Academic research can foster social change in multiple ways, primarily by creating new knowledge that informs policy, drives innovation, and challenges prevailing systems of inequality or injustice. The research conducted by scholars across various disciplines can shape public opinion, influence government action, and promote long-term shifts in societal structures. Coming from a social studies background, I can only elaborate on such cases.

A notable example is Pere Felip Monlau, a 19th-century Catalan physician, hygienist, and intellectual whose work bridged science and social reform. Monlau promoted the use of medical knowledge to address urban poverty and public health crises. His advocacy for hygienic reforms in Barcelona—such as improved sanitation, housing, and working conditions—was rooted in both scientific observation and social conscience. Monlau's research and publications provided empirical support for systemic reforms, demonstrating how scholarly inquiry can directly influence urban policy and public health strategies. His case illustrates how academic insight, when directed toward practical societal problems, can lay the groundwork for significant improvements in the quality of life for marginalized populations. That said, his contributions would not have been implemented without the intervention of the Spanish government and the urbanization plan proposed by Ildefons Cerdà—indicating that while academic research is valuable, it is not sufficient on its own to drive change. Monlau's advocacy laid important intellectual groundwork for later reforms, though implementation depended on broader political and infrastructural developments—most notably Cerdà's urbanization plan.

Similarly, in the United States, Jane Addams (1860–1935), a pioneering social worker, philosopher, and sociologist, employed research-based approaches to address urban inequality and social injustice. Co-founding the Hull House in Chicago, she created a space that served both as a social settlement and a center for empirical social investigation. Addams and her colleagues gathered data on working-class life, child labor, and immigrant experiences, using this information to advocate for policy changes at local and national levels. Her work exemplified how academically grounded inquiry, paired with direct community engagement, can produce enduring reforms in labor laws, education, and public welfare. She focused on actions financed by her own savings and reported her progress methodically. The extent to which the impact of her work can be attributed to her academic research—as opposed to her practical activism—remains difficult to determine.

These two examples stem from social science, but as a programmer, I would argue that the invention of COBOL was essential for the digitalization of banking, ultimately enhancing access to financial services. However, COBOL was not the product of academic research—demonstrating that impactful research can also originate outside academic institutions. Information technology and computer science have contributed greatly to society, even though the field lacks a strong tradition of formal scientific publication.

Ultimately, research can foster social change by providing the knowledge and frameworks needed to understand and address societal issues. However, research alone is rarely sufficient to bring about change. If we may use a metaphor, research serves as the blueprint—it outlines what could be done—but it is not the motor that drives transformation. Real change often requires action that transcends the papers.