Some Thoughts on the Scientific Research Management of Young Scientific Research Managers in Research Institutes

Lixian CUI, Jinli LIU, Qingming ZENG

Changli Fruit Research Institute of Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Changli 066600, China

Abstract By analyzing current situation of youth scientific research management in research institutes, including problems in scientific research management departments and problems faced by young scientific research management workers, it focuses on thinking from two aspects: the job of science and technology management and improving the working ability of young scientific research managers. It points out the four key cores in the work of youth scientific research management, namely, setting up project approval, establishing project technical files, doing well in project acceptance and achievements demonstration and promotion, doing well in achievements reward, and promoting the output of scientific and technological achievements. The working ability is improved by means of research integrity education, learning relevant professional knowledge while improving business capability, research on the art of scientific research management, and improving management level of science and technology innovation managers in the new era by "new four focuses".

Key words Research institute, Young scientific research managers, Thoughts

1 Introduction

Scientific research management is a complex and multiple management system, and it is an important foundation and prerequisite for scientific research. The comprehensive level and overall quality of the scientific research management team are often the top priority. The young scientific research management workers should combine the actual situation of the institute with their own career planning, keep pace with the times, and scientifically position themselves, to better serve the scientific research and innovation work.

2 Current situation of youth scientific research management

The science and technology management office is the core department of the scientific research institute, and plays a connecting role. Scientific research projects are closely linked from applying for projects to project approval, acceptance, and awards for scientific and technological achievements, which are inseparable from the diligence of scientific research management workers. Science and technology management is a process of accumulating experience, and can play a guiding role in the development of the research room and the whole process of the project. Therefore, science and technology management workers should not change departments or seek other ways because of work needs, but should be stabilized. However, the current situation of the research institutes is that newly recruited male employees are assigned to the research room to engage in scientific research, while female employees are assigned to the office. Female employees have no management experience and transit in the science and technology management office, and they change jobs again with marriage and children. It looks like exercise, but there is no substantive task and lack of responsibility for work in fact. However, experienced science and technology management workers who have trained for many years have been assigned to departments that have nothing to do with scientific research. On the surface, it is reasonable division of labor, but it is a waste of talents in fact.

2.1 Problems in the scientific research management department of the research institutesThe research institutes should plan the department scientifically according to the quantity and quality of the project and the similarity of the posts themselves. For example, the science and technology management office only needs two central tasks of scientific and technological innovation and scientific and technological services, and it focuses more on scientific research. The administrative and logistics office mainly serves scientific researchers, focusing on service. The party office is responsible for all matters of the general party branch, such as the party controlled science and technology publicity, and the party controlled personnel. Therefore, the scientific division should be the party office, the science and technology management office, and personnel section into a whole, and the office logistics into a whole. However, the current situation is that the office and the science and technology management office are organized together, while the party office is independent; the personnel section is independent; logistics is independent. As a result, the scientific and technological innovation and scientific and technological service materials of each research room should be handed over to both the science and technology management office and the party office. Even the performance appraisal objectives of each research room should be submitted to both the science and technology office and the personnel department. The key is that the forms are different. One thing is repeated in a hundred ways, which causes the front-line scientific and technological personnel in the research room to spend more time filling in the forms needlessly.

2.2 Problems of young scientific research managersIt is tolerable to be young and inexperienced, but education is really the key to be competent for the job. It is difficult to convince the public that undergraduates manage masters and doctors. It is not easy for them to gain a sense of professionalism. They are under pressure for a long time, let alone happy work. The scientific research management staff of the research institutes is the bridge and link between the front-line scientific research personnel and the institute level scientific research management departments, scientific research cooperation units and institute leaders, and is the key link to ensure the normal operation of the scientific research work of the research institutes[1]. His noble character and good mentality are very important. However, young people are competitive. They have a weak sense of service and are inevitably eager for quick success and instant benefit. Therefore, young scientific research management workers must exercise more, temper more and bear more responsibilities.

3 Reflections on the work of scientific research management

Project management is an important part of key scientific research management. In terms of scientific research project management, the whole process supervision and management shall be adopted to ensure the quality of project application and improve the possibility of project approval by organizing review experts to conduct project application, defense, inquiry and modification. After project selection and approval, the whole process supervision and management shall be carried out on the experimental design, mid-term inspection, fund use, scientific research archives, semi annual or annual summary. It should check the task indicators and organize identification and acceptance according to the project document to ensure the quality of scientific research[2]. It should strengthen the management of carried forward projects, uniformly report the annual scientific research plan, organize the academic committee to demonstrate, timely revise and supplement according to the production development, and ensure the smooth completion of scientific research tasks. After the completion of the project, it should promptly organize the acceptance and appraisal, and do a good job in the transformation and promotion of achievements and the application of rewards, so as to improve the level of project achievements.

