across scientific fields and countries. Across genders, researchers in the Physical sciences have the most and in the Social sciences the least rate of mobility. We observed more mobility for Social scientists at the advanced career stage, while researchers in other fields prefer to move at earlier career stages. Also, we found a positive correlation between mobility and scientific outcomes, but no apparent difference between females and males. Indeed, researchers who have started mobility at the advanced career stages had a better scientific outcome. Comparing the centrality of mobile and non-mobile researchers in the co-authorship networks reveals a higher social capital advantage for mobile researchers.     

利用远程技术实现图书馆学情报学国际化学术教育

长期以来,图书馆学情报学的教育者们一直致力于探索国际的学术交流和教育合作,以此提高教学课程和专业实践的质量。但目前仍存在很多阻碍,限制了传统的国际化教育的规模和发展,尤其是在发展中国家。该文介绍一个使用现有远程教育技术,在中国与美国之间建立一个面向研究生的知识管理课程的案例。该示范项目由美国富布莱特基金资助,综合利用学习技术、基于互联网的WebCT系统、视频会议、个人间的交流和阅读等多种手段,创建了一个国际化的虚拟学习空间。该文描述了师生们如何实现三个课程目标:(1)采用国际化的学习方式进行教学和学习;(2)双向交流;(3)知识管理。通过研究和实践得出如下结论:使用主动学习教学方法可以促使学生更加投入到学习过程;应用多种技术实现国际化交流;最大化地利用异步交流和同步交流两种方式,鼓励个人和小组学习;关注于更宽泛的多学科内容,促使更多人参与到国际学习环境中。     

SINCE BATH:

Massive projects from the University of Bath in the late 1960's brought knowledge of how scholars use social science information up to the level of similar knowledge for the natural sciences. Persistent themes of selected studies since Bath include: Social, like natural, scientists tend to use private sources and informal networks rather than libraries; value of citation studies as guides to library collection building is disputed: machine access to social science data bases is increasing and is accepted but trained operators are required; social science research findings are reaching and influencing policy makers to a greater extent than previously thought.     

Basic research in the Novosibirsk oblast’: Bibliometrical analysis for 2004–2009

The results from analyzing the scientific output of scientists from the Novosibirsk oblast’ are given based on works published in 2005–2009. The analysis was carried out using the data and potential of the Web of Science (WoS) and, in particular, information about domestic and foreign science foundations that supported particular studies, Journal Citation Reports, HistCite software, and certain additional data that included official statistics from Rosstat and involved indicators derived from the journal impact factor and the aggregate impact factor of the WoS knowledge category. The publications by the scientists from the oblast’ were distributed according to 133 WoS knowledge categories. Research in certain trends in 48 WoS knowledge categories carried out in the oblast’ is in no way inferior to and very often is even better than the global science standards. More than 50% of the publications were sponsored by domestic and foreign science foundations: the scientific quality of these works was considerably higher than that of the unsponsored studies. The coauthors of the articles published by scientists of the oblast’ in the period were their colleagues from 83 countries. R & D costs in the Novosibirsk oblast’ are used quite efficiently: in 2009 the publications by the scientists of the oblast’ accounted for more than 9% of the entire amount of works published all over Russia, while internal research and development expenses were only 2.5% of such expenses nationwide.     

Recent advances of information literacy education for international students in Chinese academic libraries

The author of this paper investigates the recent advances of information literacy education for international students at academic libraries in China. The author carried out a questionnaire survey through the Questionnaire Star platform from April 2019 to July 2020 among 152 librarians from 117 university libraries in different parts of China, including 35 librarians from the universities which participate in the country's construction plan of world-class universities and world-class disciplines. Moreover, another questionnaire survey on library information literacy education for international students was conducted among 35 international students in Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Through analysis and discussion of the survey results, the research studies the overall status and existing problems of information literacy education for international students in Chinese academic libraries, and offers suggestions for the improvement of international students' information literacy education in the future.     

Does “birds of a feather flock together” matter—Evidence from a longitudinal study on US–China scientific collaboration

China's status as a scientific power, particularly in the emerging area of nanotechnology, has become widely accepted in the global scientific community. The role of knowledge spillover in China's nanotechnology development is generally assumed, albeit without much convincing evidence. Very little has been investigated on the different mechanisms of knowledge spillover. Utilizing both cross-sectional data and longitudinal data of 77 Chinese nanoscientists’ publications, this study aims to differentiate individual effects from the effect of international collaboration on the research performance of Chinese researchers. The study finds evidence in support of the “birds of a feather flock together” argument – that China's best scientists collaborate at international level. It also finds that collaboration across national boundaries has a consistently positive effect on China's nano research quality with a time-decaying pattern. Language turns out to be the most influential factor impacting the quality or visibility of Chinese nano research. Policy implications on research evaluation, human capital management, and public research and development allocation are also discussed in the end.     

Narratives in a Science Center: Interpretation and Identity

Abstract This paper discusses issues raised by research into people's views of science and scientists, and the implications for interpretative forms in museums. The principles proposed here are based on a series of meetings that looked at the use of narratives in science and the responses of potential visitors from different cultural groups to ideas for narrative signage. Signage design can help people connect to science content by relating practical and theoretical knowledge, crafting explanations, understanding the nature of the medium, and conveying a message about science. The use of narrative form to design experiential guides opens up the possibility of changing a visitor's relationship to the traditional text encountered in museums.     

科技博物馆学习对学生科学课成绩影响的研究

实地参观是博物馆学习中的一种常见且重要的形式。到科技博物馆实地参观,被许多中小学作为校内科学课学习的补充。美国研究人员以纽约市8年级学生为研究对象,通过分析2007—2012年学生去科技博物馆参观的情况和学生们在州级标准化测试中科学科目成绩数据之间的关系研究发现:实地参观体验对于8年级学生的科学课成绩有一定的积极影响,特别是对西班牙裔学生和享受免费午餐的学生有更大影响。这一基于观众调查和大量数据分析的研究内容、数据分析过程及其研究结果等,对我国的相关研究及博物馆实践都具有启发意义。     

The Nature and Trends in Research and Journal Literature in English Speaking Africa

Three major international library science journals -International Information and Library Review, Information Development and Libri are studied to determine the nature and trends in library and information science research in Africa. 72 papers are analysed, covering the period 1990-1992 (three years). This includes the status of the authors, gender, affiliation, country and types of research. The type and origin of cited documents the authors used in writing articles were also explored. The findings show that more information professionals in Africa are getting involved in research and publishing, with the major areas being agricultural information and library education. A majority of the journals cited, however, came from outside Africa.     

Effect of online research data management instruction on social science graduate students’ RDM skills

Prior research has suggested the value of and the need to provide consistent research data management (RDM) instruction specifically for graduate students. However, there is a lack of RDM instruction that is tailored for the social science disciplines. The effect of a four-hour, online RDM instruction intervention, designed based on the research data life cycle, on the RDM knowledge of graduate students in social science disciplines was investigated. A total of 84 students completed both pre/post knowledge assessments with 40 students randomly assigned into the intervention group receiving online instruction and 44 in the control group. A one-way ANCOVA was used for the data analysis. Results indicated that social science graduate students who received online RDM instruction had a significantly higher score in RDM knowledge than students in the control group. Moreover, the effect of the instruction on participants' RDM skills varied by their disciplines.