I wrote this for NBC a few weeks ago:

The two-man crews conducted far more than just maintenance and routine servicing. Although they did not devote a substantial amount of crew hours to science, their presence allowed the existing array of scientific equipment to continue functioning under remote control from scientists back on Earth (see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5173973/).
Widely unrecognized by outside observers, these research activities, made possible by the station’s unprecedented communications links with Earth, allowed several different teams of investigators to be running their own equipment simultaneously, day and night (see http://www.jamesoberg.com/082004unsung_sta.html).

JimO resumes -- my suspicion is that NASA downplays this impressive stuff because astronauts aren't involved -- but it's a stupid policy not to be giving it enough attention so that even folks who post here somehow find out about it (sarcasm mode -- OFF).
Seriously, folks -- this platform is at least trying to do science -- don't ignore it.