Private Research Institutions Research Articles

ISSUES IN UNIVERSITY AND INDUSTRY COLLABORATION: RESULTS OF A STAKEHOLDER SURVEY

In 2024, Kazakhstan introduced a new science and technology policy to bridge academia and industry. Despite this, challenges persist due to conflicting goals, limited industry capacity, and bureaucratic obstacles. Based on a survey of 700 academics and 108 business representatives, this study identifies major barriers to collaboration, including the underdevelopment of high-tech industries, bureaucratic hurdles in research organizations, and insufficient funding. Notably, satisfaction varied by organization type, with state universities expressing higher satisfaction compared to private research institutions. These findings underscore the need for policy reforms that reduce bureaucratic barriers, enhance funding, and foster active engagement in university-industry partnerships for innovation.

Intergenerational service-learning through virtual exchange across a foreign language program

This paper reports on the implementation of intergenerational service-learning (SL) through virtual exchange (VE) across a German as a foreign language program at a private research institution on the East Coast in the U.S. The S-L integration started during the pandemic in intermediate courses as an outreach effort to Germanspeaking older adults in Germany and in the U.S. and has become a cornerstone of the German Program. Participants include intermediate and advanced German learners, two non-profit volunteer organizations in Germany that focus on improving the living conditions of older adults in society, one local U.S. community partner, and German heritage speakers in the U.S. Since Spring 2021, students have engaged with older adults in different formats (tandem, whole-group, a mix of both) via technology tools (landlines, Zoom, WhatsApp, Facetime). The Program is rooted in three experiential pedagogical approaches and frameworks, namely VE, S-L, and Intercultural Citizenship Education, which are driven by principles of reciprocity and reflection. The overall programmatic objective is to contribute to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) goals (community engagement, partnership formation) set forth in the institution’s strategic plan. Course learning outcomes include fostering intergenerational, intercultural, and language learning and raising students’ awareness towards challenges older adults may face. On the level of language program development, the Program provides opportunities for instructor-instructor collaborations, instructor-student collaborations, and communityengaged research.

Coffee Oil Extraction Methods: A Review.

Green and roasted coffee oils are products rich in bioactive compounds, such as linoleic acid and the diterpenes cafestol and kahweol, being a potential ingredient for food and cosmetic industries. An overview of oil extraction techniques most applied for coffee beans and their influence on the oil composition is presented. Both green and roasted coffee oil extractions are highlighted. Pressing, Soxhlet, microwave, and supercritical fluid extraction were the most used techniques used for coffee oil extraction. Conventional Soxhlet is most used on a lab scale, while pressing is most used in industry. Supercritical fluid extraction has also been evaluated mainly due to the environmental approach. One of the highlighted activities in Brazilian agribusiness is the industrialization of oils due to their increasing use in the formulation of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and foods. Green coffee oil (raw bean) has desirable bioactive compounds, increasing the interest of private companies and research institutions in its extraction process to preserve the properties contained in the oils.

The White House Initiative on Women's Health Research: A Presidential Boost.

Women's Health Research, barely 40-year-old in the United States has recently received an all-important boost from First Lady Jill Biden. The $100 million in question are bound to make a meaningful difference in this all-important arena. It was the view of the White House that "our nation must fundamentally change how we approach and fund women's health research." The White House expressed its hope that "congressional leaders, the private sector, research institutions, and philanthropy" will answer the call to "improve the health and lives of women throughout the nation."

