Scientific and technological research has increasingly focused on marketable ideas that effect the bottom line rather than pursue ideas that can have just as profound an impact on people but may not be as profitable. Many applications of emerging technologies are not being pursued and many valuable ideas are discarded because they are riskier or seem less promising than those that can bring in more revenue.
This leaves an opportunity for artists to pursue research topics that haven't really been able to get traditional funding. Artists often have unique skills and perspectives that research can benefit from, so they should inject themselves more into scientific fields rather than commenting from the sideline. Artists in residency programs have traditionally been a good way for greater collaboration between artists, scientists, and engineers, but modern artist-researchers should continue to be creative in their exploration of modern scientific pursuits.
