In recent years the advances in information and communication technologies (ICTs) have revolutionized the life sciences. Not only are increasing amounts of data being generated and processed, new opportunities to share and reuse data are also becoming available. This “data centric” approach to modern research is challenging traditional models of data openness and accessibility within research and leading to many initiatives that attempt to harness the opportunities provided by ICTs to improve access to data. These are known collectively as Open Science and key innovations such as Open Access and Open Data are revolutionizing the availability of published articles and datasets.
While the paradigm of Open Science is premised on the availability of data to all, it is recognized that scientists in low/middle-income countries may struggle to enjoy the benefits of this data revolution due to financial and ICT-related pressures. A number of initiatives attempt to address this through providing financial and access assistance to scientists in these countries.
Despite these innovations, however, it is likely that these pressures and additional ones relating to pragmatic aspects of the research environments have led to scientists in low/middle-income countries developing unique patterns of data generation, use and distribution. A better understanding of how and why scientists in low/middle-income countries interact with data will contribute towards more inclusive and reflective data management policies in the future.
This project therefore aims to contribute towards a better understanding of how, why, and to what end scientists in developing countries interact with data by examining daily data sharing practices within a number of laboratories in developing
countries. A better understanding of whether these data sharing practices differ from the priorities, practices, and policies associated with research in developed countries will play an important role in the development of future data sharing discourses that are truly international in focus.
While the paradigm of Open Science is premised on the availability of data to all, it is recognized that scientists in low/middle-income countries may struggle to enjoy the benefits of this data revolution due to financial and ICT-related pressures. A number of initiatives attempt to address this through providing financial and access assistance to scientists in these countries.
Despite these innovations, however, it is likely that these pressures and additional ones relating to pragmatic aspects of the research environments have led to scientists in low/middle-income countries developing unique patterns of data generation, use and distribution. A better understanding of how and why scientists in low/middle-income countries interact with data will contribute towards more inclusive and reflective data management policies in the future.
This project therefore aims to contribute towards a better understanding of how, why, and to what end scientists in developing countries interact with data by examining daily data sharing practices within a number of laboratories in developing
countries. A better understanding of whether these data sharing practices differ from the priorities, practices, and policies associated with research in developed countries will play an important role in the development of future data sharing discourses that are truly international in focus.