Demonstrating the Value of Research Posted on July 7, 2008 Young investigators need to be skilled at forming significant research questions, believes Enola K. Proctor (bio).

I think it's particularly important for young investigators to acquire as many skills as they can in formulating compelling and significant research questions. We are going to have to be able to demonstrate the importance of the research we want to do to the nation's public health. If we're expecting taxpayers to pay for our studies, we have to be able to demonstrate the value added to that.

It's also important that young investigators align themselves with more seasoned and more senior investigators in a team. It's virtually impossible to go it alone. Research is collaborative. Research needs to be done from a multidisciplinary perspective, so it's important that new investigators reach out to people who have been doing work longer than they have to build a solid team so that they can build the strongest possible application, and then it takes perseverance. It takes dedication. It takes knowing that success comes incrementally and collectively over time, so to have tough skin, to be willing to persevere, but to forge ahead and ask the important questions.

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