Caroline and Anita explored Caroline's research on diversity in science and innovation, particularly focusing on migrant scientists from low-income countries and the impact of migration on knowledge flows. The conversation concluded with discussions about the evolution of scientific capacity building in low-income countries and the role of preprints in the dissemination of scientific information during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Benefits of Migrant Scientists' Research

Anita and Caroline discussed Caroline's research on diversity in science and innovation, particularly focusing on migrant scientists from low-income countries. Caroline explained her findings on how migration can benefit both the source and host countries through increased global connections and relationship brokering. The conversation highlighted the importance of institutional environments and pre-migration preparation in determining the success of migrant scientists.

Gender, Science, and Global Development

Caroline discussed her findings that gender parity in home countries significantly impacts the experience of female migrants. She also explored the long-term effects of a clinical trial scandal in Nigeria, which led to mistrust of science and a decline in scientific activity in affected regions. Caroline's work with Michael Blomfield demonstrates the positive impact of sustained clinical trial capacity building in African countries supported by a European agency. Anita and Caroline discussed the varying success stories of countries in developing clinical infrastructure and the potential dark side of even successful institutional development, as seen in the negative views on Chinese science during COVID-19.

Preprints' Impact on Science Dissemination

Caroline and Anita discussed the impact of preprints on the diffusion of science during the COVID-19 pandemic. They found that preprints, which provide access to research findings before peer review, can exacerbate inequality in the dissemination of scientific information. This was particularly evident in the case of Chinese and American research, where biases led to a greater gap in the perception of research quality based on geographical origin.

Scientific Capacity Building Evolution

Caroline discussed the evolution of scientific capacity building in low-income countries, including research that had been funded by USAID and that is not supported by a non-profit called the Science Development Center. She emphasized the importance of advocacy for scientific capacity as a worthwhile investment and noted that migration programs, incentives, and participatory projects have shown high returns. Caroline expressed optimism about the work being done by passionate practitioners in the field and encouraged more researchers to join this area of study.