SSHRC Connection grant of $21,695 awarded to Associate Professor Juan Pablo Alperin

Tell us a bit about your work on "Broadening our understanding of Open Science." What will the research surrounding this topic entail?

The goal is to host a series of events, both in-person and online, that serve to feature Latin American experiences with Open Science, especially those that extend beyond the academic community


How do you plan to conduct the research for this?

The plan is to host 3 in-person events this year, if the public health situation in each country allows: one in Argentina, one in Brazil, and one in Colombia. These events will be targeted at the local populations. We will also host a series of online events with an international audience. The goal is to advance the conversation about OS within the region and to use them to shape the global OS agenda.


How will the SSHRC connection grant help with the research for this subject?

SSHRC funds will be used to hire a program coordinator and to subsidize travel so we can bring speakers to the national events, and so that we can help more locals attend from beyond the capital cities where the events will be held. We also intend to put in place simultaneous translation at the online events.


In what way does this research relate to the courses you teach in the SFU Publishing program?

In the last few years, I have taught a course on Public Knowledge  that has been small, but very well received. The course built on the work we did in the President's Dream Colloquium in 2018. This series will help grow the global dimensions of that course, with the focus on Latin America.


How would students benefit from taking your courses?

The undergraduate courses that I teach help students understand the potentially powerful role that universities play in society. I like to think they finish my courses feeling more proud of attending university, and with a strong sense of the responsibility to society that comes with the privilege of gaining and creating knowledge.