Better Quote by Rolf-Dieter Heuer
“The short-term vision is: I research on something which I can use tomorrow, and for some politicians it is even better if it's today. But if you do this, you can only do targeted research. If you only do targeted research, you lose the side-routes.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Science policy forum, 2018
Focusing solely on immediate, practical research limits discovery of unexpected, broader insights.
In simple terms: Targeted research narrows discovery.
Key Takeaway
Balance short‑term goals with exploratory curiosity.
Themes
research
innovation
policy
risk
Mood
cautious
optimistic
Type
strategic
inspirational
When to use this quote
- grant proposals
- R development
- academic curricula
Key Concepts
strategic planning
basic science
serendipity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can institutions support both applied and fundamental research?
- What incentives encourage exploratory work?
A Different Perspective
Funding pressures may discourage long‑term inquiry.
