An Open Science Framework for SFU
The Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (INN) is leading the effort to develop an Open Science Framework for SFU through community consultations and working with open science experts.
With funding from the Tanenbaum Open Science Institute, the Open Science Buy-In Project involves assessing the needs, challenges and benefits of implementing open science at the university. This project will lead to a set of institutional open science principles and an implementation plan.
What is Open Science?
Open science is a research practice that aims to eliminate barriers to scholarly information and collaboration
Open science seeks to maximize the impacts of scholarly pursuits on society through the sharing of resources (e.g., data, protocols, software, hardware), intellectual property, scholarly publications, as well as the research process itself. Its effects can create more equitable access to scholarship, accelerate discovery and innovation, increase the efficiency and quality of scholarship, and promote transparency and accountability.
Why Open Science for SFU?
Adopting open science practices will directly support SFU’s key strategic priorities of interdisciplinarity, engagement with communities, and knowledge mobilization
Open science provides access to knowledge and resources for both academic and non-academic communities. It opens new avenues of discovery, incorporates knowledge from different knowledge systems, and can solidify new partnerships and collaborations. Indeed, during the pandemic, the practice of open science was at the heart of the global response to the pandemic, leading to an unprecedented acceleration giving us new insights into global health inequities and ultimately the discovery and validation of new vaccines.
SFU is already engaged in many open scholarship activities. These include SFU Library's Open Access policy, the SFU Central Open Access Fund for publishing, the SFU Innovates strategy that supports open innovation, and the Public Knowledge Project. Formalizing an Open Science Framework and further developing our open scholarship practices will position SFU amongst the leaders of open science in Canada. SFU will be the first university in Canada to explore an Open Science Framework for the whole institution – a reflection of SFU’s progressive spirit that has earned us an international reputation for transdisciplinary research and innovation.
Who is Involved with the Open Science Buy-In Project at SFU?
The project aims to bring together all researchers at SFU, including faculty, staff and trainees. It also includes SFU research leadership, as well as external partners and the broader SFU research community.
The Open Science Buy-In project is led by Brianne Kent, INN Associate Director and Assistant Professor, Psychology, and Kelly Shen, INN Senior Program Manager and Informatics Team Lead. The project is guided by the Open Science Working Group and the open science principles are being drafted by the Open Science Principles Drafting Committee. The consultation process will include engagement with SFU faculty, staff and students to tailor the guiding principles to the needs of the SFU research community.
We want to acknowledge and thank SFU open science champions, Gwen Bird, Dean of Libraries, Tania Bubela, Dean of Health Sciences, Elicia Maine, Associate Vice President of Knowledge Mobilization and Innovation, and Dugan O’Neil, Vice President, Research and International, for their support of this initiative. They represent SFU's continued commitment to sharing the products of its research and innovation.
What's Next for the Open Science Buy-In Project at SFU?
The institutional open science principles will guide the implementation of open science at SFU, setting the foundation for what it means to be an "Open Science University"
The institutional open science principles have been drafted and community consultations will be held early in the Spring 2024 academic term. The principles will be revised based on community feedback and a 3-year implementation plan will be drafted during the Summer 2024 academic term.