Patrick Parkinson - Physics · Strategy · Innovation
  • About
  • Essays
  • Research
  • Lab
  • Contact
PhD examiner

Viva in Oxford: Alice Smith

  • Patrick Parkinson

Patrick Parkinson

29 Oct 2020

Patrick served as external examiner for the DPhil viva of Alice Smith (part of the Donal Bradley research group) at the University of Oxford, alongside Prof. Arzhang Ardavan as internal examiner.

The Opportunity Cost of Misdirected Talent: An ARPA Counterfactual

The Opportunity Cost of Misdirected Talent: An ARPA Counterfactual

ARPA vs NSF: directed 'pins' vs curiosity-led 'gradients' - the two most-copied research funding models in history. We can't predict the next Pasteur. But we can stop funding the next Red Balloon. UKRI bucket 2 isn't wrong - but redirecting talent without bounding the downside isn't strategy.
03 Jul 2026 8 min read
Is Research a Sport, a Market or a Commons?

Is Research a Sport, a Market or a Commons?

Is academic research a sport, a business, or a commons? As UK universities face unprecedented financial strain, we confront an uncomfortable truth: the sector is simply too large for the available funding. We've passed the 'Szilard point' - and it’s time to manage the market reality.
15 Jun 2026 7 min read
A Start Up is (Not) All You Need: Exploring the Innovation Design Space

A Start Up is (Not) All You Need: Exploring the Innovation Design Space

Seen through a one-dimensional lens - public research on the left, commercial spin-out on the right - ARIA's investments look indefensible. But the map is wrong, not the decisions.
12 May 2026 5 min read
Patrick Parkinson - Physics · Strategy · Innovation © 2026
Powered by Ghost