The Development of Agrotechnopark Model Based on Modern Villages

Agrotechnopark is an area for implementing various types of technology in agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, and product processing (postharvest), which has been reviewed by multiple governments and private research institutions and functions as a training ground and center for technology transfer to the broader community. Implementing the Agricultural Technology Park (TTP) uses socio-cultural, ecological, and economic approaches. A comprehensive understanding of community needs will be obtained through a socio-cultural system, which will become input for the company. At the same time, the environmental system will identify the potential basis of local resource excellence as a reference for community development activities. Furthermore, the economic approach is developing productive business units to increase people's income while paying attention to market demand. South Konawe Regency is one of the autonomous regions in Southeast Sulawesi, which is supported by its potential resources. The position of the South Konawe Regency area is very strategic, a southern cross-section of the Southeast Sulawesi peninsula that connects several Regencies/Cities in Southeast Sulawesi with prototypes of coastal and inland villages. One is Atari Jaya Village because it has a heterogeneous population composition, and most of the Javanese Transmigration community is reasonably competent in agricultural development. Because of this, socio-culturally and economically, this village grows and develops and is dynamic by carrying out the diffusion of technology in various fields supporting Agrotechnopark, such as the development of Integrated Farming (Multiple cropping) and integrated farming (Mixed culture) of plantation crops and plantations. Atari Jaya Village is also a central area for the development of Agropolitan both food crops, as well as plantation and horticultural crops on a national scale and a People's Plantation Centre worthy of being an Agricultural Technology Park Area (Agro et al.) in South Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province. Development of the Agricultural Technology Park Area (TTP) to become a center for Agribusiness and Agro-fruit tourism as a basic framework for community and regional economic growth towards Konsel Hebat Regency. Atari Jaya Village was realized as an independent village, a pilot Agrotechnopark village in South Konawe Regency, and a service center for upstream and downstream Agribusiness trade in Agrofruit and plantations.

Pennycress domestication and improvement efforts

AbstractPennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) is a winter annual weed species that is distributed globally in temperate regions. The possibility of pennycress inclusion in the corn–soybean cropping system in the midwestern United States has garnered increasing attention from farmers. Growing pennycress offers environmental benefits—reducing soil erosion and nitrate leaching, improving water quality, early‐season pollinator food, and economic benefits—higher seed oil percentage, increased net profit, crop diversification, and biodiesel/renewable jet fuel production. The prospect of pennycress as a cover/oilseed cash crop in the United States is supported by several private and public research institutions. Here, we have discussed the rise of pennycress as a breakthrough oilseed crop in the last decade and explored recent developments in pennycress genetics and genomics research, which could pave the way for pennycress improvement and sustainable pennycress inclusion in the midwestern United States.

Роль стандартизації та сертифікації в підвищенні якості продукції аграрного бізнесу та шляхів його товаропросування

The agrarian sector of Ukraine is one of the key components of the national economy, but it faces numerous problems, among which the issues of product quality, standardization and certification occupy an important place. In the context of globalization and integration into world markets, ensuring high quality and compliance with international standards are necessary to increase the competitiveness of Ukrainian agrarian products. This study focuses on the economic analysis of the current state of the agrarian sector of Ukraine in order to identify the main problematic issues and develop promising ways to solve them. Attention is paid not only to technical aspects, but also to methodological frameworks related to standardization and certification processes in the agro-industrial business. Particular attention in the study is paid to integrated marketing strategies, which are an integral part of modern agribusiness. The possibilities and benefits of using modern technologies in marketing communications, including digital marketing, big data analytics and process automation, are studied. The introduction of these technologies makes it possible to reach target markets more effectively, increase consumer awareness of products and strengthen the brand of Ukrainian agrarian producers in the international arena. Technological progress in the financial sector is also an important factor in the development of agrarian business. Innovations in financial technologies, such as blockchain, smart contracts, and financial platforms, can greatly simplify lending, insurance, and financial risk management processes for agrarian producers. In this context, the prospects for the development of the credit system for agrarian business are studied, including the introduction of new financial instruments and support mechanisms. One of the important aspects of the study is the analysis of the consequences of the implementation of the new land policy in Ukraine. Both positive and negative consequences of this policy are considered, in particular its impact on the availability of land resources for agrarian producers, the investment attractiveness of the agrarian sector and environmental sustainability. Possible ways to minimize the negative consequences and maximize the benefits of new reforms in land legislation are proposed. Cooperation between different stakeholders in the agrarian sector, including government agencies, the private sector and research institutions, is seen as a key element in the successful implementation of the proposed measures. In particular, the authors emphasize the importance of creating partnerships and cooperatives, which will facilitate the exchange of knowledge, technology and resources to improve the efficiency of production and marketing of products. By taking a comprehensive approach to analysis and providing practical recommendations, this study aims to promote the further development of the agrarian sector of Ukraine. The developed proposals will help ensure sustainable growth, improve the quality of products, strengthen positions in international markets and improve the standard of living of the rural population. The implementation of integrated strategies, innovative technologies and effective cooperation will be the key to a successful future of Ukrainian agrarian business.

