How to obtain the maximum benefit from scientific research funds: the example of Costa Rica (achievements and challenges, FEES 2006-2016)

How to obtain the maximum benefit from scientific research funds: the example of Costa Rica (achievements and challenges, FEES 2006-2016)

Authors

  • Lizette Brenes Bonilla Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Vicerrectoría de Investigación, 2050 San José, Costa Rica
  • Julián Monge-Nájera Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Laboratorio de Ecología Urbana, 2050 San José, Costa Rica

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v11i2.2309

Keywords:

fund distribution, research and development, women in science, science for underserved communities, academic cooperation in the tropics, impact of science, CONARE.

Abstract

Introduction: Costa Rica is the country with the most developed scientific community in Central America. In 2005, Costa Rican public universities, coordinated by a Council of Public Universities (CONARE), decided that, instead of working in isolation, they would pool resources. These financed joint research to solve environmental problems and support groups in disadvantage, like women and minorities. Objective: to examine the results after the first ten years of the program with emphasis on who received the funds and what products were obtained. Methods: we surveyed project coordinators and obtained replies from about half of them (i.e. the coordinators of 71 projects answered). Results: We found that 60% of research funds benefited disadvantaged populations (i.e. those in coastal and border areas) and that 54% of researchers who received funds were female. Survey projects produced 1388 scientific articles and 883 practical products, such as community workshops and commercial start-ups (estimate: over 2700 articles and 1700 practical products for the whole set of projects). Conclusion: These projects have been highly productive, have benefited women and underserved communities, led to lasting collaboration among researchers from different institutions, and are an example for other small countries with limited research funds.

References

Ballantyne, A. J. (2010). How to do research fairly in an unjust world. The American Journal of Bioethics, 10(6), 26-35. DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2010.482629

Brenes-Bonilla, L. (2018). Investigación y Posgrado en América Central y República Dominicana. (Informe técnico). San José, Costa Rica: Consejo de Investigación del Sistema Centroamericano de Investigación y Posgrado.

Brenes-Bonilla, L., Bermúdez-Mesén, L., & Bermúdez-Vargas, K. (2015). SME´s semi-formality rate in Costa Rica: a clusters approach. Faedpyme International Review, 4(7), 47-52. DOI:10.15558/fir.v4i7.98

Cislak, A., Formanowicz, M., & Saguy, T. (2018). Bias against research on gender bias. Scientometrics, 115(1), 189-200. DOI:10.1007/s11192-018-2667-0

CONARE (Consejo Nacional de Rectores). (2018). Cuarto Informe de Ejecución Presupuestaria. San José, Costa Rica: Consejo Nacional de Rectores.

Ellis, T. J., & Levy, Y. (2008). Framework of problem-based research: A guide for novice researchers on the development of a research-worthy problem. Informing Science: the International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline, 11, 17-34.

Emanuel, E. J., Wendler, D., Killen, J., & Grady, C. (2004). What makes clinical research in developing countries ethical? The benchmarks of ethical research. The Journal of infectious diseases, 189(5), 930-937. DOI: 10.1086/381709

Farago, J. (2018, 26 de julio). Mushrooms, Magma and Love in a Time of Science. The New York Times, pp. C11.

Jiménez-Medina, J. A. (2014). Publicar o morir: divulgación de conocimiento en el campo editorial universitario, el caso colombiano. Dialéctica Libertadora, 6, 122-136.

Monge-Nájera, J. (2011). Darwin y su poco impacto en las ciencias sociales costarricenses. Cuadernos de Antropología, 21, 1-6.

Monge-Nájera, J., & Ho, Y. S. (2012). Costa Rica Publications in the Science Citation Index Expanded: A bibliometric analysis for 1981-2010. Revista de Biología Tropical, 60(4), 1649-1661. DOI: 10.15517/rbt.v60i4.2158

Monge-Nájera, J., & Ho, Y. S. (2016). Bibliometry of Panama publications in the Science Citation Index Expanded: publication type, language, fields, authors and institutions. Revista de Biología Tropical, 63(4), 1255-1266. DOI: 10.15517/rbt.v63i4.21112

Monge-Nájera, J., & Ho, Y. S. (2017a). Bibliometrics of Nicaraguan publications in the Science Citation Index Expanded. Revista de Biología Tropical, 65(2), 643-655. DOI: 10.15517/rbt.v65i2.23985.

Monge-Nájera, J., & Ho, Y. S. (2017b). Honduras publications in the Science Citation Index Expanded: institutions, fields and authors. Revista de Biología Tropical, 65(2), 657-668. DOI: 10.15517/rbt.v65i2.25893

Monge-Nájera, J., & Ho, Y. S. (2017c). El Salvador publications in the Science Citation Index Expanded: subjects, authorship, collaboration and citation patterns. Revista de Biología Tropical, 65(4), 1428-1436. DOI: 10.15517/rbt.v65i4.28397

Monge-Nájera, J., & Ho, Y. S. (2018). Guatemala articles in the Science Citation Index Expanded: bibliometry of subjects, collaboration, institutions and authors. Revista de Biología Tropical, 66(1), 312-320. DOI: 10.15517/rbt.v66i1.29875.

Russell, J. M., Ainsworth, S., del Río, J. A., Narváez-Berthelemot, N., & Cortés González, H. D. (2007). Colaboración científica entre países de la región latinoamericana. Revista Española de Documentación Científica, 30(2), 180-198.

Umaña, P., & Vargas, L. (2018, 10 de agosto). La participación de las mujeres continúa relegada en las ciencias. Noticias UCR. Recuperado de www.ucr.ac.cr/noticias/2018/08/10/la-participacion-de-las-mujerescontinuarelegadaen-las-ciencias.html.

Published

2019-06-17

How to Cite

Brenes Bonilla, L., & Monge-Nájera, J. (2019). How to obtain the maximum benefit from scientific research funds: the example of Costa Rica (achievements and challenges, FEES 2006-2016). UNED Research Journal, 11(2), 233–247. https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v11i2.2309

Issue

Section

Articles
Loading...