Biophysical Society Bulletin | November 2022

Public Affairs

Around theWorld Australia Establishes Center for Future Pandemics

it would lay out a new methodology by which scientists and their work should be evaluated for funding, awards, research priorities, and recruitment across Europe. Presently, in order to get research funded, scientists—includ ing tenured and tenure-track faculty, research scientists, and early career academics—are frequently assessed based on the number of papers they publish, and in which journals. The newly proposed criteria for evaluating research will instead recognize a broader range of contributions to science and the diversity of careers in science; reframe assessments to include evaluations by peers; abandon what the document refers to as the “inappropriate” use of journal and publication metrics as a measure for success; and avoid using interna tional rankings of research organizations when assessing individual researchers. The agreement is currently seeking supporting signatures from organizations around Europe that agree to a shared direction for changes in assessment practices for research, researchers, and research performing organizations, with the overarching goal to maximize the quality and impact of research (https:/coara.eu/sign/). The agreement includes the principles, commitments, and timeframe for reforms, and lays out the principles for a coalition of organizations willing to work together in implementing the changes. Signatories will commit to a common vision, which is that the assessment of research, researchers, and research organizations recognizes the diverse outputs, practices, and activities that maximize the quality and impact of research. This requires basing as sessment primarily on qualitative judgement, for which peer review is central, supported by responsible use of quantitative indicators.

At the end of August, the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity announced the funding of a new center ded icated to laying the groundwork for developing therapies to fight future pandemics. The new Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics (CGCPT) will be part of the Doherty In stitute, which is a joint venture of the University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Melbourne businessman Geoffrey Cumming is contributing A$250 million (US$172 million) to the center, while the state of Victoria is chipping in A$75 million (US$51 million). The CGCPT will be part of the Australian Institute for Infectious Disease, which is set to launch in 2027, according to a Doherty Institute fact sheet (https:/ tinyurl.com/DohertyFacts). The CGCPT will focus on developing new platform technologies that can be used to rapidly develop or adapt drugs to target novel pathogens Agreement Reached on Research Assessment Reforms in Europe European scientists may soon find themselves free of the “publish or perish” model that underlies academia. If the proposed Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment (https:/coara.eu/agreement/the-agreement-full-text/) facilitated by the European Commission is accepted,

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November 2022

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