The role of Horizon (2020) in achieving climate-neutral urban objectives: A study of 14 Spanish cities innovation networks

This study aims to analyse the structure and characteristics of innovation networks from Horizon (2020) projects in fourteen Spanish cities, and to understand how these networks influence a city's success in being selected for the European Mission on Climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030. Utilizing social network analysis, the research uncovers patterns within these urban innovation networks, emphasizing attributes that advance climate neutrality efforts. Results indicate that cities with larger and more interconnected innovation networks, exhibiting balanced participation from diverse stakeholders, and predominantly led by the private sector and research institutions, are more likely to be successfully chosen for the Cities European Mission. This research provides a novel insight into the role of urban innovation systems in the journey towards decarbonization, accentuating the significant influence of European institutional structures in moulding these networks. By focusing on urban networks as a metric for assessing the progress towards climate neutrality, this study offers a fresh perspective that diverges from traditional regional or transnational analyses. The findings have substantial implications for policymakers and urban planners, underscoring the need for fostering robust innovation networks as a strategy to achieve climate neutrality. Additionally, the results pave the way for future research on optimizing resource allocation within urban innovation systems, ultimately contributing to the broader objectives of the European Green Deal.

Environmental impacts and sustainable development: results from public awareness and attitudes’ study in Georgia

In democratic countries, how sustainable the country’s development path will be, depends to a significant extent on the awareness and attitudes of the society. Within the framework of this project, it was possible to study the importance of environmental impacts within sustainable development in general and specifically for Georgia. In addition to the comprehensive literature review, online public survey was conducted within the project, in-depth interviews with various representatives of Georgian society (public organizations, business and private sector, research and academic institutions) were held together with a focus group with students. Results show that, in parallel with the sustainable development agenda, environmental field is important for the country as a whole, as well as for some part of the society, different stakeholders and organizations in Georgia. However, general public still prioritizes social and economic issues over environmental ones in the country. Hence, in order to make this area become more prioritized and the subject of evidence-based analysis in the future, more awareness raising and academic development of this field will be crucial.

Women in Pandemics and Sustainability of African Rural Communities

Covid-19 pandemic mitigation measures in the global South, particularly African developing countries like Nigeria were inadequate to alleviate socioeconomic effects of the pandemic on the livelihood and survival of rural communities. Rural women dominate the informal sector and have been active in agriculture, food security, health, nutrition, home management, traditional elderly care, and micro and small-scale enterprises. Whilst the effects of the pandemic on Nigerian rural women have been measured, the contribution of rural women to the sustainability of agrarian rural communities in the country have not been studied. This paper explored the role of women in supporting their families and communities for the sustainability of rural communities and challenges they faced as they serve as buffers for the survival of their families and sustenance of livelihood in rural communities during the pandemic. The paper adopted qualitative phenomenological research design. A sample of 30 rural women were drawn from Gbara Village, an agrarian rural community in Sagamu Local Government, Ogun State, Nigeria through convenience sampling and purposive sampling techniques. Semi-structured Interviews, focus group meetings, and documents were used as data sources and descriptive analysis was used to analyses the demographic characteristics of the respondents. The qualitative results were analyzed through content analysis and eight themes emerged. There were responses on contributions of rural women to the sustainability of Gbara Village during the pandemic in agriculture and food security value chain, health and nutrition, home management, traditional elderly care, and rural entrepreneurship. The paper also found that rural women were confronted with socio-economic challenges of gender inequalities, illiteracy, and limited access to technology to enhance their role as change agents in rural communities during the pandemic. The study suggested that the government, organized private sector, development agencies, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and civil society organizations should priorities and fast-track the attainment of gender equality and women education to empower rural women and increase their capacity for socio-economic transformation of rural communities in Nigeria.

