Startup seeks to bridge the gap between Chinese and Western scholars
While the number of Chinese scholars is expanding both in absolute terms and as a percentage of authors in high-impact scientific journals, Chinese researchers still find it difficult to make their interests and expertise known to western colleagues.
Recently launched, the Anianet professional network aims to reduce the barriers separating Chinese researchers from their counterparts in the United States and Europe. Anianet allows scholars to create free English-language profiles detailing their professional accomplishments in a format that is optimized for a Western audience. The platform also provides useful information detailing western grants, research partnerships, jobs, fellowships, meetings, publications, and other opportunities. More than 80% of those surveyed by Anianet are not satisfied with the visibility of their research and writing among their European and American colleagues. An equal number would like to be more knowledgeable about western research trends and opportunities.
With statements of support from a number of prominent organizations, including the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Biochemical Society, and the Institute of Physics, Anianet launched in preview mode late this summer, and already thousands of Chinese scholars— in fields ranging from architectural design to zoology— have created Anianet profiles. “Anianet is a valuable resource that helps me connect to the international research community in a new and important way,” says Dr. Lianwen Jin, Dean of the Department of Information Engineering at South China University of Technology.
“We are already seeing how a vibrant English-language professional network can help Chinese scholars connect with western collaborators, get published in top journals, and become more tightly entwined with their international research communities,” says Anianet founder and CEO Greg Tananbaum. “On the western side, Anianet is emerging as a go-to resource to better understand who is who in the Chinese scientific space.”
Tananbaum, with several years experience in the education sector, commented on his motivations for establishing Anianet. “Publishers, information providers, technology companies, libraries – they all were interested in China as both a consumer and producer of content. None had developed a definitive strategy, and none felt comfortable about how to reach individual Chinese scholars.”
To learn more about Anianet, click here.
Reader Comments
The Anianet professional network seems like a great idea in principle but the fact that there appears to be no scope for “western colleagues” to join the community suggests that the real objective of is to complile a database rather than foster true collaboration and interaction between Chinese scholars and their western counterparts.
Of course if I’m wrong then I guess someone will explain how I am wrong shortly. If western scholars cannot legitimately join the network then how does the site reduce the barriers separating Chinese researchers from their counterparts in the United States and Europe.
I must be missing the point…please enlighten me.
Thank you for your observation, Dr. MacArthur. It is fair to ask whether asks whether the requirement that Anianet members be Chinese or of Chinese descent runs counter to the notion of encouraging scholarly communication and interaction. It is our belief that one of the growing problems within academia today is the divide separating Chinese and western scholars. The quantity and quality of Chinese scholarship has risen dramatically in the past decade. Today, more than 1.2 million full-time faculty work across the 2,000+ Chinese universities. The desire of these academics to make a mark in the international scholarly community is palpable. Spurred explicitly by the Chinese government, researchers are prioritizing publication in western journals. China had a 20-fold increase in publications in international scientific journals in the past generation. From 1999 to
2009, it moved from tenth to second in terms of the volume of indexed articles originating from its shores to be indexed in Web of Science/Science Citation Index. However, for all this growth, collaboration between Chinese and western scholars is stuck in first gear.
It is true that Anianet members – those who create profiles detailing their research interests and professional accomplishments – are Chinese. This is to address the specific problem cited above. Chinese scholars are disconnected from their western peers. Chinese scholars know it – 85% indicated in our research that they struggle to make themselves known to their American and European counterparts. This is why we encourage them to create Anianet profiles (incidentally, nearly 5,00 have since this thread started). The information the profiles convey, and the form in which they are presented, are designed to frame a Chinese scholar in a manner that is familiar and valuable to westerners.
On the flip side, western scholars are also aware of this disconnect – 4 in 5, according to our research, would like to better understand who is doing what in the Chinese scholarly community. This is why we actively encourage westerners to use Anianet as a directory of Chinese scholars. Editors can identify prospective Chinese board members and referees, conference organizers can vet proposed Chinese presenters, and so forth. Members are discoverable via a variety of integrated search mechanisms, including a three-tiered subject classification system encompassing 1400 disciplines. Once found, we provide a variety of ways for westerners to get in touch and start a dialog with our members.
It is our hope that (a) Chinese scholars will create English-language profiles on Anianet, (b) Western scholars will use Anianet as a resource to better understand the goings-on within the Chinese academic community, and (c) as a result, international collaboration and cooperation, which is now minimal, will flourish.
Best, Greg
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Greg Tananbaum
Founder and CEO
Anianet
Anianet: Connecting Scholars Worldwide
(510) 295-7504
greg@anianet.com
http://www.anianet.com