OST moving to new home as simmering dispute between principals results in split

Gingras vs Godin

The Observatoire des sciences et des technologies (OST) is about to be merged with a research unit of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). The move is the apparent culmination of a bitter powerplay between the two principal researchers at OST, Canada’s premier organization for producing and measuring bibliometric science and technology (S&T) indicators.

Pending official confirmation from the relevant authorities, OST will become a part of the Centre interuniversitaire de recherche sur la science et la technologie (CIRST), a move orchestrated by OST’s co-director Dr Yves Gingras. Gingras is CIRST’s director and a professor with UQAM’s department of history. Although the decision to integrate the two units has not yet been announced, RE$EARCH MONEY has learned that UQAM has agreed to provide OST with the necessary funding.

The widely held consensus is that OST has a solid, reliable product that is extremely useful for analysis. And since it’s the only organization in Canada producing these types of output indicators, it has come to be regarded as a valuable national S&T resource.

Despite OST’s growing reputation, relations between Gingras and Dr Benoit Godin, OST’s other co-director and a professor at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS). have deteriorated over the past two years. The quality of the work environment has reportedly declined to the point where several key employees have left the organization.

The merger is rejected by Godin as unviable. Godin, who claims sole directorship of OST, says he is developing a plan to launch a national S&T observatory. He is in discussions to create several nodes across the country — one of which could be the OST. Godin has spoken with researchers in Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia in an attempt to establish a network that would conduct various types of quantitative research relating to S&T and innovation.

DIFFERING VIEWS ON FATE OF OST

But OST’s participation in a national observatory remains doubtful given its imminent integration into CISRT, of which Gingras is the director. When the announcement of the merger is made, the all-important databank underpinning OST research will be moved from INRS to UQAM — a development Godin calls “wishful thinking”. Several former OST analysts are also expected to be part of the new OST team at CIRST, including the person who developed and maintained the database.

“I want to save the institute and the only way is to put it in a stimulating, intellectual environment. People were isolated at INRS,” says Gingras. “Any organization needs to readjust after five or six years and when I saw what was going on I thought that is enough. People will agree this is common sense.”

Godin disagrees and points to dramatically different philosophies as the reason for the split with Gingras. He contends that Gingras wants to limit OST activities to research, while he considers both research and services as central to the OST’s operations.

“The move to UQAM is not an option,” says Godin. “It’s not a scenario at all from my point-of-view and I’m the director of the group.”

Gingras says he has the backing of the key individuals at OST’s four institutional partners — UQAM, INRS, the Univ of Sherbrooke and the Univ of Montreal.

“CIRST is the only research centre that deals with the social aspects of S&T in Quebec and (the rest of) Canada. Integration with OST would end its isolation. Nothing will be changed in practice,” says Gingras. “Because of the disagreements of the past year over management, it’s simpler to integrate here ... Who cares except Benoit if people are hired by OST or CIRST. The people paying for the work we do don’t give a damn (but) it will make the analysts happy.”

OST was formed in 1997 after a Statistics Canada project conducted by Gingras and Godin attracted widespread interest in bioliometric data and analysis. The new research group quickly established a stellar reputation and a large client base of government, companies and organizations.

By tapping into the high demand for S&T-related bibliometric data — dubbed scientometrics — OST began to attract substantial contract revenue. Its work is also supported by a consortium about 35 universities. It includes government departments and ministries, funding agencies and organizations such as Genome Canada, National Research Council, Valorisation-Recherche Quebec and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

One of OST’s largest clients is Quebec’s Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (MRST). A Ministry official says the current uncertainty surrounding the observatory is an internal matter but that there could be room for both the OST and a new national organization.

“It’s a university problem and they have to settle it. It’s between INRS and UQAM,” says Real Pelland, MRST’s director of strategic information and perspective. “For our part, we see OST as a business relationship. We have contracts with them and they provide very good services and advice. We participate in the consortium.”

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