African institutions will lead on the road to end neglected tropical diseases

Globally, more than one billion people suffer from one or more neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). These diseases create enormous suffering, rob individuals of social and economic opportunities, and set-back countries’ development efforts. It is now clear that transmission and elimination of many NTDs is attainable in our lifetime. The elimination of NTDs will not happen without a concerted effort and plan to ensure that the most affected countries have a robust clinical, public health, laboratory, pharmaceutical, and research capacity to ensure that the last mile towards reaching elimination is not only reached, but sustained. This means increasing strategic investments to develop and strengthen the NTD health workforce, develop and integrate innovative diagnostic approaches, effective treatments, and responsive surveillance systems. Equally important is ensuring that people living with lifelong disabilities resulting from NTDs receive the care and support they need to live healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives. African-based national non-governmental organizations, the private sector, research institutions, and governments play a vital role as they work to attain ambitious NTD elimination and control goals put forward by the global health community. The recent elimination of onchocerciasis in Niger, trachoma in Burundi and Malawi as well as ongoing progress to eliminate lymphatic filiariasis in Kenya and other sub-Saharan Africa countries demonstrate the capacity of African leadership in NTD control and elimination efforts.

Digital Communication, Health and Intersection

The form of communication between public health agencies and society has changed with digitalization. Health is one of the most sought after subjects, published and disseminated on the Internet. In these virtual spaces it is possible to find information disseminated by public and private educational and research institutions, governmental and non-governmental agencies, patient and professional entities, and users themselves

Engaging More Women in Academic Innovation: Findings and Recommendations

Diversity is a key driver of innovation and a critical component of success on a global scale. Countries that deploy strategies to foster greater inclusion of all inventors in the innovation lifecycle will ultimately be best positioned to maximize their gross domestic product and ensure economic prosperity. The U.S. is losing ground because it is not fully engaging a significant portion of the inventive talent pool. According to a 2019 report from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the share of women among all U.S. inventor-patentees is only 12.8%.<br/> In an effort to understand factors that encouraged and discouraged academic women's participation in technology commercialization, a group of technology transfer professionals conducted a survey of academic women involved in innovation, invention and/or entrepreneurship. The 168 respondents were from public and private research institutions of varying sizes from all regions of the U.S. This paper outlines the key findings from the qualitative and quantitative data around the themes that emerged. It also puts forth a set of recommendations based on the survey feedback, follow-up interviews, and the collective experience of technology transfer professionals who work daily with academic innovators. It is our hope that these recommendations will provide valuable insights into concrete actions that can be taken to ensure systemic changes that foster greater engagement of academic women and other under-represented populations in all stages of the innovation lifecycle.

Prospective analysis of the role of actors in governing mangrove ecosystem area in Tangerang District, Indonesia

Abstract. Mahardika SMAH, Yulianda F, Adrianto L, Sulistiono. 2022. Prospective analysis of the role of actors in governing mangrove ecosystem area in Tangerang District, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 23: 4940-4947. The role of actors in the governance of mangrove ecosystems is one of the main factors in determining the sustainability of mangrove ecosystem management in the Tangerang District, Banten, Indonesia. The research aims to analyze actors' prospective role in the strategy of governance of mangrove ecosystems areas in Tangerang using the MACTOR method. This research is a descriptive case study with an expert judgment approach. The study results show that the central and local governments have an important role in the governance strategy of mangrove ecosystem areas in the Tangerang. The two actors can collaborate with the local community, the private sector, universities, NGOs, research institutions, and high schools. The strategy for the governance of mangrove ecosystems in Tangerang can be done by increasing the role of each actor by encouraging the central government and local governments to implement programs to achieve the most supportive strategic goals, namely the management of mangrove ecosystems based on collaborative management (co-management). The strategy can be easily implemented and get more optimal results by involving the role of the user community, NGOs, universities, local governments, and research institutions where the level of collaboration (convergence) is high to support the strategy.

Effects of tirzepatide versus insulin glargine on kidney outcomes in type 2 diabetes in the SURPASS-4 trial: post-hoc analysis of an open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial

