Rosero, Nathan R.

Research
10 10 – Sphene February 12, 2020

Reflection about Research 10

On the six months of learning and studying Research 10, I have
learned that research is often portrayed as the product of geniuses, often
working alone. It isn’t. It’s not as much about insight and inspiration as it is
going in day after day and committing to getting data and answering
questions and writing them up. And success in research really depends on
there being a community of other active researchers in your field.

I have to say that there are many different kinds of research with
many different end points, and the endpoint is really what shapes the
research. If you are looking for academic or intellectual discovery, than
your endpoint is generating new knowledge, whether that is a fantastic
new way to make lithium ion batteries, or proving definitively that ducks
are NOT embarrassed when they fart. If you are working in a commercial
type of research (like corporate research) then your endpoint is almost
exclusively a way to make money. In these situations the emphasis is
placed on determining as early as possible when your research is not
going to be profitable, and if you determine it will be profitable, getting to
a viable product in the quickest possible fashion.

I guess this is a circuitous way to say “research” is not just

“research” it is a balancing act between what you are trying to
accomplish, your budget, your stakeholders etc. Every aspect of what you
need to accomplish effects every other aspect of the research you are
performing.

Submitted to
Ma’am Daphne