CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

The Openness Paradigm: How Synergies Between Open Access, Open Data, Open Science, Open Source Hardware, Open Drug Discovery Support Development?  

Session [TH2-SE02-11]  in the UNESCO Chair in Technologies for Development: What is Essential?

4-6 June 2014 | EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland

Citizen and open science activities from environmental monitoring to drug discovery, projects supporting Open Data and Open Access, and various Open Hardware initiatives for affordable laboratory equipment define a new paradigm for development, which needs reflection and evaluation. We are seeking for case studies, which document the opportunities, challenges and synergies behind the paradigm of openness:  open data projects, which advocate sharing and publishing of raw scientific data rather than only results, open access advocacy promoting unrestricted access to peer-reviewed scientific publications, open hardware and capacity building for research, but also open drug discovery projects,  which apply these principles to hasten the discovery of affordable and free of licenses drugs. While some projects concentrate on building research infrastructure and networks around open source technologies, other often emphasize the power of crowdsourcing and various e-science platforms and citizen science models of work, which involve the communities in various data collection practices. We would like to discuss these practices and their synergies to understand how they support resilience, agency and self-determination of various communities in the Global South. We are especially interested to hear how they enable novel South to South and South to North research cooperation.  Does the paradigm of openness create conditions for the Global South to become an equal partner in research and development efforts? The panel will map and reflect upon these initiatives and case studies to understand the problems these new networks face and to define the best practices as well as policy recommendations,  which would support the openness paradigm. In addition to the panel, we are planning to organize a hackathon and dedicate a space for showcasing open hardware for science projects, which will be accessible to the public.

DETAILS FOR ONLINE SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS:

We cannot accept any applications, which are not submitted through the following method.

Go to the following URL http://cooperation.epfl.ch/2014Tech4Dev/ and follow the  template downloadable under DOCUMENTS AND LINKS.

In your abstract, please address the following questions:

• What type of global networks and exchanges around open science we are starting to witness? What is their impact and are they sustainable?
• How can open source technologies (open source hardware, open source software etc.) support the research infrastructure and South to South exchanges?
• What are the different models of cooperation between local communities, universities and citizen science initiatives in the Global South? Who are the new research actors and what are they connections to the more traditional forms of research?
• How to support science research, innovation, but also science communication, participation and education in developing countries by using these new paradigms? What are the appropriate metrics for evaluation of open projects?

If you are proposing an exhibition or a hackathon, please indicate this in the Preferred Presentation Format.