In the SURPASS-4 trial, the dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist tirzepatide reduced HbA_1c concentrations, bodyweight, and blood pressure more than titrated daily insulin glargine in people with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on oral diabetes treatments and with high cardiovascular risk. We aimed to compare the effects of tirzepatide and insulin glargine on kidney parameters and outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes. We did a post-hoc analysis of data from SURPASS-4, a randomised, open-label, parallel-group, phase 3 study at 187 sites (including private practice, research institutes, and hospitals) in 14 countries. Eligible participants were adults (age ≥18 years), with type 2 diabetes treated with any combination of metformin, sulfonylurea, or SGLT2 inhibitor, and with baseline HbA_1c of 7·5-10·5% (58-91 mmol/mol), BMI of 25 kg/m² or greater, and established cardiovascular disease or a high risk of cardiovascular events. Randomisation via an interactive web-response system was 1:1:1:3 to a once-weekly subcutaneous injection of tirzepatide (5 mg, 10 mg, or 15 mg) or a once-daily subcutaneous injection of titrated insulin glargine (100 U/mL). The study included up to 104 weeks of treatment, with a median treatment duration of 85 weeks. We compared the rates of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline and the urine albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) between the combined tirzepatide groups and the insulin glargine group in the modified intention-to-treat population. The kidney composite outcome was time to first occurrence of eGFR decline of at least 40% from baseline, end-stage kidney disease, death owing to kidney failure, or new-onset macroalbuminuria. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03730662. Between Nov 20, 2018, and Dec 30, 2019, we screened 3045 people, of whom 1043 (34%) were ineligible, and 2002 (66%) were randomly assigned to a study drug (997 to tirzepatide and 1005 to insulin glargine). 1995 (>99%) of 2002 received at least one dose of tirzepatide (n=995) or insulin glargine (n=1000). At baseline, participants had a mean eGFR of 81·3 (SD 21·11) mL/min per 1·73 m² and a median UACR of 15·0 mg/g (IQR 5·0-55·8). The mean rate of eGFR decline was -1·4 (SE 0·2) mL/min per 1·73 m² per year in the combined tirzepatide groups and -3·6 (0·2) mL/min per 1·73 m² per year in the insulin group (between-group difference 2·2 [95% CI 1·6 to 2·8]). Compared with insulin glargine, the reduction in the annual rate of eGFR decline induced by tirzepatide was more pronounced in participants with eGFR less than 60 mL/min per 1·73 m² than in those with eGFR 60 mL/min per 1·73 m² or higher (between-group difference 3·7 [95% CI 2·4 to 5·1]). UACR increased from baseline to follow-up with insulin glargine (36·9% [95% CI 26·0 to 48·7]) but not with tirzepatide (-6·8% [-14·1 to 1·1]; between-group difference -31·9% [-37·7 to -25·7]). Participants who received tirzepatide showed a significantly lower occurrence of the composite kidney endpoint compared with those who received insulin glargine (hazard ratio 0·58 [95% CI 0·43 to 0·80]). Our analysis suggests that in people with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk, tirzepatide slowed the rate of eGFR decline and reduced UACR in clinically meaningful ways compared with insulin glargine. Eli Lilly and Company.

The status of aerial photogrammetry in South Africa: a transition to digital imagery system

The digital image camera technology has revolutionized the aerial imagery capture throughout the world. It has provided high spatial and spectral resolution together with superior efficiency and reliability compared to the traditional analogue aerial imagery method. In so doing, this has provided great accuracy in various photogrammetric applications. The South African survey and mapping organisation currently known as Chief Directorate: National Geospatial Information (CD: NGI) has been capturing aerial photography dating back as early as the 1930s. However, from 2008 CD: NGI embraced a transition to digital aerial imagery capture at 50cm Ground Sample Distance (GSD) (from 2008 to 2016) and 25cm GSD (as from 2017 till date). This has resulted to 1370 digital aerial imagery already captured (this number will continue to change as there are jobs that are still being flown which are yet to be recorded). The continuous enhancement of digital camera technology opens for more possibilities of national aerial imagery capture at even greater spatial resolution such as 10cm GSD in the foreseeable future.However, the continuous digital imagery capture has not been without challenges such as the current global Covid-19 pandemic which has resulted in budget reprioritization, the organisation’s technical knowledge transfer from one generation to another together with the determination of the CD: NGI requirement for digital imagery specifications. The organisation values stakeholders’ engagement to ensure relevance, completeness and consistency on the data produced. This is possible through collaboration and partnership between State institutions, the private sector, research, and tertiary institutions through sharing of resources.

