The Open Science for Bioinformaticians workshop, held on August 15-16, 2024, successfully introduced young professionals in Nigeria to the principles of open science and their applications in bioinformatics. This two-day virtual event was designed to empower participants with practical skills for data management, ethical data sharing, and collaborative research using open science practices.
Workshop Overview
The program aimed to address the growing need for bioinformaticians in Nigeria to embrace open science principles. It featured sessions on core open science topics, such as data handling, ethical considerations, and the use of open platforms for collaboration. Out of over 230 applicants, 48 individuals were selected, including advanced students, early-career researchers, and professionals eager to integrate open science into their work.
All workshop resources are shared on our Zenodo collection and linked to the Bioinformatics Outreach Nigeria on GitHub.
Key Learning Areas
Over the two days, participants engaged in sessions that covered:
- Open Science Fundamentals: Understanding the benefits and practical applications.
- Data Management in Bioinformatics: Tools and platforms for effective open data sharing.
- Ethical and Legal Considerations: Navigating data ownership and responsible sharing.
- Collaborative Tools: Practical demonstrations of open science platforms for teamwork.
The program included interactive activities that allowed participants to apply the concepts discussed during the sessions. Each day concluded with a lively Q&A, where attendees engaged facilitators on topics ranging from licensing issues to choosing appropriate open-access repositories. The sessions were moderated by Seun Olufemi and Emmanuel Adamolekun, and featured expert practitioners as speakers and facilitators from the global open science community, including Dr. Malvika Sharan, Laura Ondari, Pauline Karega, Michael Landi, Dr. Sara El-Gebali, Dr. Yo Yehudi, and Deborah Udoh, who provided valuable insights and hands-on guidance.
Impact and Next Steps
Feedback from participants indicated a substantial increase in confidence in applying open science principles. The workshop laid the groundwork for ongoing efforts, including:
- Building a Community of Practice: Creating a support network where participants can continue to share resources, collaborate on projects, and exchange ideas.
- Follow-up Training Sessions: Organizing advanced workshops to delve deeper into specialized open science tools and their applications.
- Mentorship Opportunities: Pairing participants with mentors from our global network to guide them in applying open science principles to their ongoing research.
Our participants appreciated personalized certificates of participation.
Acknowledgements
We appreciate OLS (formerly Open Life Science), Bioinformatics Hub of Kenya (BHKi), and all our speakers, facilitators, and participants who contributed to making the workshop a success. This initiative marks a step forward in cultivating a generation of bioinformaticians who champion open science principles in Nigeria.