Money, Fame and the Allocation of Talent: Brain Drain, the Matthew Effect and the Institution of Science

The earning structure in science is known to be flat relative to the one in the private sector, which could cause a brain drain toward the private sector. In this paper, we assume that agents value both money and fame and study the role of the institution of science in the allocation of talent between the science sector and the private sector. Following works on the Sociology of Science, we model the institution of science as a mechanism distributing fame (i.e. peer recognition). We show that since the intrinsic performance is less noisy signal of talent in the science sector than in the private sector, a good institution of science can mitigate the brain drain. We also find that providing extra monetary incentives through the market might undermine the incentives provided by the institution and thereby worsen the brain drain. Finally, we study the optimal balance between monetary and non-monetary incentives in science.

Money, fame and the allocation of talent: Brain drain and the institution of science

The earning structure in science is known to be flat relative to the one in theprivate sector, which could cause a brain drain toward the private sector. In thispaper, we assume that agents value both money and fame and study the role ofthe institution of science in the allocation of talent between the science sector andthe private sector. Following works on the Sociology of Science, we model theinstitution of science as a mechanism distributing fame (i.e. peer recognition). Weshow that since the intrinsic performance is less noisy signal of talent in the sciencesector than in the private sector, a good institution of science can mitigate thebrain drain. We also find that providing extra monetary incentives through themarket might undermine the incentives provided by the institution and therebyworsen the brain drain. Finally, we study the optimal balance between monetaryand non-monetary incentives in science.

La figura di Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) in Tajna Nikole Tesle (1980)

Nikola Tesla è considerato, dai divulgatori scientifici che di lui si occupano, una figura chiave nella storia della scienza moderna e contemporanea, per l’importanza che hanno avuto le sue ricerche nello sviluppo di tecnologie del XX e XXI secolo. La sua attuale scarsa fama nel piano accademico contrasta con un’abbondante presenza di un Nikola Tesla come personaggio di finzione nelle arti popolari. Questa ricezione ambigua di Tesla potrebbe essere di fatto relazionata con il carattere utopico e visionario delle sue speranze nella scienza come mezzo di conoscenza per il miglioramento della società umana. Questo breve saggio si propone di analizzare come venga presentato il personaggio di Nikola Tesla nel lungometraggio jugoslavo Tajna Nikole Tesle, contribuendo così alla comprensione di come la narrativa di finzione possa sfruttare l’immagine di uno scienziato relativamente agli interessi politici legati a specifici contesti socio-storici.

Preliminary report of the first season work of the International Pluridisciplinary Archaeological Expedition to Bactria 2006

The International Pluridisciplinary Archaeological Expedition in Bactria (IPAEB) was created in 2006.The name underlines the international character of the team (which includes Uzbeks, Spanish, French, British and Greek members), the presence of specialists from various fields apart from archaeology and the fame of Bactria1.

Preliminary report of the first season work of the International Pluridisciplinary Archaeological Expedition to Bactria 2006

The International Pluridisciplinary Archaeological Expedition in Bactria (IPAEB) was created in 2006.The name underlines the international character of the team (which includes Uzbeks, Spanish, French, British and Greek members), the presence of specialists from various fields apart from archaeology and the fame of Bactria1.

De València a Vannes: culte, devoció i relíquies de Sant Vicent Ferrer

Saint Vicent Ferrer’s personality (1350-1419) has been tackled by researchers in different points of view, and this has meant a proliferation of very diverse studies. There isn’t much, however, the works which has done analysis relating to popular piety and devotion. In this sense, the different hagiographic sources puts us faced with a saint with a very widespread cult in some areas, for instance, the Crown of Aragon and Castille, but also in other european places. As for the last, we detect an import focus of devotion in Brittany, where the saint arrived to preach after being called by Jean V. He died at Vannes (1419), the political capital of the duchy of Brittany, and he was buried in Saint Pierre’s cathedral. Previously to his canonization, his fame as a miracle worker during his life was the reason for his tomb became a real locus sanctus, a place where pilgrims arrived to venerate his relics. These relics had healing and prophylactic properties. Apart from these ones, we have many references of “contact relics” with properties of this kind.

Fama y verdad en la épica quinientista española. El virgilianismo político y la tradición castellana del siglo xv

Fame and truth in Spanish XVth century epic. !e political vergilianism and the castilian tradition of the XVth century. The starting premise of this essay is that the Spanish Golden Age epic must be read from a historical perspective that takes into account the Hispanic literary tradition ofthe XVth century. In particular, it argues that epic should be approached from a theoretical perspective that explores its relationship with history in order to illuminate the diferences between Italian and Spanish epic theory and practice in the XVth century. The relationship between the discourses of epic and history can be explained through the imitation of the Vergilian model, specifically the Aeneid´s ideological representation of empire. However, it is also necessary to consider theoretical aspects in the light of the diferent uses of classical literature by Italian humanists and Castilian writers of the XV th century. Thus, its primary thesis is that although XVI th century Spanish epic shares the general principles of the Western Epic tradition, it should be approached from a specifically perspective Hispanic, in the light of the «political vergilianism» already enshrined in authors like Enrique de Villena and Juan de Mena, which is essential to appreciate how epic genre serves as memory for the present

Els Hot Five : Louis Armstrong, l'avantguardista

Els objectius d’aquest treball són: reivindicar la faceta de Louis Armstrong com a músic al capdavant de l’avantguarda musical dels anys vint als Estats Units, analitzar les claus per entendre el seu ascens a la fama a partir dels anys trenta i valorar la seva contribució a la història de la música afroamericana. El cos del treball consta de dues parts: la primera, una biografia de l’artista per esbossar el seu context històric i el seu perfil psicològic; i la segona, que és el centre del treball, una anàlisi de les peces Savoy Blues, Cornet Chop Suey i Gully Low Blues, totes elles pertanyents al període dels Hot Five (1925-1929).