Open Science Resources for World Data System Members
As a voice for data repositories around the world, the WDS has been keeping track of open science, open access, and open repositories resources from across the globe. We are creating a list of resources for our members to quickly access information on open best practices, tools, and other resources. I have been involved with the UNESCO Open Science (OS) working groups, and I want to ensure that our members have received the latest information on open science.
As many of you may have read, science leaders reaffirmed their commitment to Open Science at the World Science Forum held in South Africa earlier this month. Here is the affirmation from the Declaration of the 10th World Science Forum on Science for Social Justice:
"5. Justice in science - How to ensure science reflects the society we want?
Science should not only advance social justice it should be inspired and identified by the values of social justice, such as greater transparency and inclusivity. This will require a renewed commitment to Open Science and research integrity. Working to renew the scientific enterprise will also transform society and advance humanity.
We recognize the need for the scientific enterprise to evolve to make it more responsive to the needs of society, without neglecting our commitment to invest in the basic sciences, as an investment in the future.
We reaffirm our determination to advance science as a global public good, and accept our mutual responsibility to ensure the free and responsible conduct of science.
We call for greater inclusivity in science, systematic and concerted efforts to eliminate gender and racial imbalances in the scientific enterprise and remedies for exclusion which denies opportunities for full participation in science.
We also urge for concrete and impactful actions that contribute to reducing the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
We recognize the crucial role of early career scientists in advancing science for social justice and therefore call for enhanced support for their career development and engagement in science policymaking, including through support for the Global Young Academy and national young academies.
We stress the importance of the UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers, which promotes human rights, inclusivity, freedom and responsibility in science to guide the response to this Declaration.
We acknowledge the importance of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science and call for support for its implementation especially to advance the objectives related to Open Access and Open Data.
We accept our mutual responsibility to ensure integrity and respect for the ethical conduct of science.
We commit to respond decisively to the 'Science for Social Justice' Call to Action as set out in this Declaration."
UNESCO unveiled their Open Science guidelines at the World Science Forum, and released them more widely on 15 December 2022, UNESCO as an Open Science Toolkit:
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/search/decb9eaa-8851-426c-b131-020bf653a813
The toolkit features the culmination of insights gained from the UNESCO Open Science Working Groups, and features checklists for universities, checklists for publishers, information on identifying predatory journals, information on building OS infrastructure, and best practices for funding open science. These articles and checklists are for interdisciplinary researchers across a multitude of fields and at varying career stages. Additionally, policy makers at national and institutional levels received information on policy creation in a variety of settings. Context is important in implementing OS policies, and UNESCO has provided information for researchers across the globe and across disciplines.
One document of particular interest to WDS members is “Developing policies for open science.” This document provides a checklist of key elements when creating an organizational policy, including jurisdiction, roles, training, incentives, funding, and monitoring.
In addition to the Open Science Toolkit, UNESCO is creating repositories of OS best practices. For example, they have begun compiling a global index of openly available training resources for building capacity in open science and a mapping of open science infrastructures by theme. As soon as these resources are released to the working groups, WDS will share them with all of you.
Please let us know if you have any comments or questions on the documents included in the UNESCO toolkit. These are working documents that can be updated and adapted. In particular, we want to ensure that they meet the needs of data repositories.
As I continue to receive updates on open science initiatives, I will pass them along to our members, and I hope you will do the same. If you have resources that will benefit data repositories in line with open science initiatives, please share them by emailing us at , and we will feature them in the member section of our site and in upcoming newsletters. In the coming months, we will unveil new resources for our members, and we are excited to share more resources for open science, open access, and open repositories.
International Love Data Week
International Love Data Week is 13 to 17 February 2023. Please let us know if you are planning an event around Love Data Week. We would love to highlight and bring attention to your activities.
From ICPSR, Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research, Love Data Week is an international celebration of data, taking place every year during the week of Valentine's Day. Universities, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, corporations and individuals are encouraged to host and participate in data-related events and activities. The theme of Love Data Week 2023 is Data: Agent of Change.
Even if you're not planning an event for Love Data Week, you can still participate! Below are some ideas on how WDS can help you highlight your repositories during this event:
- Data demos – We will demonstrate through our communication channels how to find data through your repository. If you have instructions or video tutorials, we want to highlight them. Please send us the links.
- Agents of change – We can feature your repository in a story on our channels demonstrating how your repository and your data managers are agents of change. If you have stories to share, please send them to us.
- Impacts of data-driven research – Do you have a story to share about the impacts from your data repository? We want to feature your stories. Please send them to us.
- Teaching with data – How are you training with your data? We want to feature your training successes. Please send us your stories.
Other content is also welcome and encouraged! Have any questions or want more suggestions? Please reach out to us at . We look forward to spotlighting our members during Love Data Week 2023.
New Year, New Site
Attention all data enthusiasts! The World Data System has just updated its website with a sleek new design and improved functionality. Stay up-to-date on all things data by visiting our page today. Whether you're a repository, a researcher, a student, or simply have a passion for data, our webpage has something for everyone. Be sure to check out this exciting update - visit us now at: worlddatasystem.org
WDS Scientific Committee Chair to Discuss COP Model in Webinar
Dr. David Castle, chair of the WDS Scientific Committee (WDS-SC) attended COP15 and has recent experience with the COP model for negotiating environmental sustainability.
On 12 January, 2023 from 11:30AM to 12:30PM (CST), Professor Peter Phillips will moderate a discussion between Dr. David Castle and Dr. Stuart Smyth on their experiences and reflections on the COP model for advancing environmental policy.
Below is Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy's (JSGS) description of the webinar:
"2022 ended with Conferences of the Parties of both the UN Climate Change Conference and the UN Biodiversity Conferences. These large-scale events are a core part of the long-term strategy for advancing environmental sustainability through international negotiation and agreement. We have two participants from the COP 15 of the UNBC held in Montreal in December: Dr. David Castle and Dr. Stuart Smyth. David was part of the official Canadian Delegation while Stuart was there as an expert as part of an industrial group sponsored by Crop Life International. Professor, Peter Phillips will moderate a conversation on their experience and reflections on the COP model of advancing public policy."
For More info and Registration
WDS Wants to Hear from You
The World Data System's International Program Office is always striving to do more for the advancement of data for global good. We do this by listening to our members and strategizing on how best to serve them. The WDS-IPO loves to hear feedback, insights, and wisdom from our various members.
In the last edition of 2022, we asked:
How do you maintain the provenance of your data?
Niels H. Batjes, Senior soil scientist and Coordinator at World Data Centre for Soils (WDC-Soils) responded:
ISRIC - World Soil Information / WDC-Soils maintain the provenance of submitted data ‘as is’ in a centralized PostgreSQL database (WoSIS) prior to performing data cleansing, plausibility checks, data ingestion and standardization with the ultimate goal to serve quality-assessed soil data to the international community (in accordance with the license specified by the data provider).
For More on ISRIC and WoSIS: https://www.isric.org/explore/wosis
In this issue, we ask:
What does it mean to your organization to be a "Data Steward"?
Please respond via email using the subject: "Newsletter Insights" . You can also suggest future content, share messages, collaborate with us, and let us know how we can best serve you!