Can Research Have An Impact On Our Society?
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Does research have an impact on society? Research, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is a detailed study of a subject, especially in order to discover (new) information or reach a (new) understanding (Cambridge Dictionary). Research came about because of men’s curiosity to find out new things and answer certain probing questions that come up each time. However, what impact do these findings have on our society?
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) definition of impact explains that impact is ‘an effort on, change or benefit to the economy, society, culture, public policy or service, health, the environment or quality of life, beyond academia’. This definition shows that the impact of research should go beyond the academic setting and be able to affect the daily lives of people in society.
Research has been the bedrock of discoveries in our society and, as such, has had many impacts on the various sectors of life.
Impact Of Research In Key Areas Of Society
Having defined research and impact. It is imperative to look into some of the impacts of research on society and how they have been welcomed.
- Academic Impact
- Healthcare Impact
- Cultural Impact
- Technological Impact
- Environmental Impact
- Policy and Social Impact
Let’s get started.
1. Academic Impact
The overall impact of Research in the academic sector can not be ignored as there have been many major impact study cases and citations from within the scope of study and other branches of research. The impact of academic research has brought about diverse changes in the industry. Research has provided students with an enhanced student curriculum, innovative tools and technologies when working on problems and improved teaching and learning methods to expand their knowledge. The academic impact of research can be measured in bibliometrics, citation counts, and the researcher’s h-index.
2. Healthcare Impact
Through research, measures of healthcare improvement have been made available. Improved diagnosis, treatment and preventive vaccines have been developed to cater to the needs of patients. Through research, keeping fit and staying healthy has been made easy as several health technologies are available. Research has changed clinical health services and the quality of healthcare medicines and services delivered to people, thereby improving the quality of life and reducing mortality rates from diseases.
3. Cultural Impact
Research has cultural impacts as it helps contribute to the existing values, ideologies, patterns and beliefs that govern human behaviour, whether explicit or implicit, in various organisations, social groups or the societies that benefit from them. Research helps create awareness of some of the effects of certain cultural practices and how they affect our society and possibly prefer solutions for how to be better. Research helps society redefine the standards for which its values and beliefs are set.
4. Technological Impact
Innovations and inventions of different technological gadgets and devices were all invented because of research. Research has brought a remarkable shift in worldwide technological innovations and updates. The future of tech now solely depends on research as new ideas and concepts keep resurfacing, and the world keeps evolving. Research boasts of different tech concepts, which include:
- Cloud computing
- Internet Of Thing
- Quantum computing
- Cybersecurity Innovations
- Blockchain and decentralised technologies
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (ML) amongst others
5. Environmental Impact
Research has, to a great extent, helped our society better understand our environments. It provides a deeper understanding of some environmental changes and significantly influences environmental understanding, policies, and practices, with far-reaching impacts on conservation, sustainability, and public awareness.
6. Policy And Social Impact
Research contributes partly to policy making. Informed police makers drive wise decision-making in society. Social policies which govern society and the people are meant to be for public benefit, and the extent to which your research is considered when making policies determines the extent to which it would positively affect lives for good.
How Far Does Research Impact Policy-Making
Research is part of what drives effective policy-making when properly informed.
Report shows that a good number of researchers do not come out to explain what their research means explicitly. Rather, they allow other individuals who may not know the full scope of their work to describe them. This becomes a problem as many research findings are not fully utilized to their maximum potential. Researchers must leave their labs for a moment to build social connections and make their research known and relevant directly to society.
For research to be properly applied to society, it must be communicated to the right people. People of influence and affluence include policymakers, industrial leaders, and other research users who would know how to implement research in their industries. And for this to happen, the researcher has to be in the right meetings at the right time. Effective communication starts with attending the right events to connect the researcher with the right audience, which he needs to reach the desired platform (the society).
Although this may be a difficult step, effectively emphasising the relevance of your research as a researcher helps your audience gain a deeper understanding of your findings and how they can apply them to their lives to get immediate solutions to some life problems. This, in turn, greatly influences policy-making in your society, as shown by your research. You get to contribute to your society actively through your research.
