On p56 of T5.09 it does say "Research can be dangerous. Reduce CC by negative Mods and Flux -" which looks like it's NOT a cut-n-paste error from another career. I'm guessing this covers both field work type risks and "mad scientist in lab" type work.
Just quickly off the top of my head, if I were to house rule this, I might clone this career to make a more librarian type ... no risk roll but no mods on the reward roll either.
or just forgo the risk reward take the minimum to make it a safe roll - practically impossible to fail but also no reward
2d < CC is risk roll
pg 45 says you can select cautious to bravery mods
Cautious +1 to +9
Bravery -1 to -9
if your a scholar your CCs are C1, C2, C3, C4
C4 should be High so on that round select maybe select some risk
but the others always select cautious if you stat is 6 select Cautious +6... you literally can not fail at that point. -6 to reward but you played it cautious and hung out in the library.
The RR Loop for scholar does not kill you like some of the loops can.
otoh one of the rewards for risk in scholar is "Award Winning Scholar" which also grants "
TAS Life Membership" (pg47, 48) which in many cases is worth the risk
also... risk reward rolls can be Waivered! (if you fail!):
(t509 pg56)
"Waivers. An adverse die roll or decision (in
Research, Publication, Promotion, Tenure, or Continue) may be waived. Check
Soc (2D); Mod minus previous waivers (successful or not)."
the only one of the risk reward cycles that allows you to avoid failing with waivers - :smirk:your loyal grad student I guess jumped in to push you out of the way of the truck and was injured in your stead due to his loyalty to family and rank.