3.1 Doing well in the project application being the foundation of everythingThe project application is a key link of the whole scientific research project. The domestic and international background significance should be supported by the latest data and literature. The topic selection should aim at the international forefront, focus on the national strategic objectives, and strive to make contributions to China’s scientific and technological and socio-economic development. It should use advanced technical means to design innovative research schemes. The technical roadmap should meet the production needs, and the technical requirements involved should withstand scrutiny. Therefore, the project design should be closely matched. If there are many flaws in the design, the experiment will be doomed from the start. Once the design is completed, it should follow the rules and regulations step by step.

3.2 Establishing scientific research archives and conducting whole process tracking managementTechnical archives of project are important historical data of agricultural scientific research work, an important form of scientific and technological information resource reserve, and an important component and carrier of scientific research achievements. The electronic archives and the paper archives shall be in good order and consistency, so as to truly share the information of archive resources, establish an automatic system of archive information, and realize the free inquiry of archive work. The scientific research management department shall track and manage the research topics and promptly grasp the progress of the topics. Only by understanding the progress of each topic can it determine the key support topics of each year through correct judgment and provide necessary support when necessary.

3.3 Doing well in preparation and supervision of project acceptance and achievement demonstration and promotionAfter the project is completed, the scientific research management staff shall promptly urge the research room to organize the research team to clean up the project, write the project work summary, project technical report and overall report. When appropriate, it also should organize professionals to conduct pre audit for financial settlement, and make preparation and application for acceptance. As for the applied achievements, the science and technology management department should urge the front-line scientific research personnel to do a good job in the promotion and demonstration of the achievements. The paper achievements should not only be written on paper and put in the file box, but should be truly transformed into productive forces, serve agriculture, rural areas and farmers, and use scientific and technological innovation to help rural revitalization.

3.4 Doing a good job in awarding achievements, and promoting the output of scientific and technological achievements

Scientific research managers should guide scientific and technological personnel to publish articles in high-level academic journals. Thesis is the foundation of basic research achievements. Therefore, scientific and technological personnel should be encouraged to publish articles in high-level academic journals. It should formulate incentive policies and programs according to the actual situation, such as awarding authors according to the publication level of scientific papers, laying a good foundation for the production of high-level achievements. Managers of scientific and technological achievements must have a detailed understanding of the implementation rules of various reward regulations, master the progress of medical research projects in the research institutes, understand the development of disciplines, provide reference for the timing, category and grade of achievements applying reward, and filling in the application form, and strictly control the form and content of application materials.

4 Reflections on improving the working ability of young science and technology managers

4.1 Research integrity education being the first step to cultivate responsible managersIn June of 2018, theSomeOpinionsonfurtherStrengtheningtheConstructionofScientificResearchIntegritywas printed and issued. Emphasis is placed on the education of scientific research integrity and scientific research code of conduct, so that researchers can establish a clear sense of scientific research integrity and morality from the inside. Scientific research managers also need to understand the relevant systems of scientific ethics and style of study. They should scrupulously abide by academic ethics, and pursue the spirit of seeking truth and pragmatism while constantly improving their scientific research management level, to prevent the occurrence of misconduct such as achievements hitchhiking, and paper naming.

4.2 Learning relevant professional knowledge while improving business abilityThe scientific research managers may face more than one discipline. In the tree research institute, there are not only fruits, such as apples, pears, peaches, grapes, cherries, but also dried fruits, such as chestnuts and walnuts, involving cultivation, breeding and plant protection. If managers just know it and don’t know why, there will be confusion.

4.3 Scientific research management being both a science and an artScientific research management workers should not only achieve professional, refined and scientific management, but also have enthusiastic service. Whether it is for the project or the project host, they should adhere to the combination of strict rules and regulations with enthusiasm, and adhere to people-oriented. Regardless of the target is the division level leaders, section level cadres or front-line scientific and technological personnel, they can treat people and things equally, and can not treat them differently.

4.4 Improving the management level of science and technology innovation managers in the new era with "new four focuses"In May of 2021, the general secretary pointed out at the 20thAcademician Meeting of the Chinese Academy of Sciences that it should focus on science and technology management according to the positioning of "grasping strategy", "grasping reform", "grasping planning" and "grasping service". It should deeply understand the important assertion of "scientific and technological innovation and institutional innovation" by the general secretary, understand its essence, apply what we have learned, and strengthen the sense of serving scientific and technological innovation. Talents are the root of innovation, and it should create a training mechanism conducive to the growth of talents.