It isn’t always easy to answer whether or not science is valuable. Scientists are frequently encouraged to pursue their curiosity but this can lead to research focused on a wide range of subjects — some of which may not be relevant to society. Science is about developing theories and making predictions that can be verified. These discoveries are often used to develop new technologies, such as drugs, medical devices and renewable energy.
To be considered beneficial science must also address problems and issues affecting human well-being. This requires collaboration with stakeholders to determine their needs, define clear goals and create a plan that addresses these requirements. There are many scientific initiatives that do not have this collaboration and focus on expanding knowledge, but without a direct connection to society. The impact of research on society is not always properly measured and monitored.
Translational ecology (TE) is one of the strategies that have been devised to produce useful science. It focuses on the importance of scientists actively looking at and responding to the research context. TE also emphasizes the importance of engaging end users in a meaningful manner throughout the research process, and promoting learning-based decision processes like adaptive management which is widely used by natural resource and land managers.
Students are often faced with the challenge to select a topic that is both interesting as as scholarly, especially when professors have time limitations. The list of easy science research topics can help students choose a topic to impress their professors as well as provide valuable information to the scientific community.