We started ResearchGate in 2008 to address the problems we saw in the way science is created and shared. Our mission is to connect the world of science and make research open to all. The 20 million researchers in our community come from diverse sectors in over 190 countries, and use ResearchGate to connect, collaborate, and share their work.
ResearchGate is for you: the scientist, the clinician, the student, the engineer, the public health worker, the lab technician, the computer scientist.
The work you do is important. But too often, you are overworked, underpaid, have low job security, and operate under high pressure. Becoming a researcher in the first place was no easy task, and access all too often relies on privilege. Our purpose is to make your life easier.
We offer a home for you—a place to share your work and connect with peers around the globe, traversing the borders and silos of science. We want to empower you to do your best work, advance your field, and make a better world for all.
For the intellectually curious, the seekers of truth, the geeks, the makers: our members offer you a treasure trove of knowledge in areas as diverse as materials science, agriculture, human health, and quantum physics.
SCIENCE IS EVOLVING
In order to better the world, science has to better itself.
We believe that science is humanity’s most important tool. It’s responsible for the great leaps we’ve made in understanding our universe, and the best means we have to meet the challenges of our future.
Still, it’s not without problems. The systems powering research are too slow and inaccessible to address the global challenges of our time. Complicated funding processes and proprietary interests are hampering progress towards open science.
This is where we can make a difference. We strive to offer researchers access to one another and the resources they need to thrive. We strive to make science faster, fairer, and easier to discover and access.
Nobody can address these challenges alone—we recognize the need to work with others in this quest. We are committed to evolving along with the science community, challenging the status quo in the scientific ecosystem, and always putting the researcher first.
OUR DREAM
We dream of societies that have science at their core.
We dream of a world where scientists can focus on their intellectual curiosities, secure in the knowledge that their work will be highly valued and funded appropriately. Where the desire to do good and the desire to be financially secure are not mutually exclusive. Where being an early-career researcher does not evoke the terms “burnout,” “boys club,” or “publish or perish.”
We dream of a world where leaders look to scientific advisors before corporate donors. Where federal budgets for scientific research dwarf those for military expenditures.
We dream of sustainable ecosystems, of universal human rights, of longer, healthier lives. We believe that none of this is possible without science, but that all of it is possible.
OUR BUSINESS
How we make money.
It is researchers who create value for everybody who uses the ResearchGate platform. Our commitment to serving the researcher community also informs our business decisions.
For most of our existence, we’ve been an investor-funded startup. This model has allowed us to focus on building a great product and expand our network to the 20+ million researchers we have today.
Our aim is to mature into a business that can deliver on our mission far into the future. This means finding new ways to maintain a sustainable business while prioritizing the needs of the researcher. We developed our marketing and recruitment services with this goal in mind.
How can a lab manager find the best new equipment for their facility? How can a postdoc find a job that perfectly matches their specific skill set? Our platform connects the people who make science happen with the companies and institutions that make science possible. In turn, these aspects of our business help keep our network free of charge for researchers.
We never forget that our members create value in the network. Therefore, in all our decisions about our business, we put the researcher first, and our purpose above our profits.
Q&A is where you can ask research-related questions and get them answered by other specialists. It’s also the best place for you to share your knowledge, connect with researchers, and identify yourself as an expert in your field.
Here you’ll find advice on how to get the most out of Q&A, including asking a good question and getting the best answers.
ResearchGate’s Q&A recommendations take your unique set of skills and expertise into account to present you with the most relevant discussions in your field – you can find these questions under Questions we think you can answer on the left-hand side of your Q&A overview page. Make sure you keep your research skills and expertise up to date to get the best recommendations.
You can also browse questions and answers using the other two filters: Questions you follow, and Questions you asked. You can also search ResearchGate to find more questions.