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Abstract The future of our planet relies on scientists' ability to effectively translate knowledge into action, and researchers have an imperative commitment to leverage their understanding. As aquatic early career researchers (ECRs), we draw upon personal experiences to share our learnings about how individuals can drive change. We showcase diverse approaches for ECRs to create meaningful impacts by connecting with other researchers, broader society, and decision‐makers. At the same time, institutional challenges inhibit scientific engagement beyond academia, particularly for ECRs. Such barriers include (1) lack of value and support for engagement activities, (2) limited training opportunities, (3) research siloes, and (4) rigid funding structures. We offer potential systemic solutions, from developing and adopting new performance metrics for academic researchers to enhanced flexibility with grant timelines and spending. Academic systems need to change and so does the way scientists engage. Our future depends on it.
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Consensus statement from the first RdRp Summit: advancing RNA virus discovery at scale across communities
Improved RNA virus understanding is critical to studying animal and plant health, and environmental processes. However, the continuous and rapid RNA virus evolution makes their identification and characterization challenging. While recent sequence-based advances have led to extensive RNA virus discovery, there is growing variation in how RNA viruses are identified, analyzed, characterized, and reported. To this end, an RdRp Summit was organized and a hybrid meeting took place in Valencia, Spain in May 2023 to convene leading experts with emphasis on early career researchers (ECRs) across diverse scientific communities. Here we synthesize key insights and recommendations and offer these as a first effort to establish a consensus framework for advancing RNA virus discovery. First, we need interoperability through standardized methodologies, data-sharing protocols, metadata provision and interdisciplinary collaborations and offer specific examples as starting points. Second, as an emergent field, we recognize the need to incorporate cutting-edge technologies and knowledge early and often to improve omic-based viral detection and annotation as novel capabilities reveal new biology. Third, we underscore the significance of ECRs in fostering international partnerships to promote inclusivity and equity in virus discovery efforts. The proposed consensus framework serves as a roadmap for the scientific community to collectively contribute to the tremendous challenge of unveiling the RNA virosphere.
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- PAR ID:
- 10509806
- Author(s) / Creator(s):
- ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; more »
- Publisher / Repository:
- Frontiers
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Frontiers in Virology
- Volume:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 2673-818X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fviro.2024.1371958
