This is a suggestion from one of my KD-mates:

The science system should have a chance to generate an "epic scientist" in addition to regular scientists (e.g., a "Dean" or "Laureate").

Epic scientists would appear fully ranked-up and would have a cap higher than a professor (e.g., 2x professor bonus to the category). These epic scientists would be the equivalent of scientific breakthroughs in a field of study. To keep with this theme, epic scientists would become regular professors once leaving the field of study in which they spawned (i.e., a breakthrough in crime won't necessarily translate to a breakthrough in housing).


How this might work
Epic scientists wouldn't be a rank that could be achieved through normal learning. They would spawn randomly, similar to how the original scientists spawned. This would simulate a randomness to the "Eureka" moment.

However, unlike the original science system, you would need to invest in Laboratories to have a chance to spawn an epic scientist. Currently there's a base science generation rate. Building laboratories increases the base scientist generation rate by X%. With this proposed change, laboratories would also have Y% rate to generate an epic scientist. For example, the first 1% of laboratories gives a 3.96% increased spawn rate for regular scientists. Under this proposed change, it would also give 0.396% CHANCE to spawn an epic scientist. There would be no guarantee on spawning one and there would be no accrual of generation, like there is for regular scientists. (Note: this would not change the current system for regular scientists.)

Potential impact of change
  1. Increases the value of laboratories and introduces a strategy of running laboratories more frequently to provide even a chance of generating these scientists.
  2. Adds value to universities once epic scientists spawn, since you may want to provide greater protection for them due to their rarity.
  3. Indirectly enhances the (unfavored) sage personality by enhancing their inherent protection of scientists from abduct attacks.
  4. Provides a little dynamism to scientist generation, rather than just watching a static increase in generation %.