NWO will ask scientists about the harm their research might cause

What could be the undesirable consequences of your research? That’s the question the Dutch research funding body NWO is going to ask scientists, especially if they want to collaborate with industry.

When submitting a research proposal, scientists already have to explain to NWO what social and scientific impact their research might have. On top of that comes another question: what could the damage be?

Reflect

The answer will weigh into the application. In other words: those who do not reflect well enough on possible undesirable effects will have less chance of receiving a grant. NWO announced this on its website.

NWO will also look more critically at its own collaboration with ‘third parties’. “The public debate surrounding the collaboration of science with companies has caused NWO to re-examine the current policy and take these steps,” is the online statement.

Consideration

NWO wants to create more “awareness” within its own organisation and among researchers. Among the examples: NWO will ‘stop accepting sponsorship funds for, for example, the organisation of events.’

NWO now has a framework for third party cooperation that scientists can use. For example, one question is, “Can there be dual use of research results and what applications are conceivable?” In other words, can you use the results of this research militarily or not? NWO also includes an “exit clause” in collaborations to make it easier to stop in the interim, “based on the consideration that there are by definition risks involved in collaborating with a third party.

HOP, Bas Belleman