Ronin Institute

2025-03-03T07:05:06Z

2607:F598:B39A:150:DC54:ACC5:53B3:66F7: The Ronin Institute said on it's website that it is now closed so I added that.

{{Short description|Independent scholarly research institute}}
{{Infobox university
|name = Ronin Institute
|logo =
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|image = Ronin-Seal.jpg
|image_size = 150
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|type = Private research institute
|motto = Scientiam consecemus
|founders = Jon F. Wilkins
|established = 2012
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|location = [[Montclair, New Jersey]], U.S.
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|website = {{URL|http://ronininstitute.org}}
|dissolved =
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The '''Ronin Institute for Independent Scholarship''', commonly called just the '''Ronin Institute''', is an independent scholarly research institute located in [[Montclair, New Jersey]], United States. The institute is dedicated to multidisciplinary study of science and the humanities and supports the work of [[independent scientist]]s and [[scholars]].<ref name=BG>Keith O'Brien, [https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2012/05/26/new-idea-for-unemployed-academics/UUZOGe1KNWvUXDl7Yae1IL/story.html "The Ronin Institute for Wayward Academics"], ''Boston Globe'', May 27, 2012</ref>

The institute consists of research scholars from a range of fields and disciplines, such as [[computational economics]], [[high energy physics]], [[earth sciences]], [[theology]], [[law]], [[history]] and [[philosophy]].<ref name=Wired/> The majority are independent, while others hold [[Academic personnel|faculty appointments]] at traditional universities. The institute meets regularly for seminars, conferences, and grants management.<ref name=Ronin/>

==History==

In 2012, Jon F. Wilkins, an [[evolutionary biology|evolutionary biologist]], and former member of the [[Harvard Society of Fellows]] and [[Santa Fe Institute]], founded the Ronin Institute in New Jersey. The institute's original mission was to aggregate "fractional scholarship" happening outside the academy by creating a new model to support independent researchers.<ref name=Wired>Samuel Arbesman, [https://www.wired.com/2012/05/the-rise-of-fractional-scholarship-and-the-ronin-institute/ "The Rise of Fractional Scholarship and the Ronin Institute"], ''Wired.com'', May 1, 2012</ref>

According to its official mission, the institute remains "devoted to facilitating and promoting scholarly research outside traditional academic research institutions"<ref name=Ronin>Ronin Institute, [http://ronininstitute.org/mission/ ''Mission''], Organizational Website, accessed September 2020</ref> and providing an alternative to the traditional [[academic job market|academic career path]] and [[academic tenure|tenure track]] appointments.<ref name=BG/>

The name "Ronin" derives from the legend of [[Rōnin]]: samurais who broke with the code of feudal Japan by refusing to commit suicide upon the deaths of their masters. According to Wilkins, the metaphor is analogous to scholars who leave the academy, but continue to pursue scholarly research:
{{Quote|The analogy is, if you're not employed by a university and you're an academic, you're supposed to say, 'Well, I'm not an academic anymore.' You're supposed to sort of commit professional suicide at that point. And what we're saying is, 'You know what? No, we can do this. We don't need a master.'<ref name=BG/>}}

As of 2024 the Ronin Institute is "no longer in operation and has officially closed its doors"<ref> name=Ronin<Ronin Institute, [http://ronininstitute.org]</ref>.

==Organization==

The institute is governed by a board of directors with grants and financial administration and a community-level advisory board. Each member of the advisory board leads a working group that focuses on one essential aspect of the community: governance, communications, events, infrastructure, membership, and research.<ref name=Ronin/>

The institute has a single academic rank, the "Research Scholar", to create a more egalitarian structure. Research Scholars meet virtually and in-person, with researchers from 33 countries.<ref name=Wired/>

==Notable scholars==
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2022}}
*[[Lee Altenberg]], evolutionary theory
*[[Laurel Haak]], research policy
*[[:pl:Arkadiusz Jadczyk|Arkadiusz Jadczyk]], quantum theory<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ronininstitute.org/research-scholars/arkadiusz-jadczyk/ |title=Arkadiusz Jadczyk – Ronin Institute |access-date=2022-05-11 |website=Ronin Institute |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007175745/http://ronininstitute.org/research-scholars/arkadiusz-jadczyk/ |archive-date=2021-10-07 |url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Kristina Killgrove]], biological anthropology
*[[Jocelyn Scheirer]], technology

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://ronininstitute.org/}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|40.8416|-74.1980|display=title}}

[[Category:Research institutes in New Jersey]]
[[Category:2012 establishments in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Montclair, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Research institutes established in 2012]]

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Ronin Institute