The Seed State of Science 2008

"In this, Seed's first State of Science, we set out to examine the radical changes within science itself by assessing the evolving role of scientists and the shifting dimensions of scientific practice. We surveyed scientists, academics, and consulted with historians, journal editors, and policy experts alike. We also invited genome pioneer and entrepreneur Craig Venter to lay down his opinions on how science really gets done, Harvard historian Steven Shapin to profile the scientist of today, and researchers from five different continents to tell us why they do what they do. Our aim was to capture the fundamentals of science and create an honest snapshot of the state of science today—along with the motivations and ambitions of the individuals who will chart its future course."