Outside edge

I really enjoyed reading this article and couldn't agree more. It is about time some recognition was given to the independent researcher who continues to conduct research because they have a passion for what they do, and not because they are motivated purely by money or for big business reasons. Many of our universities seem to be much too focused on the REF and the amount of money they can bring in. For the research associate working in a university - everything is orientated towards getting that paper out, getting that next grant. Thinking time is minimised and as a consequence, the outputs, in terms of articles and papers suffer - many are shallow and lack thought, or they are so convoluted and boring that nobody would want to read them anyway. Time to think is no longer valued. As a result, it is down to the independent scholar to overcome the hurdles of not being able to access the funding or the literature needed; but who are willing to pursue their passion for research - often at their own expense. More should be done to help those who are independent to access materials and funding!