Replaying the Tape of Academia: Alternative Systems for Earth Science

The evolution of modern academic structures, analogous to the evolution of biological structures, reflects a combination of contingency and determinism rather than pure design. From a theoretical perspective, how then could academia have differed from our inherited system and would those alternative academies be more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive? Here we consider different outcomes that academia might attain upon replaying its tape and invite discussion regarding their benefits and drawbacks. Lessons from these theoretical pathways may help us evaluate whether the development of modern structures was conditional or predictable and begin to guide solutions to problems such as the unequal allocation of research funding and the low ratio of available faculty positions to qualified applicants. Conversely, these alternative systems may introduce new challenges or exacerbate existing problems. Several alternative systems that we consider interesting are where manuscripts are published anonymously, researchers can author only a limited number of articles during their careers, peer review of articles and proposals is fully blind, fully transparent, or abolished, articles are published open-access, for free, in a single non-profit journal, conferences do not charge registration fees, the research enterprise is separate from undergraduate education, lab facilities are shared at the department-level, graduate researchers are supported by departments rather than by faculty members, graduate student and postdoctoral positions are awarded through a system similar to the national resident matching program, and researchers can advise only a limited number of students during their careers. These alternative structures are meant to be imaginative, not prescriptive, and several of the systems present moral quandaries or would require major changes to the way that research is funded within the United States. However, components of these alternative outcomes can provide useful direction in guiding both within-system change and large-scale restructuring of modern academia.