No, that's not what it means at all. What it says is, "If a scientist truly wishes to make an advance..., they'll make an effort to engage with other scholars.

No, that's not what it means at all. What it says is, "If a scientist truly wishes to make an advance..., they'll make an effort to engage with other scholars." In other words, anyone holding a nonstandard degree who is serious will engage other scholars who do have standard degrees. Having a nonstandard degree is a red flag. Having engaged scholars who have a standard degree reduces that red flag, while the opposite supports it.