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Open Access to Teaching Material - How Far Have We Come?
One of the foundational aims of the open access movement, set out in the Budapest Open Access Initiative, was to provide access to research not only to scholars, but to “teachers, students and other curious minds” and in so doing “enrich education”. However almost two decades on from the declaration access to the research literature for educational purposes remains limited.
Professor Eveline Crone New ERC Vice-President
Professor Eveline Crone has been elected as the new Vice President of the European Research Council (ERC). She will take up duties on 1 January 2020, alongside two current Vice Presidents. Elected by the ERC Scientific Council, she will be in charge of ERC activities in the domain of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Data Sharing at Scale: A Heuristic for Affirming Data Cultures
Data Sharing at Scale: A Heuristic for Affirming Data Cultures
Addressing the most pressing contemporary social, environmental, and technological challenges will require integrating insights and sharing data across disciplines, geographies, and cultures. Strengthening international data sharing networks will not only demand advancing technical, legal, and logistical infrastructure for publishing data in open, accessible formats; it will also require recognizing, respecting, and learning to work across diverse data cultures. This essay introduces a heuristic for pursuing richer characterizations of the “data cultures” at play in international, interdisciplinary data sharing.
Naomi Oreskes: 'Discrediting Science is a Political Strategy'
The Harvard professor on science and scepticism - and why climate deniers have run out of excuses.
Tale of the Converted: How Complex Social Problems Have Made Me Question the Use of Data in Driving Impact
Tale of the Converted: How Complex Social Problems Have Made Me Question the Use of Data in Driving Impact
In practice the way in which research impacts and influences policy and society is often thought to be a rational, ordered and linear process. Whilst this might represent a ‘common sense’ understanding of research impact, this post reflects on how upending the primacy of data and embracing complexity can lead to a more nuanced and effective understanding of research impact.
Nasa's Voyager 2 Sends Back Its First Message from Interstellar Space
The Nasa craft is the second to travel beyond heliosphere but gives the most detailed data yet.
Scientists Were Hunting for the Next Ebola. Now the U.S. Has Cut Off Their Funding.
Scientists Were Hunting for the Next Ebola. Now the U.S. Has Cut Off Their Funding.
Predict, a government research program, sought to identify animal viruses that might infect humans and to head off new pandemics. Now the program has been cancelled.
How to Build a Community of Data Champions: Six Steps to Success.
Inspired by the University of Cambridge Data Champion programme, we have built a community of Data Champions to advocate for good research data management (RDM) practice within all university faculties at TU Delft. Currently, we have 47 active members and the number is increasing.
The History and Future of Data Citation in Practice
This article discusses how data citation has evolved over the last couple of decades and highlights issues that need more research and attention.
'Is the library open?': Correlating unaffiliated access to academic libraries with open access support
'Is the library open?': Correlating unaffiliated access to academic libraries with open access support
In the context of a growing international focus on open access publishing options and mandates, this paper explores the extent to which the ideals of ‘openness’ are also being applied to physical knowledge resources and research spaces.
Steering Towards Sustainability
Andy Stirling describes a new project aiming to help science and innovation serve global goals.
Ten Key Prerequisites to Securely Fund Open Infrastructure Today and Tomorrow - SPARC Europe
Ten Key Prerequisites to Securely Fund Open Infrastructure Today and Tomorrow - SPARC Europe
Everything we have gained by opening content and data will be under threat if we allow the enclosure of scholarly infrastructures. We propose a set of principles by which Open Infrastructures to support the research community could be run and sustained.
Overcoming the Language Barrier
Climanosco believes that changing the language can make the debate around climate science can become more inclusive. The organisation publishes papers that have been reviewed by teams of both scientists and laypeople.
Data - from Objects to Assets
How did data get so big? Through political, social and economic interests, shows Sabina Leonelli.
Research Culture: Co-reviewing and Ghostwriting by Early-career Researchers in the Peer Review of Manuscripts
Research Culture: Co-reviewing and Ghostwriting by Early-career Researchers in the Peer Review of Manuscripts
Early career researchers commonly peer review manuscripts on behalf of invited reviewers, often without receiving feedback or being named to the journal.
Equal Parental Leave Can Close The Gender Pay Gap, Researchers Say
One of the major causes of the gender pay gap, according to experts, is the "motherhood penalty," where women are penalized in various ways in the job market after having children. One solution to the gap is emerging among researchers: non-transferable paternity leave for men.
Worldwide Inequality in Access to Full Text Scientific Articles: the Example of Ophthalmology
Worldwide Inequality in Access to Full Text Scientific Articles: the Example of Ophthalmology
The problem of access to medical information, particularly in low-income countries, has been under discussion for many years. Paywalls still limit access to approximately 75% of scholarly documents. This study compares the accessibility of recent full text articles in the field of ophthalmology in 27 established institutions located worldwide.
Ph.D.-turned-policy Insider Takes over World's Largest Science Society
Sudip Parikh will become the new CEO of AAAS (which publishes Science) as the 171-year-old association pursues its mission to advance science and serve society.
Supercharge Your Research: a Ten-week Plan for Open Data Science
Researchers share tips for transforming your group with open data science and teamwork.
What Do Researchers Want from Publishers?
Former scientist, turned publisher, turned research program director, Milka Kostic is uniquely placed to look at publishing from a researcher and a publisher perspective. In this interview, she shares her thoughts on both.
Introducing Innovation Leaders 2020
We invite you to join our mentorship programme designed for innovators in open science and research communication.
Research Culture: One Year on
One year ago, the Royal Society hosted the Research culture: Changing expectations conference. The conference ended with a call to action for attendees to consider how they could improve research culture in their own institutions. In this blog we report back on a snapshot of the work of some of these individuals and organisations.
How Journals Are Using Overlay Publishing Models to Facilitate Equitable OA
How Journals Are Using Overlay Publishing Models to Facilitate Equitable OA
In the overlay publishing model, a journal performs refereeing services, but it doesn’t publish articles on its website. Rather, the journal’s website links to final article versions hosted on an online repository. Some editors share why they chose to publish their journals via the arXiv overlay model and how they believe overlay journals will contribute to greater equity in OA.
Discussion Paper: New Indicators for Open Science and Open Innovation
Discussion Paper: New Indicators for Open Science and Open Innovation
Established indicators for research and innovation processes do not sufficiently capture the nuances of open science and open innovation. As a result, their opportunities and risks often remain obscure. A new discussion paper therefore makes proposals for the expansion of existing indicators and the development of new ones.
The Industrialization of Scientific Research
Over the last few years, I have spent a lot of time thinking, speaking, and discussing about the reproducibility crisis in scientific research. An obvious but hard to answer question is: Why has reproducibility become such a major problem, in so many disciplines? And why now?
Chinese Professor Accused of Spying, Barred from Entering Schengen Area
Security services in Brussels say Song Xinning, former head of Confucius Institute at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, worked as a recruiter for Chinese intelligence services.