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Artificial Intelligence Could Identify Gang Crimes—and Ignite an Ethical Firestorm

Artificial Intelligence Could Identify Gang Crimes—and Ignite an Ethical Firestorm

A new algorithm is trying to automate the process of identifying gang crimes. But some scientists warn that far from reducing gang violence, the program could do the opposite by eroding trust in communities, or it could brand innocent people as gang members.

A Rollback of DACA Would Undercut American Science, Too

A Rollback of DACA Would Undercut American Science, Too

Without the extension of the program - or a pathway to citizenship - those who know what it’s like to be undocumented say U.S. science could suffer.

How Not To Be A Crank: Ten Rules For Not Being A Science-Dick

How Not To Be A Crank: Ten Rules For Not Being A Science-Dick

When you criticize science in public, you are taking a complicated argument to people who don’t care very much about the work of someone who wishes you’d shut up. This can be difficult to navigate. Although it’s often ‘a complete pain in the taint’ more than just ‘difficult’.

Citations as First-Class Data Entities: The OpenCitations Corpus

Citations as First-Class Data Entities: The OpenCitations Corpus

Requirements for citations to be treated as First-Class Data Entities In my introductory blog post, I listed five requirements for the treatment of citations as first-class data entities.  The thir…

Scientists and Journalists Square Off Over 'Getting it Right'

Scientists and Journalists Square Off Over 'Getting it Right'

Some scientists say they should have the right to review stories in which their work or words are covered prior to publication. Journalists disagree.

Europe's Influential Science-Policy Chief on His Successes and Disappointments

Europe's Influential Science-Policy Chief on His Successes and Disappointments

Robert-Jan Smits, the European Union’s departing director-general of research, sets out his parting thoughts. After eight years, he hands over his role as director-general of the European Commission’s research directorate to Jean-Eric Paquet, currently a deputy-secretary-general at the commission.

The UCUStrikes: a Battle for the Future of Higher Education

The UCUStrikes: a Battle for the Future of Higher Education

What type of university system do we want? One with a casualised workforce and vice-chancellors who can claim they deserve exorbitant pay packages for running commercial organisations? Or one in wh…

How Scihub Is at the Forefront of the Quest to Frame Scientific Knowledge as Public Good

How Scihub Is at the Forefront of the Quest to Frame Scientific Knowledge as Public Good

There has been no precedent for this kind of access in the history of scientific enterprise.

It's Time to Stand up to the Academic Publishing Industry: Here’s How

It's Time to Stand up to the Academic Publishing Industry: Here’s How

Academia is unique in that professionals with highly specialized expertise, who are paid by public institutions, write articles and provide peer reviews to corporations who profit greatly without giving back to the research enterprise.

Where Are We with Responsible Metrics? And Where Might We Go Next? Reflections from Two Recent Events

Where Are We with Responsible Metrics? And Where Might We Go Next? Reflections from Two Recent Events

How effectively are UK higher education institutions engaging with the broader use of metrics in research assessment?

#MeToo Can’t Change Academia by Itself

#MeToo Can’t Change Academia by Itself

Although the #MeToo movement does not give a complete picture of how the problem manifests in working life and other environments, this author believes that it can have a preventive effect in some cases.