I don't know about STEM alone, but in STEAM, where art is part of the equation, we struggle with this too. In the arts, success is often measured by exhibitions, grants, publications, or attendance numbers, while the deeper impacts, shifts in perspective, community connection, healing, empathy, and civic engagement, are much harder to quantify. What gets measured shapes what gets valued, and too often the most meaningful outcomes fall outside the metrics.
Your comment is so valuable, thank you! I ignorantly thought that it was somehow different… But the way you describe it, I can understand there is the same pattern of how metrics shape how we communicate about art. It got me thinking about Substack even. Should we have some kind of way to measure the impact on communities and people’s lives, work, worldviews, happiness…
Very nicely written. While I agree, it is incredibly hard to measure impact if we do not have objective, tangible parameters, particularly in the (vastly) quantitative research we do in STEM.
Thank you for saying this because it is so hard. I’ve felt it myself whenever I sat down to track and formulate the impact of my research…
My research was about radiation protection of astronauts. Measuring the impact would be in longer and safer space missions. That, however, will take ages to realise. But also, I know that my research inspired 3 students to pursue their own PhDs. I think that counts towards an impact on our community?
I don't know about STEM alone, but in STEAM, where art is part of the equation, we struggle with this too. In the arts, success is often measured by exhibitions, grants, publications, or attendance numbers, while the deeper impacts, shifts in perspective, community connection, healing, empathy, and civic engagement, are much harder to quantify. What gets measured shapes what gets valued, and too often the most meaningful outcomes fall outside the metrics.
Your comment is so valuable, thank you! I ignorantly thought that it was somehow different… But the way you describe it, I can understand there is the same pattern of how metrics shape how we communicate about art. It got me thinking about Substack even. Should we have some kind of way to measure the impact on communities and people’s lives, work, worldviews, happiness…
Very nicely written. While I agree, it is incredibly hard to measure impact if we do not have objective, tangible parameters, particularly in the (vastly) quantitative research we do in STEM.
Thank you for saying this because it is so hard. I’ve felt it myself whenever I sat down to track and formulate the impact of my research…
My research was about radiation protection of astronauts. Measuring the impact would be in longer and safer space missions. That, however, will take ages to realise. But also, I know that my research inspired 3 students to pursue their own PhDs. I think that counts towards an impact on our community?
100% agreed. It defo counts, and kudos for that indeed!
Thank you 🙏