Laboratories in Democracy: three decades of scientific research in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (1970-2000)

Laboratories in Democracy: three decades of scientific research in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (1970-2000)

There are few domains in Portuguese society where the changes occurred in the past decades are as noticeable as in the scientific field. Institutions have burgeoned, budgets have grown, and researchers have multiplied. This project aims to discuss the qualitative changes associated to the ascending trends in science figures. What does the growing responsibility of associate laboratories mean, in view of the slow demise of State laboratories? What are the implications of the fact that most investment is channelled through the universities? Which new roles do researchers play in Portuguese society?

Estatuto: 
Proponent entity
Financed: 
No
Keywords: 

Scientific Institutions; Portugal, Scientific System, Science and Technology

There are few domains in Portuguese society where the changes occurred in the past decades are as noticeable as in the scientific field. Institutions have burgeoned, budgets have grown, and researchers have multiplied. This project aims to discuss the qualitative changes associated to the ascending trends in science figures. What does the growing responsibility of associate laboratories mean, in view of the slow demise of State laboratories? What are the implications of the fact that most investment is channelled through the universities? Which new roles do researchers play in Portuguese society?

Objectivos: 
<p>This is an exploratory work carried out by a small interdisciplinary team which aims to put into perspective the recent transformations in the science field in Portugal.<br />Our aim is to complement existing quantitative information on the growth of the Portuguese scientific system with an analysis of the qualitative changes that occurred in scientific institutions and activity.<br />Based on case-studies (pertaining a selection of a sample of research units of different types and from different scientific disciplines) we intend to examine the transformation processes, the choices that were made, the economical, social and political constraints (either structural or contingent), the changes in scientific careers, the new roles that researchers have been playing in Portuguese society, the old and new institutional formats, that have shaped the growth of science in Portugal in the past few decades.</p>
Coordenador ICS 
Start Date: 
15/04/2007
End Date: 
31/12/2009
Duração: 
32 meses
Closed