This article examines recent e-science initiatives through the lens of the concept of `research technologies'. It has been argued that e-science research, which makes use of advanced computing tools to share distributed resources via networks, changes the disciplinary nature of research towards greater interdisciplinarity and paves the way for the increasing globalization of research. However, these claims need to be instantiated in concrete research practices. The essay therefore presents three examples of research projects where these two features can be demonstrated. More generally these three projects — in social science hyperlink analysis, high-energy physics, and astronomy — are examples of `research technologies', which, it has been argued, are often a radical source of innovation. The article describes how the three projects illustrate these arguments about research technologies, but also how this concept is limited as e-science research is still ongoing. The conclusion assesses how the notion of research technologies is useful for understanding how networked computing technologies are changing the current landscape of knowledge production.
Cet article examine les initiatives récentes dans le domaine des e-sciences au travers du prisme du concept de `technologies de la recherche'. Divers arguments ont été mis en avant, qui tendent à affirmer que la recherche en mode e-science, en utilisant des outils de calcul avancés pour mettre en commun des ressources distribuées par l'intermédiaire de réseaux, change la nature disciplinaire des recherches, induisant une plus grande interdisciplinarité et pave la route vers une globalisation accrue de la recherche. Cependant, ces affirmations doivent se vérifier dans les pratiques concrètes de recherche. L'article présente trois exemples de projets de recherche où ces deux caractéristiques peuvent être mises en évidence. De façon plus générale, ces trois projets — analyse d'hyper liens en sciences sociales, physique des hautes énergies, et astronomie — sont autant d'exemples de `technologies de la recherche' qui, on l'a souvent affirmé, sont la plupart du temps une source radicale d'innovation. L'auteur montre comment les trois projets de recherche illustrent ces arguments sur les `technologies de la recherche', mais aussi dans quelle mesure ce concept est limité puisque la recherche en mode e-science est encore en devenir. La conclusion fait état de ce pourquoi la notion de `technologies de la recherche' est utile pour comprendre comment les technologies de calcul mises en réseau sont en train de modifier le paysage actuel de la production de la connaissance.
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