From open science to the monopoly of knowledge. Is academic research declining?

Gianfranco Pacchioni (Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Università di Milano-Bicocca)

Scientific discoveries happen quietly, yet they often lead to radically transformative technologies. It is commonly thought that these discoveries take place in public research laboratories and universities, and indeed that was the case in the past, but things are changing. New players have emerged: Big Tech companies, aiming at a highly ambitious goal, the monopoly of knowledge. Thanks to enormous profits, Big Tech has been investing in research and development for years through the acquisition of start-ups and the creation of secret research laboratories staffed by outstanding, highly paid researchers with virtually unlimited resources. Big Tech has expanded its horizons toward technologies destined to revolutionize our tomorrow: quantum computing, cryptography, neuroscience, brain–machine interaction, satellite communications, space exploration, and above all health, genetics, and biotechnology, without, of course, forgetting artificial intelligence. All of this takes place beyond any form of public oversight. If we add to this the fact that a significant share of technological innovation comes from military research, secret by definition, two very different faces of contemporary science emerge. Public, open, and transparent academic science on the one hand; private, confidential, and inaccessible science on the other. In short, clear science and dark science. In this context, funding public research is no longer just a matter of competition between systems (public vs. private); it is fundamental to the defence of democracy and promote trust in science. Understanding this scenario is essential to ensure that science benefits everyone and helps reduce inequalities rather than increase them.

Date and time: October 6, 2:00 PM
Place: Hall C, FMFI, Mlynska dolina
Comenius University in Bratislava

ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4749-0751

Gianfranco Pacchioni received his PhD from Free University of Berlin in 1984. His research focuses on the modeling of heterogeneous catalysis and inorganic materials for sustainable energy and environmental applications. He has held research positions at IBM Almaden Research Center, Technical University of Munich, and Fritz Haber Institute, Berlin, among other institutions. He is Senior Professor at University of Milano-Bicocca, where he served as Vice Rector for Research from 2013 to 2019 and as Director of the Department of Materials Science from 2003 to 2009. Professor Pacchioni is the co-author of approximately 650 scientific publications, which have received more than 50,000 citations (h-index 118, Google Scholar), and he has delivered around 600 invited lectures worldwide. His honors include the Humboldt Research Award, the Pascal Medal (European Academy of Sciences), and the Cannizzaro Medal (Italian Chemical Society). He is a Fellow of Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei (2014), Academia Europaea (2012), European Academy of Sciences (2009), among others. Since 2022, he has served as a member of the Board (Co-Chair) of the InterAcademy Partnership. He has also authored several popular science books exploring the relationship between science and society, as well as environmental challenges.