A leap of faith
Director of the Leverhulme Trust
Research drives human progress, but its greatest breakthroughs often begin without a clear destination or immediate application. Blue-skies research, intellectual risk-taking and crossing disciplinary boundaries are a necessary “leap of faith” in the pursuit of knowledge.
- Research underpins human progress — from technology and economic development to art and culture — but its value cannot be measured only through immediate real-world impact.
- Blue-skies research embraces uncertainty: important questions should be pursued even when we cannot predict where the answers will lead.
- Research funding needs diversity: public, philanthropic and university funding play complementary roles, balancing immediate societal needs with longer-term intellectual exploration.
- Breaking disciplinary boundaries expands our imagination: today’s challenges require humanities, sciences and social sciences to inform one another rather than operate in silos.
- Risk is intrinsic to discovery: funders must be willing to back unconventional people, topics and ideas, while researchers themselves must accept that years of work may not produce the expected result.
A leap of faith
Research shapes society, technology, culture and our understanding of the world. But its value cannot be judged solely by immediate impact. Blue-skies research explores important questions without knowing where they will lead. This uncertainty requires intellectual freedom and a willingness to accept failure. Different sources of funding therefore play complementary roles, with philanthropy particularly able to support riskier ideas and researchers. Breaking down disciplinary boundaries is equally important, as complex challenges require insights from across the sciences, social sciences and humanities. Ultimately, research is a leap of faith: investing in people and ideas today without knowing what they may make possible tomorrow.
