The following is my application to join the European Commission Open Science Policy Platform. The OSPP will provide expert advice to the European Commission on implementing the broader Open Science Agenda. As you will see some of us have a concern that the focus of the call is on organisations, rather than communities. This is a departure from much of the focus that the Commission itself has adopted on the potential benefits and opportunities of Open Science. A few of us are therefore applying as representatives of the community of interested and experienced people in the Open Science space.
I am therefore seeking endorsement, in the form of a comment on this post or email directly to me if you prefer, as someone who could represent this broader community of people, not necessarily tied to one type of organisation or stakeholder. This being an open form you are also of course free to not endorse me as well :-)
I am writing to apply for membership of the Open Science Policy Platform as a representative of the common interest community of Open Science developers and practitioners. This community is not restricted to specific organisations or roles but includes interested people and organisations from across the spectrum of stakeholders including researchers, technologists, publishers, policy makers, funders and all those interested in the change undergoing research.
I have a concern that the developing policy frameworks and institutionalisation of Open Science are leaving behind precisely the community focus that is at the heart of Open Science. As the Commission has noted, one of the key underlying changes leading to more open practice in research is that many more people are becoming engaged in research and scholarship in some form. At the same time the interactions between this growing diversity of actors increasingly form an interconnected network. It is not only that this network reaches beyond organisational and sector boundaries that is important. We need to recognise that it is precisely that blurring of boundaries that underpins the benefits of Open Science.
I recognise that for practical policy making it is essential to engage with key stakeholders with the power to make change. In addition I would encourage the Commission to look beyond the traditional sites of decision making power within existing institutions to the communities and networks which are where the real cultural changes are occurring. In the end, institutional changes will only ever be necessary, and not sufficient, to support the true cultural change which will yield the benefits of Open Science.
I am confident I can represent some aspects of this community particularly in the areas of:
- New models for research communications
- Incentives and rewards that will lead to cultural change
- The relationship between those incentives and research assessment.
To provide evidence of my relevance to represent this common interest I have posted this application publicly and asked for endorsement by community members.
I have a decade of relevant experience in Open Science. I have long been an advocate of radical transparency in research communication including being of the early practitioners of Open Notebook Science. I have been involved in a wide range of technical developments over the past decade in data management, scholarly communications and research assessment and tracking. I have been engaged in advising on policy development for Open Access, Open Data and open practice more generally for a wide range of institutions, funders and governments. I am also one of the authors of three key documents, the altmetrics manifesto, the Panton Principles, and the Principles for Open Scholarly Infrastructures.
As an advocate for Open Access and Open Data I have been involved in developing the arguments for policy and practice change in the UK, US and Europe. As Advocacy Director at PLOS (2012-2015) I was closely involved in developments on Open Access in particular. My team lead the coalition that supported the Californian Open Access bill and I testified before the UK House of Commons BIS committee. Submissions to the Commons Enquiry, the HEFCE Metrics Tide report, and the EU Expert Group on Copyright Reform all had an influence on the final text.
In 2015 I returned to academia, now in the humanities. In this capacity I am part of a small group looking critically at Open Science. I am an advisor for Open and Collaborative Science in Development Network, a research project looking at the application of Open Science practice in development contexts, as well as leading a pilot project for the International Development Research Centre on implementing Data Sharing practice amongst grantees. My research is focussing on how policy, culture and practice interact and how an understanding of this interaction can help us design institutions for an Open Science world.
I therefore believe I am well placed to represent a researcher, developer, and practitioner perspective on the OSPP as well as to bring a critical view to how the details of implementation can help to bring about what it is that we really want to achieve in the long term, a cultural change that embraces the opportunity of the web for science.
I’m very happy to endorse this suggestion; as a working scientist with a vested interest in promoting open science, editor of an overlay journal, and PI of a large citizen science platform I think having someone like Cameron on the OSPP will be essential in ensuring the diversity of experiences of those engaged in open science are represented. Many of the most interesting projects have come from outside established organisations, and understanding what’s possible and what’s needed will require strong community links.
I too, am happy to endorse this application. As an academic (former Professor at Loughborough University and a Visiting Professor at three UK Universities) and independent consultant with expertise in scholarly publishing developments, I am fully aware of Cameron’s common sense, articulate approach to Open Science. I confirm that he has excellent links with the open science community and offers a sensible, balanced approach to policy issues.
I am also happy to endorse this application. My own background is in product and technical development on infrastructures for scholarly communication, and Cameron has provided great service to many open science communities as a coordinator and thought leader.
I, too, would like to endorse this application. As a lecturer, researcher and academic journal editor I have followed Cameron’s work for years. His multidisciplinary outlook and willingness to hear from researchers who would not necessarily call themselves ‘scientists’ is unique in the open access, open data and scholarly communications landscape in the UK. His links with the open science community are excellent and having someone with his awareness of different disciplinary/scholarly cultures in the European Commission Open Science Policy Platform would be certainly welcome by those of us in the arts, humanities and social sciences who also have an interest in cultural change in academia towards greater openness.
I endorse this. Cameron is one of the go-to person in Europe when you talk about Open Science. I do studies for the European Commission and we carried out the first study on Open Science: Cameron was one of the first persons on our list of interviewees.
