October 17, 2024
As Open Access Week 2024 embraces the theme of "Community over Commercialization," we’ve turned to the people who know it best—researchers themselves. In our latest blog, we ask researchers from diverse fields to share what open access means to them. How does it impact their work, collaboration, and the wider research community?
“Open access is a whole new range of possibilities, making knowledge equitable and accessible, especially for researchers in developing countries who may face financial barriers to subscription-based journals. When research is freely available, we can foster new treatments and perspectives that might not have emerged otherwise. Ultimately, open access empowers greater collaboration and an innovative scientific world that benefits everyone.”
Diana is a physician and clinical epidemiologist. She actively contributes to dermatological research and is based in Columbia.
"To me, open access means democratizing knowledge by making research universally accessible, ensuring that discoveries have a far-reaching impact and can contribute to societal progress. It maximizes the visibility of my work and allows anyone, regardless of their resources, to benefit from and build upon it."
Mitra Taraghi received B.Sc. and M.Sc. in industrial engineering at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, in 2007 and 2011; and a Ph.D. degree in industrial engineering from Polytechnique Montréal, Canada in 2023. She was a research assistant from 2018 to 2021 at the department of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal. Her research interests include cognitive and prospective ergonomics, needs analysis, and user experience research.
“Open access for me means democratizing knowledge. It allows me to engage with the latest research and to contribute to a global exchange of ideas with my own work. Only without the constraints of paywalls or restrictive licensing we can do science as intended and foster innovation and discoveries.”
Tim Schubert is a PhD student and research associate at Materials Research Institute Aalen at Aalen University, Germany with focus on Materials Microscopy and Additive Manufacturing. After completing his Bachelor in Materialography in 2014 and a consecutive research focused Master program in Advanced Materials and Manufacturing in 2016 focusing on materials development in laser based Additive Manufacturing in Bachelor and Master thesis, he is currently working on his PhD in the same field. In parallel he is working as an imaging specialist at Materials Research Institute Aalen with focus on multi-scale imaging techniques from non-destructive X-Ray imaging to Light- and Electron microscopy.
“To me, open access means freedom and the democratization of knowledge. It breaks down the barriers that often limit the reach of scientific research, like subscription fees or institutional paywalls. With open access, anyone, anywhere in the world, can freely read, download, and cite scientific articles. This gives more visibility to the authors and makes it easier for people to access the information they need, which is crucial for advancing science and education. The increased accessibility speeds up the spread of knowledge and fosters collaboration across borders, disciplines, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Plus, it ensures that the public, who often fund this research, can actually benefit from it by having free access to the results, contributing to a more informed and equitable society. After all, what's the point of creating knowledge if you can't share it, right?”
Leticia is a materials scientist and engineer with over a decade of research experience, specializing in battery systems, including lithium-ion and sodium-based all-solid-state batteries. She has proven expertise in the synthesis and characterization of advanced materials, with a strong track record in independent research, project management, scientific analysis and skilled at addressing complex challenges in evolving technological landscapes
“For me, open access means that as many people and research facilities as possible around the world have free access to information that helps them learn new things and create new insights and innovations, regardless of their financial resources. The larger the group of people with access, the greater the chance for new research results and innovations based on this free information.”
Thomas is physicist with a Ph.D. and a Research Associate at the Materials Research Institute (IMFAA) at Aalen University, Germany, focused on the research of several magnetic materials.
“Open Access publishing democratises research and makes it available to all. This includes PhD students, Professors and researchers who cannot afford or do not have the required subscriptions. This is important in order to unleash the full potential of the research community so that the benefit to society as a whole is maximum.”
Sonali Batra is a Georgia Tech Alumna having completed her Masters in Computer Science in 2009. She proceeded to do a second Masters from SUNY Buffalo. She has also pursued executive education from Wharton and University of Pennsylvania in leadership and Social Impact. She is passionate about teaching, research and using her skills to empower the underserved. She is currently pursuing a PhD at Bennett University at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security.
Please visit our Open Access Week page for additional resources.
