The research system has changed. Will you change with it?
For decades, researchers have been shaped by a research system built on hierarchy, grant cycles and slow, incremental progress. Publish papers, secure funding and move steadily up the academic ladder. For a long time that system worked well enough.
Today the landscape is shifting. Researchers everywhere are feeling the pressure. Opportunities are shrinking, funding feels more competitive, institutions are struggling to keep pace and industrial philanthropy and global investors are increasingly shaping the direction of discovery. Many researchers are beginning to sense that the rules they were trained to follow no longer match the world they now work in.
That feeling isn't imagined.
Breakthrough reveals what's really happening beneath the surface of the research economy. It explains why so many talented researchers feel stuck, under-funded and unable to gain traction with their work. Drawing on stories and experiences of real researchers, and his own experience across medical research, venture capital, philanthropy and innovation ecosystems, Dougal introduces readers to another system - one that's shaped not only by discovery, but also by translation, collaboration and real-world impact.
Through powerful stories of researchers navigating this changing environment, Breakthrough shows researchers how they can move their work beyond the laboratory and into the world, by connecting their project to real needs and building momentum beyond traditional academic and institutional structures. It's a guide to working differently so your work can create finally create the impact you're striving for.
Inside Breakthrough you'll discover:
- Why the research system you were trained for no longer matches the world you work in
- How to recognise the signals of systemic change and position yourself ahead of them
- Practical frameworks to design pathways to collaboration, uptake and impact
- How to move from surviving within outdated structures to shaping the future research landscape
No matter where you are in your career as a researcher, Breakthrough gives the pathway and the permission to chart your own course towards real traction and impact.
The future of research is already here. Now it's time to learn how to thrive in it.
About the Author :
Dougal Edwards has spent his career at the junction of research, funding and innovation, and has built expertise in accelerating research translation. For more than two decades he's been a sought-after strategist and advisor for major funders, research organisations, investors and philanthropic leaders around the world helping to design pathways and build capabilities needed to translate ideas into outcomes. Breakthrough is Dougal's debut book, and pulls together the insights gained over the years to reveal the dynamics that are shaping research, funding and impact today.
Review :
'For a researcher of my vintage, 'engaging industry' was such an abstract concept I had no idea what it really even meant. This opened a curtain to a larger landscape of science and discovery translation, commercialisation, and marketplace delivery.' - Jenni Gunter, Queensland University of Technology
'It challenged the way I thought about my research and its potential value and impact, and provided a framework to transform what was in essence a 'pie-in-the-sky' idea into a feasible project with tangible objectives and milestones.' - Kristen Radford, Mater Research
'I have no doubt that I will benefit from all this for many years to come. It has already changed the way I think about how I might sustain a career in science in the long term. Given the exquisite fragility of the grant system at the moment, it feels good to have another bow in the quiver, and in years to come, I will describe this as a career game changer.' - Aideen McInerney-Leo, University of Queensland
'The concept of an entrepreneurial researcher is right on target, and practical, concrete advice was provided that is helping me refine and extend my approach with industry partners.' - Michael Davern, University of Melbourne
'It helped frame what is important at the current stage of my start-up. It's overwhelming to think about everything that needs to be done, but having someone explain that it's normal to feel like that, that what you have is good and you only need these specific things to make it great, gives you the confidence to prioritise.' - Andrew Peska, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
'We came with an exciting new technology but none of the communication or commercialisation skills that could supercharge our idea. In hindsight, this upskilling was the critical first step in building our company. Two years on, our journey has led to us successfully launching Proxima Bio as co-founders.' - Jon Bernardini and Jason Brouwer, Proxima Bio