I endorse this application. I’m a partner in an open-source band of freelance developers who work a lot on Open Science projects. Cameron has long represented the interests of Open Access and Open Science very well. He has often shown enviable restraint and ability to step back and work on defining and questioning the overall vision of Open Science. He will certainly represent the community and its interests well.
As a junior researcher, happy to endorse Cameron’s application for this position.
I endorse your application as a representative of the Open Science community in the Open Science Policy Platform advisory group.
I hereby endorse your application as a representative of the European Commission Open Science Policy Platform.
If non-European endorsements count, Cameron has mine, and my entire confidence.
Cameron is a thought-leader in the open science community. I am delighted that he wants to be part of the European Commission Open Science Policy Platform. I heartily endorse his application.
I would apply myself if I had the time to devote to it, but alas I don’t in my current circumstances. Go Cameron!
I attest that Cameron is a world renowned expert in Open Science. Not only theoretically but also practically. His voice would be invaluable to the conversation. Highly recommended. – Andrew Lang. Chair and Professor of Mathematics.
As the editor of Glossa, a Fair Open Access journal in linguistics (formerly known as Lingua at Elsevier), I support Cameron Neylon’s candidacy.
As an academic involved in open science I strongly support Cameron Neylon’s candidacy. Prof. Andras Kornai, Dept. of Algebra, Budapest Institute of Technology and Senior Research Advisor, Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
As a junior scientist, and open access advocate, I strongly support Cameron Neylon’s candidacy.
I have followed Dr Neylon’s open science advocacy for several years now. He is an invariably insightful commentator and a thought leader in this space. I recommend him unreservedly.
Stephen Curry
Professor, Imperial College
Cameron Neylon is an excellent representative for the larger open science community.
C. Titus Brown,
UC Davis
As a former lobbyist and now clinical researcher, I have witnessed and been inspired by Cameron Neylon’s expertise and passion for open science in person and in the cyber diaspora. He is a leader in this movement and influences researchers on all levels- in expertise, experience, bipartisanship on the future of open science. His unflagging commitment to grassroots and policy reforms is undoubtedly a formidable asset to any policy platform. I support his bid.
Creative Commons endorses Cameron Neylon joining this Commission. – Dr. Cable Green, Director of Open Education, Creative Commons
Cameron Neylon is one of the world’s leaders in open science. I’m certain he’ll be a superb representative of the broader community of people interested in open science.
I endorse Cameron Neylon as representative of the Open Science community in the Open Science Policy Platform advisory group.
I strongly endorse Cameron’s involvement. He was one of four of us who, in 2010, put forward the Panton Principles for Open Science Data. He’s served on the advisory board of Panton Fellowships and ContentMine and we have had many discussions about the future of Open, as a philosophy and way of life to change the world, rather than simply a bureaucratic label.
Open Science Foundation (OSF) endorses Cameron Neylon as a representative of the open science community in Open Science Policy Platform. Pawel Szczesny, President of OSF
Due to his outstanding contributions in the field of open science I endorse Cameron Neylon for representing the open science community in the Open Science Policy Platform.
I literally cannot think of anyone better qualified by experience, knowledge and temperament than Cameron Neylon to serve on the European Commission Open Science Policy Platform. His grasp of the issues involved in open science (including both opportunities and dangers) is unparalleled, and his ability to analyse complex situation with different stakeholders is outstanding. Speaking as a Research Associate at the University of Bristol, UK, I heartily endorse his candidacy for this role.
I am endorsing the application by Cameron Neylon as a community representative in the European Commission Open Science Policy Platform. He is one of the strongest voices for Open Science in Europe, and has been more many years.
Of course, I am endorsing the application by Cameron Neylon as a community
representative in the European Commission Open Science Policy Platform.
I’m happy to endorse Cameron Neylon as a community representative in the European Commission Open Science Platform. He is both a thoughtful and active leader in this space.
Paul Groth
pgroth.com
I wholeheartedly endorse Cameron’s candidacy, he’s been for years one of the most thoughtful voices and active hands of the open science community, not to mention one of the most recognized and consensual, and this commission would definitely feel empty without him. Alexandre Hannud Abdo, open science practitioner and researcher at the French National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA)
I have known Cameron for many years. As an Open Access Publisher, I fully endorse his candidacy.
I am also applying to the membership of Open Science Policy Platform, representing organizations and stakeholders that I am part of. But I think Cameron’s idea is just brilliant because we/all the advocates and open Access/science/knowledge militants” are scattered among organizations and institutions, and we only get together ocasionally to make declarations, principles and so on, but are important assets for the Open Science implementation.
So I do support Dr. Neylon’s application as an OpenScience advocate. If we both become selected fot this policy platform, it will be a great pleasure to work with him, and If I am not selected it will be a pleasure to have him to work on the name of all the ‘Open Community’.
I am extremely happy to endorse Cameron’s application for membership of the Open Science Policy Platform. Cameron has an expert view on the open science informed by as a researcher, as a publisher, as a policy advisor and in the development of infrastructure solutions.
I fully support Cameron in this role. I’ve worked with him while he was at PLOS and appreciate his thoughtfulness, always-informed perspective, and community-focused approach to working in open science and open access to research.