Development of prototype fritting furnace for small scale pottery producers in Nigeria

Frit is an essential material required in the composition of low temperature glazes. Unfortunately, up till the year 2020 appropriate furnace for local production of frit is scarce in Nigeria. This may be due to the prohibitive prices of customary refractory materials, exorbitant cost for construction of a standard frit furnace, and the epileptic power supply to run a frit producing plant. Consequently, previous attempts to produce frit locally ended up in losses and products froth with impurities. In this work, the continuous-flow frit kiln with a sloping floor design was modified and a prototype was constructed using locally sourced refractory. The working section was lined with highly corrosion resistance monolith produced with a ramming mass composed of zircon and kaolinite. It has a volume of 10.62 litre. The furnace runs on butane gas, it is fed with pre-treated precursor in granules form and capable of continuous production of 30 kg of frit per hour (kg/h) at 1100 oC. With the appropriate burner, the furnace achieved the optimum operation temperature of 1100oC within two hours. The design is suitable for private studio, research and educational institutions. It can also be scaled up for industrial uses.

Collaborative climate futures? Envisioning the role of open data infrastructures for collaborative socio-environmental research

Environmental research has been at the forefront of the debate concerning the present and the future of planetary health. As the question of climate change and crisis looms large and the struggles around environmental injustice become more visible, both private and public climate research funders and institutions are emphasizing the urgent need for knowledge cross-pollination and co-production. This is happening not only across technoscientific projects but across communities that are often included as "support personnel," but not bona fide research partners with voice and decision-making power. Geophysical characterizations of climate change are not enough to understand and respond to the challenges that vulnerable communities face worldwide. It is in this context that we seek to articulate a future in which technologists, researchers, and community members have the basic conditions to create common data infrastructures to enable collaborative environmental research. In this article, we discuss the main motivation for creating a stack for socio-environmental research based on the need for infrastructures that can be understood and governed by the communities on whose land climate research is conducted. In the conclusion, we revisit open questions of community stewardship as they relate to pressing challenges of data sovereignty based on open technologies for climate research.

Técnicas de análise de dados e machine learning na análise de vendas de autoveículos no Brasil durante a pandemia da Covid-19

This study aims to analyze the impacts of Covid-19 on vehicle sales in Brazil, correlating these factors with semiconductors imports and economic indicators using Machine Learning models. For this, a collection and preparation of data took place before performing the exploratory analysis, and the developing of predictive models. This work is characterized as an applied and exploratory research, with a quantitative approach. The Python language was used to perform exploratory analysis and to create the models. The data used in this study were collected from multiples sources of private companies, government, associations and research institutes. Three regression algorithms were used: Random Forest, Multi-Layer Perceptron and Multiple Linear Regression. The neural network presented the best results among the applied algorithms, reaching an R² of 82.01% in the test data set. After the exploratory analysis, we also noticed the high impact that semiconductors have on vehicle sales and the drastic effects caused by Covid-19 on the variables used in the study. With the model created, it is possible to predict the sales of vehicles in Brazil in a given month based on some economic indicators, semiconductor imports and the monthly deaths of Covid-19.

The ultimate think tank: The rise of the Santa Fe Institute libertarian

Why do corporations and wealthy philanthropists fund the human sciences? Examining the history of the Santa Fe Institute (SFI), a private research institute founded in the early 1980s, this article shows that funders can find as much value in the social worlds of the sciences they sponsor as in their ideas. SFI became increasingly dependent on funding from corporations and libertarian business leaders in the 1990s and 2000s. At the same time, its intellectual work came to focus on the underlying principles of adaptation, innovation, and decentralized coordination supposedly at work in ‘complex systems’ from biological ecosystems to markets and firms. This research cast the ideas of the libertarian economist Friedrich Hayek into a new scientific idiom. SFI also became a space where figures in business, media, academia, and politics could come to learn to see the world in a particular way—to acquire the subjectivity of what I call ‘the Santa Fe Institute libertarian’. At SFI, visitors did not simply learn the principles of neo-Hayekian complex system science. They came to see themselves as agents of social evolution, providing the spark that the free-market system needed to produce new technologies and new solutions to social problems without top-down political direction. For the Institute's corporate and libertarian financiers, SFI was not just a space where intellectuals described the world in favored ideological terms, but a space where elite actors became committed to the project of making a new political-economic order.