Pathways for the Co-creation of Service in Academia: An Ethnographic Analysis of Epistemic Cultures in Japanese Public Shared Core facilities

Abstract

Japanese public research establishments have played a crucial role as academic-industrial alliances, so-called "innovation hubs" where, since 2015, shared core-facilities have functioned as research infrastructure under the 5th Science and Technology Basic Plan. Innovation hubs encourage service in academia, including collaborations between industry and academia in shared facilities owned by public research establishments. Prior research has highlighted already that shared core facilities in Western countries emphasize efficiency and usability for external users. However, little attention has been paid to the academic service of scientists and coordinators, almost all of who have PhDs and aim to contribute to their academic communities. In particular, this article examines pathways for enhancing scientists' and coordinators' incentives to academic service activities, analyzing the epistemic culture of service activities in shared facilities, and using ethnographic data obtained in Japanese public establishments such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) facilities, Synchrotron Radiation facilities, and a Neutron source facility.