Quoted in The Scientist: What Finding a Job Has To Do With the Future of Scientific Publication 7
The August issue of The Scientist ran an article on using online tools to find a job in which I was quoted. The article summarizes five tools for prospective job seekers: SciLink; NotchUp; VisualCV; Jibber Jobber; and Meeting Wave.
It's no coincidence that these are all social networking tools. The problem is that only one, SciLink, even makes an attempt to appeal to scientists specifically.
What will make a successful scientific social networking tool? My guess is that the ones that succeed will, as their primary benefit, make it significantly easier to find collaborators, grants, and jobs. A service established for any other purpose is bound to fail, no matter how much I (and others) wish this weren't true.
Strangely enough, making it easier to find collaborators, grants, and jobs is exactly the function that scientific publication serves today, when viewed from the perspective of those submitting papers.
Although the traditional scientific publication business model is in deep trouble, the future is very bright for publishers willing to make a clean break with the past.
Anything can happen, but it's likely that the successful scientific publishers of the future will look more like LinkedIn than the American Chemical Society.
Sound impossible? Here's one approach: bring original scientific content together with social networking features. Using recycled content from journals just wouldn't cut it; old-guard publishers and outsiders alike have been there and are doing that (without creating much that can't be found in a different form elsewhere). Original content - perhaps content "unpublishable" by today's standards because, for example, it's too narrowly focused or describes unsuccessful experiments - would be key.
Whatever the outcome, this kind of system would radically redistribute rewards and outcomes in scientific publication. Which is one reason why you won't find an established publisher willing to touch it with a ten foot spatula.
We're still a long way from that future (on a technological timescale). I'm not aware of a single service that has truly embraced the idea.
If you aspire to build a successful social networking service for scientists, regardless of the angle you take, focus on the boring basics: finding collaborators, jobs, and grants for your users.
This sounds exactly what I'm trying to do with ChemSink(launched into beta today!) plus social networking features. With django it should not be too hard to add the social networking features you described(collaborators, jobs, and grants).
Despite the stats, I see so many high paying jobs posted on employment sites -
www.linkedin.com (networking) www.indeed.com (aggregated listings) www.realmatch.com (matches you to jobs)
I see 75K, 100K and 125K jobs
Kris, ChemSink looks like a very interesting site. I look forward to seeing how it develops.
Paul, job search sites have their place. I'm suggesting that the process of scientific publication and the process of looking for collaborators, jobs, and grants are so closely connected, that a service that was actually designed to take advantage of this connection might have something unique to offer.
Another interesting alternative is Index Copernicus Scientists at www.indexcopernicus.com Although the system is complexed and providing personal information is time consuming and a little troublesome because very detailed database structure, it provides probably the best linking options I ever seen. For example IC is the only system which enables users to find collaborators who have desired research skills and/or lab equipment. Also what surprised me is that the system evaluates academic achevements and provides "a score" in three areas: research, teaching and management skills.
I think LinkedIn is very useful for making new contacts online. I'd recommend reviewing their Answers section to find people with similar interests or posting your own questions.
Looks like meetingwaves is a good site for expanding your real world contacts. Doesn't seem to focus on any industry since includes all types in invites for offline meetings, including social and romance invites. But if I'm new to a city, expanding my network with other alumni from my school or people with different backgrounds (MBAs vs PhDs) might help learn about different opportunities. Looks like just started, but I'll give it a try.
Good thoughts. Despite the stats, I still see high paying jobs posted on employment sites -
www.linkedin.com (networking) www.indeed.com (aggregated listings) www.realmatch.com (matches you to jobs)
I still see 100K, 125K and 200K jobs
I agree with you that the major benefits to the participant is jobs, collaboration and funding. I think that in some areas we've started to see the benefits.
My guess is that there won't be a single dominant networking site for scientists. Right now using a mix of different services good at their own thing seems to work well - I am thinking of personal blogs, wikis, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, etc.