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Research Newsletter - Issue 95: Spotlight
Advancing Open Research in Ireland
This spotlight highlights DCUs contribution to advancing the national open research agenda through staff participation in key National Open Research Forum (NORF) funded projects.
Ireland’s National Open Research Forum (NORF) was established in 2017 to drive the national agenda for Open Research. NORF has developed Ireland’s National Framework on the Transition to an Open Research Environment (2019) and the National Action Plan for Open Research (2022). The Action Plan outlines objectives and actions for the next chapter in Ireland’s transition towards open research.
Since 2022, NORF has administered an Open Research Fund to support the implementation of the National Action Plan, which is structured according to three themes: Establishing a culture of open research; achieving 100% open access to research publications; and enabling FAIR research data and other outputs.
DCU Involvement in NORF Open Research Projects
In 2022, NORF awarded funding to six collaborative projects to implement priority actions in the plan and in 2023 funding was awarded to a further 13 projects. These projects aim to build national capacity and infrastructure for open research and help progress Ireland’s strategic goals for research and innovation.
DCU staff are involved a number of these exciting and innovative projects. An update from each team is provided below:
Co-Creating Ireland’s Public Engagement and Open Research Road Map (ENGAGED)
DCU Project team members: Drs James Brunton and Johannes Karl (School of Psychology)
ENGAGED will co-create a road map for open research in Ireland. This will be achieved through a thorough understanding of how public engagement is presented in the literature, as well as through a series of collective intelligence workshops with multiple stakeholders across the academic, public and NGO sectors. The project, led by colleagues in Trinity College Dublin, seeks to build knowledge and capacity but also a network to implement the road map and, thereby, advance the level and quality of public engagement in open research across Ireland.
Star Guide: Showing Citizens the Best View of the Exoplanets
DCU Lead: Dr Oisin Creaner (School of Physical Science)
Star Guide is an exciting initiative empowering citizen scientists to delve into the captivating realm of exoplanet observations. Our mission is to streamline the process and make navigating the cosmos more accessible. Currently, our dedicated team is working with enthusiasts to gather their invaluable feedback on existing tools. While we're waiting for the results of our survey, we're collaborating with NASA's Exoplanet Watch on a streamlined observation manual for amateur exoplanet observers and performing a user experience-oriented audit of their website. Stay tuned!
Pilot Training for Responsible Use of Research Metrics (RURM)
DCU Project Team member: Fiona Brennan (RIS)
We are delighted to share an update on our ongoing project to develop a pilot training resource on the Responsible Use of Research Metrics (RURM) for the Irish research community. In the past few months, we have completed five co-design workshops, with active participation from a diverse group of researchers, technical officers, and research managers across various disciplines. These workshops have been invaluable in understanding the current landscape, identifying knowledge gaps, and gathering diverse perspectives on using research metrics. Our preliminary findings underscore the importance of a flexible and inclusive training module that addresses discipline-specific nuances, promotes transparency, and incorporates Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles.
As we move forward, the next step involves developing and piloting the training module across the partner institutes—University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin City University (DCU), Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), and University College Cork (UCC)—gathering feedback, and refining the resources for broader implementation. For more information and updates, please visit The RURM website.
Training for Open Research in an Irish Context (TROPIC)
DCU Project team members: Ellen Breen and Liam O'Dwyer (Library)
The TROPIC (Training for Open Research in an Irish Context) project aims to establish a sustainable open research training programme targeted primarily for Irish researchers at various levels, forming a community of Open Research enthusiasts across Ireland.
As part of the project a survey was conducted to explore awareness and engagement with Open Research Practices (OPRs) from all research institutions in Ireland. TROPIC have just shared an executive report outlining key findings of the survey and also a comprehensive report with further detail.
Open Research @ DCU
In DCU, the Open Research Taskforce is leading the University's implementation of the NORF Action Plan 2022-2030 and working more broadly to foster a culture of openness in all aspects of DCU research. The Taskforce is chaired by Dr Maura Coulter, Associate Dean for Research at DCU Institute of Education. Full membership can be found here.
Open Research incorporates openness at all stages of research, including open access for research outputs, FAIR data, responsible metrics, open software and citizen science. A key resource is the DCU Open Research website which provides a single point of access for information and support on Open Research for DCU staff and students.
The website offers practical guidance on these topics, alongside institutional, national and international context and literature on the move towards open. Content will continue to be developed and added over the coming months.