2026 UC Open Research Day: A day of learning, sharing and community building
By Amy Koshoffer, Asst Director, Research & Data Services, and Andrea Ford, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
On May 27th, a cross-town collaboration brought researchers to UC’s uptown campus to explore a global movement—Open Research—that is reshaping the way we do science. UNESCO defines Open Research as “a set of principles and practices that aim to make scientific research from all fields accessible to everyone for the benefit of scientists and society as a whole. This approach aims to ensure not only that scientific knowledge is accessible but also that the production of that knowledge itself is inclusive, equitable and sustainable. By promoting research that is more accessible, inclusive and transparent, open research furthers the right of everyone to share in scientific advancement and its benefits [Article 27].” At its core, this movement is committed to making the research we do transparent, widely and freely accessible and replicable. And, it aims to do so for not only other researchers but also for the broader public that ultimately depends on it.
As the first event of its kind at UC, the day had multiple intentions. First, it aimed to provide attendees with an opportunity to learn about a few (of the many!) Open Research practices and principles, such as data management. Second, it aimed to provide a stage for sharing ideas, considerations, challenges and successes in undertaking this work. Finally, it sought to create a regional community of scholars committed to Open Research that would foster future support and engagement.
Forty attendees representing research faculty, students, staff and invited guests from multiple institutions across the nation came together to begin their open research journey or to connect with a community committed to open research principles and practices. The speakers of the day helped clarify the process through practical steps and participatory activities.
Dean and University Librarian Liz Kiscaden started the event with a warm welcome. Keynote speaker and author Crystal Lewis highlighted the importance of data management in the open research approach. She spoke engagingly of best practices, the reasons for planning from the start and the positive impact of data sharing through repositories. Kate Nicole Hoffman, postdoctoral fellow for Public Engagement with Science (PEWS), invited participants to explore how to tell their research stories to other researchers as well as the public using a variety of communication strategies, such as three points, storytelling or peeling an onion. Melissa Moreau, Scholarly Communications Librarian, aligned with the keynote by stressing the point of planning for the open approach, especially in dissemination, from the start of a project. Nicky Agate rounded out the invited talks with a highly interactive session that helps participants explore their power in bringing about change to more open research practices, especially in their circles of influence.
One of the best surprises of the day was the lightning talks given by doctoral candidate Helena Ferreira, UC faculty Katie Winters, PhD, CCC-SLP and Amanda Simmons, PhD, CCC-SLP, CDP, and repository platform partners from the Center for Open Science, Cystal Steltenpohl, and Digital Science/Figshare, Laura Eiter. The talks highlighted open practices such as the use of R for reproducibility and sharing research output, especially to community research partners. One of the talks appealed to the audience for assistance with a difficult conundrum on participant privacy, which evoked the community-building aspect of the event.
For the organizing committee, the event was a labor of love and a jump start to building a collaborative and supportive Open Research culture at UC and beyond! Many thanks to all who attended and participated fully in the day’s work. And, many thanks to the Faculty Enrichment team, especially Maria Ortiz and Sarah Clift, for hosting the event.
UC Open Research Organizing Committee
University of Cincinnati
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Andrea Ford, PhD, CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor
- Kellie Spatz, Incoming Master’s Student
- Collin Brice, PhD Candidate
Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise, and Nutrition Sciences
- Seung-Yeon Lee, PhD, Associate Professor
UC Libraries
- Lynn Warner, MLS, Associate Librarian
- Tiffany Grant, PhD, Assistant Director, Academic and Research Engagement
- Amy Koshoffer, MLIS, MS, Assistant Director, Research and Data Services
Xavier University
Department of Speech, Language and Communication Sciences
- Carrie Rountry, PhD, CCC-SLP, Associate Professor and Chair
Content from the event can be found on the Open Science Framework (OSF) event project page.
