The following blog is based on a recent webinar with Florida State University and the University of Cincinnati. You can watch the full recording here.
Member Spotlight: Communities of Practice at Florida State University and the University of Cincinnati
Building and sustaining thriving open science communities of practice requires a multifaceted approach. By addressing challenges proactively and focusing on community engagement, institutions can create thriving spaces for researchers to learn, share, and collaborate. Florida State University and the University of Cincinnati are OSF Institutions members that have successfully fostered open science communities of practice. The universities’ experiences offer valuable insights for other institutions seeking to establish and encourage open science principles.
Building Open Science Communities at FSU and Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati (UC) established an open science community of practice to encourage a collaborative environment where faculty, students, and staff could learn about and apply open science principles to their research. This initiative, funded by a faculty development grant from the UC Office of the Provost, aimed to create a space for open science education, practice, and problem-solving, with an initial focus on training and resources to help members understand and implement open science practices.
Librarians at Florida State University (FSU) have set up a similar open science community called Open Scholars Project (OSP). OSP is a collaborative community for researchers and practitioners at Florida State University, and the Tallahassee area who are eager to explore open access publishing, open science, and FAIR data. Inspired by successful initiatives at other universities, the goal was to create a space where people could learn, practice, and build confidence in applying open science principles to their work. Camille Thomas, a communications librarian specializing in technology and digital scholarship at FSU’s Strozier Library, stressed the need for ongoing discussions and support to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application of open science.
“I've noticed that there's a disconnect between people hearing about open science and liking the idea of it, or having a lot of questions about it and then feeling confident to apply that to their current work,” said Thomas. “I knew it would take time building those kinds of relationships in communities, so I was looking at it over a long term.”
Sustaining Interest in Open Science Communities
Sustaining open science communities requires a concerted effort to create a welcoming environment, provide tailored support, and encourage active participation. Both FSU and CU hold most of their meetings online to make discussions more accessible and easier to attend.
“Building a strong sense of community is essential for the long-term success of open science initiatives,” said Carrie Rountrey, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at UC’s College of Allied Health Sciences. Doing so involves creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where members feel valued. UC’s community of practice emphasizes peer-to-peer learning and support.
“Action-oriented meetings translate into higher attendance numbers,” said Andrea Ford, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at UC. “Regular meetings that focus on concrete tasks and problem-solving can help to keep members engaged and motivated," she noted.
Overcoming Obstacles and Fostering Adoption
Converting researchers into open science practitioners can be challenging, but addressing people’s concerns upfront can make a difference. One common hurdle is the perceived time and effort required to adopt open science practices. Thomas said fostering a community where individuals from different disciplines can exchange solutions and tools is key. Libraries and academic departments can provide resources, but the most effective solutions often come from researchers sharing their experiences with one another.
“I’m a big fan of people talking openly about their concerns so that we can actually address them,” Thomas said. “People can compare notes or share information … because we’re not the ones actively on these projects.”
Introducing people to a "buffet" of open science practices can offer an easy entry path for those unfamiliar with open science or resistant to it, said Rountrey and Ford. They suggest starting with small steps that might include adopting new workflows, implementing preregistration, sharing data, revising naming conventions, or creating a README file.
Rather than pressuring researchers to adopt every open science practice, incremental engagement can be helpful. “If there’s one principle that’s valuable to them … perhaps they start to see the value,” Rountrey explained. This approach allows researchers to ease into open science by finding and applying the best principles that suit their projects.
Cross-institutional communication also plays a crucial role in fostering open science practices, especially when collaborating with departments, administrators, and libraries. Upcoming federal funding mandates for open science have provided a catalyst at FSU. “We have used the top-down mandates as a way to get people to … be involved in learning more about the open research practices that come along with those mandates,” said Kassidy Hof-Mahoney, Open Science Librarian at FSU.
A Collaborative Future for Open Science
Both universities emphasize the importance of ongoing engagement and collaboration. There will always be a spectrum of adopters, from early enthusiasts to those who resist change. Recognizing these differences helps tailor approaches to better meet the needs of researchers at different stages of their open science journey.
Do you want to promote research transparency and reproducibility in your academic community? Learn how OSF Institutions can help.