Open Science Blog

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Open Science without the Science

I am not a scientist. I am not a developer. Scratch engineer, analyst, and coding instructor off the list for good measure. My degree is in English with a Professional Writing emphasis. I took a couple of 101 coding classes to get a fancy IT certificate to look nice on a resume, but that's about it.

So, why have I taken nearly 20 Open Science trainings? I'll give you a hint: it's not just because I'm required to for my job. It's also not just because I enjoy them, either, although they're always the highlight of my day!

To put it simply, open science is open humanity, a way of collaboration that welcomes everyone to participate in discovery. Every time I attend the training, I take away something new about the idea that I can apply to everything from everyday conversations to community events to a technical work setting.

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Planting Your Roots: Finding the Right Grad Advisor with the Help of Open Science Values

Congratulations—you got into a graduate program! Now what? If you’re anything like most new graduate students, you’re probably overwhelmed by the flood of information. You are thrown into instantaneous berating of what’s important; funding, classes, research expectations, publications, seminars, teaching, endless new acronyms… Insert Imposter syndrome here.

Here’s the thing: one of the most important decisions you’ll make during your graduate degree is choosing your advisor (in some programs, this role may have a different title, such as a “research mentor” or “committee chair”). This isn’t just a "boss" for the next few years—this person’s research will shape your work, their mentoring style will influence your day-to-day experience, and their name will likely follow you on your first publications and way beyond into your career (especially if you stay in academia). Your advisor will likely be one of your key references for years to come, possibly influencing your opportunities long after you graduate. Think of it as becoming a branch on their academic “family tree.” Read More


Git, GitHub, and You: How Collaborative Writing Tools Propel Open Science

One voice can make a stunning melody, but a chorus of voices weaves soul-stirring harmonies otherwise impossible to achieve. In the same way, collaboration transforms innovative scientific ideas into meaningful, reproducible research.

NASA and the White House declared 2023 the Year of Open Science, launching Transform to Open Science (TOPS) to make scientific research more accessible, transparent, and reproducible. As part of this initiative, NASA has awarded my organization, Don’t Use This Code (DUTC), a grant in a collective effort to train 20,000 scholars through free virtual cohorts... Read More


Open Science at the Alabama Academy of Science

photo of our lead instructor, teachin assistants, and class facilitator

With the skills gained through the DUTC NASA Open Science Skills Training, we believe the AAS will continue to inspire and equip Alabama's scientific community to embrace open, accessible, and reproducible research practices... Read More


Take Open Science Further With Us

  • July 31, 2024
  • Dr. Courtney Haun

By participating in our Open Science Skills Training, you gain access to exclusive lessons delivered by industry leading experts... Read More