Go Read a Research Paper
Go Read a Research Paper
Where does much of the great innovation in our world come from? Basically, it is often built by the hands of many, and on amazing vision, hard work, and inspiration, and then disseminated through research papers. It is one of the most wonderful knowledge-sharing networks that we have ever created. With this, someone proposes that they discovered something new, and, rather than keeping it secret, they share it with whoever wants to read it. And, so a chain of innovation is created, with few people knowing where it will end. Perhaps, it’s a new method that will completely change our world, or a method that is going no-one? Every single person has the opportunity to be part of this ‘journey of discovery’.
That GPS on your phone is based on decades of research publications, but we often just take it for granted. Oh, and the Sky TV that you watch, is based on decades of research work on compression and digitization. And that mobile phone in your pocket for data, voice and video? That goes back many decades and is based on the amazing work of Claude Shannon, and built from decades of continual improvements.
Few people can ever dream that the impact that their work will have on our world. In the early days of GPS, no one could have foreseen that we could locate ourselves and find routes using a device that fits in our pocket, and which is free to use. Innovation is all about the belief that we could change things for the better, and improve our society and the lives of others.
And, don’t just think it is academia that source research papers. It is open to everyone to read, engage, and, hopefully, contribute. A great place to start is to hook up with an academic team and investigate possibilities for joint publications.
The voyage of knowledge discovery has driven us as a species, and will never stop. It’s why many companies rise and then fall, as they fail to innovate. The barriers to access to new knowledge often involved access to great libraries or paying for journal subscriptions. But, now, virtually every person on the planet has the ability to access the knowledge banks, and discover the latest research.
One person’s vision can be worth much more than research teams with billions invested. Innovation is a journey and not a process. But to know where to go, you have got to understand where we have been, and where we are now.
Please, go and read some research papers, and be part of this amazing infrastructure for sharing and creating new knowledge. Stop taking technology for granted, and go and innovate …
And the best place to start? … Google Scholar:
If you are interesting in any of the work we do, such as in cryptography, digital identity and in digital trust, get in contact with us, and let’s be part of building a better world. We have PhD studentships that can be partly funded by industry, and which can provide the base for future innovation.