Overcoming academic challenges to leverage transformational science at the SRI Congress 2024
Panelists during the “Frontiers Planet Prize – Recognizing and Rewarding Transformational Science to Unlock Pathways to Solutions” panel session at the SRI Congress 2024. (left to right) Gilbert De Gregorio, associate director, Frontiers Planet Prize; Olga Tammeorg, researcher, University of Helsinki and 2024 National Champion - Finland, Frontiers Planet Prize; Gabriela Ivan, membership development office, International Science Council and global National Representative Body representative, Frontiers Planet Prize; Sirkku Juhola, professor, University of Helsinki and member of the Jury of 100, Frontiers Planet Prize; Kristie Ebi, professor, University of Washington and member of the Jury of 100, Frontiers Planet Prize.
The Sustainability Research and Innovation (SRI) Congress is the world’s largest inclusive global event for co-produced research and innovation action to advance sustainability. Now in its fourth year, the 2024 Congress was held in Helsinki and Espoo, Finland in collaboration with the Sustainability Science Days (SSD), Finland’s largest sustainability science conference. Throughout the week, over 2,000 international sustainability experts and practitioners from government, civil society, and the private sector gathered in-person and virtually to devise innovative solutions for sustainability challenges.
A joint global initiative by Future Earth and the Belmont Forum, the SRI Congress aims to spur meaningful exploration of cross-sectoral and cross-boundary solutions. It serves as a platform to accelerate innovation, engage public and private actors in inspiring sustainable futures, and create an inclusive space for collaboration and transformation within academia and beyond. The SRI Congress 2024 was a hub of activity, featuring a diverse program that covered critical themes such as green transitions, transformative technologies, and global energy solutions. Participants delved into these topics through keynotes, roundtables, workshops, and panel sessions.
One panel session, hosted by the Frontiers Planet Prize, focused on overcoming academic challenges to leverage transformational science, fostering trust in this science, and mobilizing stakeholders for a more sustainable future. The “Frontiers Planet Prize – Recognizing and Rewarding Transformational Science to Unlock Pathways to Solutions” panel was moderated by Gilbert De Gregorio, associate director of the Frontiers Planet Prize, and featured:
Gabriela Ivan, membership development officer, International Science Council; global National Representative Body representative, Frontiers Planet Prize
Olga Tammeorg, researcher, University of Helsinki; 2024 National Champion - Finland, Frontiers Planet Prize
Sirkku Juhola, professor, University of Helsinki; member of the Jury of 100, Frontiers Planet Prize
Kristie Ebi, professor, University of Washington; member of the Jury of 100, Frontiers Planet Prize
The panel highlighted several critical obstacles that academia must address to harness the full potential of transformational science. One of the primary challenges is the rigid structure of academic institutions. Traditional academic frameworks often prioritize incremental research over innovative, high-risk projects that could lead to significant breakthroughs. To appropriately address the scale of the climate and sustainability crises we face, science needs to be bold. Researchers need to step out of their comfort zones, and we need to create a supportive environment for them to do so.
Another significant challenge is the lack of interdisciplinary collaboration throughout the research cycle. Transformational science often requires insights from multiple disciplines and sources, including Indigenous knowledge, but academic siloes can hinder effective collaboration. This affects the design and execution of research, as well as its evaluation. The current academic system does not encourage a multidisciplinary approach. Promoting cross-disciplinary research, adopting a multidisciplinary review model, and dismantling these silos is essential for fostering innovation and delivering more comprehensive solutions.
To further illustrate this point, 2024 Frontiers Planet Prize National Champion Olga Tammeorg shared her team's award-winning research on sustainable lake restoration. Tammeorg was quick to acknowledge the work is a “global collaborative effort” among many researchers from different backgrounds. She also noted that greater transformation could be achieved across all areas through enhanced collaboration between academic, environmental, social, economic, and political sectors.
Finally, the funding landscape poses a challenge. Funding bodies tend to favor established research areas, making it difficult for novel, transformative projects to secure financial support. There is a need for more flexible and risk-tolerant funding mechanisms that support groundbreaking research. For instance, in Finland, the Strategic Research Council (SRC) provides funding for extensive, multidisciplinary research consortia that carry out research with an emphasis on active interaction and engagement with users and beneficiaries of that research. Adopting similar funding models globally could significantly boost the potential for innovative breakthroughs and address pressing societal needs.
Addressing these challenges is crucial for maximizing the transformative potential of science and building trust in this science. To encourage impactful, paradigm-shifting research, panelists agreed that the academic community and its allies must find ways to incentivize innovation, strengthen networks, build capacity, and advocate for new policies. This can include steps like recognizing interdisciplinary work and offering career advancement opportunities for researchers engaged in transformational science; building collaborative platforms that bring together diverse stakeholders to align research goals with societal needs; investing in interdisciplinary educational opportunities for current and future generations of researchers; and working with other stakeholders to demonstrate the societal benefits of transformational science to help shape policies that support innovative research.
Initiatives like the Frontiers Planet Prize address these key obstacles in academia by providing substantial funding and recognition for innovative, high-impact research, thus encouraging scientists to pursue transformational projects. It fosters trust in science through global visibility and engagement with diverse stakeholders, including policymakers and the public, ensuring that academic research addresses real-world needs. The prize’s network currently engages nearly 500 universities in 42 countries and is supported by 20 national academies and the International Science Council. By promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and supporting participation in major conferences, the prize helps break down academic silos and embed research into policy and practice. This comprehensive approach mobilizes the academic community to conduct impactful research that contributes to a sustainable and just future.
Reflecting on the conversation, the panelists again emphasized the importance of collaboration and connectivity among researchers and stakeholders to advocate for and motivate interest in transformational science. Despite existing challenges, they remain optimistic, citing the potential within existing networks and a shared commitment to overcoming obstacles that will help in unlocking pathways forward.
Learn more about the Frontiers Planet Prize and the award-winning science of the second edition of the prize.
About the Frontiers Planet Prize
The Frontiers Planet Prize is a global competition for scientists and research institutions to propose solutions to help the planet remain within the safe operating space of any one or more of the nine planetary boundaries. It was created by the Frontiers Research Foundation on Earth Day 2022 to mobilize the global scientific community, make it complete at the highest level of excellence, and contribute to the acceleration of concrete solutions to the challenges defined by the planetary boundaries. To date, it has drawn together hundreds of scientists, 20 national academies of science, 475 leading universities and research institutions to compete for three prizes of 1M Swiss francs each as adjudicated by a Jury of 100 leading sustainability scientists.
About the Frontiers Research Foundation
The Frontiers Research Foundation is a not-for-profit organization based in Switzerland, which was founded by Kamila and Henry Markram, neuroscientists from the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology (EPFL). It raises funds to support programs that accelerate scientific solutions for healthy lives on a healthy planet.
