As researchers, we value evidenced-based behaviours. This means one of our core focuses is creating the community-based, landscape and longitudinal analyses that inform open, equitable research practices.
We aim to spread effective techniques and reduce ineffective techniques. Studies are run by experienced hands-on practitioners of open research and open community.
What makes us different
We are researchers with demonstrated track record in researching and influencing open. We apply inclusivity and equity-focused approach to research by
- training and incubating independent research leaders,
- compensating contributors,
- fostering collaborations.
Our Current Work Streams
Open Seeds Impact Research
Funded by Wellcome Trust Open Research Fund 2021, this study investigates the transformative impact of Open Seeds interventions from a qualitative angle. You can read more about it in the launch announcement post, and in the proposal
Key personnel
Malvika is the Principal Investigator while Paz leads the qualitative interview study.
Role in OLS:
Community Researcher & Programme Coordinator (contract)
Chilean worker and researcher. Social scientist (wannabe). I am an immigrant, not an expat. Open science hardware was my entrance to the world of critical open science. “Critical” as in: it matters who gets to be involved in science.
Role in OLS:
Director of Partnerships and Strategy
Malvika Sharan is a Senior Researcher at The Alan Turing Institute, where she leads a team of community managers and co-leads The Turing Way, a community-led handbook on data science. She is a co-founder of Open Life Science, and an active contributor of several open source/science projects. Connect with her on topics such as community building, open science, strategic collaboration and representation of marginalised members in leadership.
Influencing policy to widen participation in open data science
Funded by the Alan Turing Skills Policy Award (SPA) 2023/2024, this research looks at ways to influence policy in order to widen participation in open data science. You can read more about it in the launch announcement post.
Key personnel
This project is supported by 3 OLS Resident Fellows (Bethan, Mayya, and Flavio) and Yo as Principal Investigator
Role in OLS:
Finance Administrator & OSPARK Coordinator
I’m a Psychology PhD student in the Centre for Identity and Intergroup Relations at Queen’s University Belfast, where I research conspiracy theory beliefs and dis/misinformation about gender equality. I’m generally interested in the psychology of science (how people think and behave regarding science) and political beliefs. I also care about inclusion in science and run a science communication project.
Role in OLS:
Resident Fellow
Researcher
Role in OLS:
Resident Fellow (contract)
Role in OLS:
Executive Director, Business and Development Lead
Yo is the executive director and a co-founder of OLS. As an EngD student at the University of Manchester, Yo is studying pathogen-related data sharing and sustainability of open source software.Yo is a founder of Code is Science, and previously, they were editor for the PLOS Open Source Toolkit, editor emeritus at the Journal of Open Source Software, board member of the Open Bioinformatics Foundation, and a software developer at the University of Cambridge, working on an open source biological data warehouse called InterMine.