Open Letter to Professionals in Research, Development, and Innovation

Question

Too often, we hear from people whose contributions have been miscredited or overlooked.

We are reaching out to all professionals engaged in research, development, and innovation across the fields of science, technology, engineering, and design.

Whether you are a postgraduate student, a professional in industry, a researcher in academia, or undertaking research for public or private bodies, your voice is vital in addressing an issue that affects us all: the misappropriation and inadequate recognition of intellectual property.

Throughout history and continuing today, too many leading contributions in science, engineering, mathematics, design, and innovation have been under-recognised, misattributed, or outright plagiarised. There are simply too many examples of groundbreaking work that went uncredited in its time: one notable example is Ada Lovelace, whose contribution to computing was labelled ‘poetical’ and little known in her lifetime.

Despite growing awareness of these inequities, particularly with the rise of AI, the scale of the problem remains unquantified, and two key questions must be answered:

●      How many of us have had our research findings, innovations, inventions, images, texts, or other intellectual property misappropriated or inadequately credited?

●      What impact does this have on our careers and the progression of these fields?

To shed light on these questions, we are conducting a survey to quantify the experiences of researchers working and studying in the UK’s research, STEM, design, and innovation sectors.

The information and data gathered will provide invaluable insights into the prevalence and nature of plagiarism affecting researchers.

Our initial goal is to measure the scale of the issue in the UK, raise awareness, and use the findings to inform policy and cultural change.

What We Need From You

We invite you to take part in this survey and share your experiences—anonymously, if you prefer. By contributing your story, you are helping to build a more comprehensive understanding of the issue and to developing solutions that champion integrity in research, empowering future generations of innovators.

The survey findings will be published in 2025, and all responses will be anonymised in the final report. However, if you have experienced plagiarism of your work and are comfortable sharing your story publicly, please do contact me or our campaign team by direct message. Your testimony could be included in the publication, amplifying voices that deserve recognition and action.

Who Should Participate?

●      Researchers working in the UK science, STEM, design, and innovation sectors, including postgraduate students.

●      Those working in these fields in academia, industry, government, or the non-government sector.

●      Sector and industry experts with knowledge to share about the protection of intellectual property.

●      Those working in investment and funding that wish to contribute commentary on how IP infringement impacts on investing choices.

If you are ready to participate, please click here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/D2Z5FXH

Find an overview of the campaign can also be found at its launch site here www.rightfulcredit.com

Thank you for your time, your voice, and your contribution to this important effort.

Best regards

Dr. Melissa Sterry

Original Minds, Rightful Credit