Towards 2020 Science (Microsoft Research, 2006)

It's all about software

A group of distinguished scientists wrote a report titled Toward 2020 Science on the role and future of science over the next 14 years. The findings and conclusions of group are both provoking and insightful.

But there is a serious omission. All the 41 members of the 2020 science group were men. How was it possible for Microsoft to limit the group of internationally distinguished scientists to men only? Are women not worth listening to when discussing science and computing?

Dispite the curious men-only approach to science, the report has a lot to offer to readers. The expert group tries to look beyound the current situation.

Today we are trying to apply computing to scientific research. This way of doing research is often called computational science, in contrast with experimental and theoretical science. However, in the future researchers need to integrate computer science directly into scientific research.

Moving beyond computational science is a big challenge, although on the surface the difference seems to be subtle. But computing offers new possiblities for researchers, such as new ways of thinking about research problems. Integrating computer science into scientific research can provide fundamental new developments for example in biology, biotechnology, and medicine.

The report is written for both non-experts and experts in computing and science. Thus the report skips over more technical details, but does provide an interesting overview of applying computing to various scientific research areas.

Most of the discussion focuses on bioscience and medicine, where new computational tools may be most needed. But many of the conclusions apply to other topics as well, such as nanotechnology and Earth science.

The report states that science and science-based innovation should be at the top of the political agenda. Today this is not so. Instead in Finland and elsewhere high-level planning centers on technology-based innovation. In the future decision-makers should focus on the contribution of science-based innovation to economic prosperity

The report also recommends an urgent re-think in educating tomorrow's scientists. In 2020, today's children will be starting their careers. Will they be sufficiently computer literate to benefit from the possibilities of integrating computing and science?

The key question on solving the research problems of the future is how to develop the technological tools needed in 2020. Computer science is needed to find solutions to scientific grand challenges. "It's all about software."

Will we have in 2020 the skills to solve the computational problems posed by the scientists of the future?