| Oceanography > Issues > Archive > Volume 16 > Issue 1 |
2003, Oceanography 16(1):4–10, http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2003.51
Science, Technology, and People
Author | Introduction | Full Article | Citation
Author
Melbourne G. Briscoe | Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, USA
Introduction
This article started as an essay about the impact of technology on oceanography. It evolved into a summary of lessons learned and conclusions drawn about how science affects technology, and vice versa, and about the central role of people---scientists and technologists—in the interaction between science and technology. The essay is about three things that may seem quite disconnected: Pasteur's Quadrant, Success Factors for Science and Technology, and Myers-Briggs Type Inventory. The goal is to try to pull these threads together, in an oceanographic context, and build on and borrow from what some others have said and written.
In a true big-picture way, my approach will be to discuss some general ideas, and then give some specifics. This will probably be kind of frustrating to those of you who prefer to think in terms of the specifics first, and then let the bigger picture emerge from the details. In fact, this different kind of thinking is part of my message.
So you can decide whether to read further, I'll give you my punch lines now, so you can see where this is going:
• Science and engineering are symbiotic, not sequential.
• People are different, in particular scientists and engineers are often different from each other.
• Uncontrollable external factors, serendipity and opportunity are some critical factors in success, and in bringing to fruition technology and science.
• Don't overestimate the impact of science on technology, nor underestimate the impact of technology on science.
Full Article
Citation
Briscoe, M.G. 2003. Science, technology, and people. Oceanography 16(1):4–10, http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2003.51.