Open Research

In the very first episode of the Open Research podcast we discuss the following: WHAT is Open Research and WHY do we encourage researchers to practice Open Research here, at our university and beyond.

Listen on Spotify - Why do we need Open Research?

For this episode we've invited Dr Pete Smith, our Research Support Librarian here, at Sheffield Hallam University to talk about FAIR principles and how we can make data open when planning for a new research project.

Listen on Spotify - Make your data FAIR

We've invited Dr Pete Smith from Sheffield Hallam University to discuss what is a good research data management. What are the stages of research data management? And what are the practical steps in DMP? Are there any requirements for a researcher to share their data? Look out for answers in today's episode.

Listen on Spotify - RDM: Plan for the management of your research data

Open Access is a key component of Open Research and we encourage you to make your work as open as possible when entering the publishing stage. Did you know that Sheffield Hallam University was the very first university in England to introduce the Right Retention statement? We invite you to listen to this episode to learn more about different aspects of Open Access.

Listen on Spotify - Publish your work via Open Access

In this episode we talk about the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment to encourage you to look beyond the traditional journal-based metrics in order to make research assessment fairly and justly. DORA is a set of recommendations for funding agencies, institutions, publishers, researchers and other stakeholders, to improve practices in research assessment. Responsible metrics was expanded upon by the ⁠Leiden Manifesto for Research Metrics⁠, and in the independent review of the role of metrics in research assessment and management, called ⁠The Metric Tide⁠ both from 2015. Sheffield Hallam University signed DORA in 2019.

Listen on Spotify - DORA: look beyond the traditional journal-based metrics

In this episode we talk about responsible metrics which refers to the appropriate and responsible use of ⁠citation-based metrics, altmetrics⁠ and other quantitative measures in the assessment and evaluation of research. In practice, a responsible metrics approach means that you understand the limitations of any metrics you use and that you use them for appropriate purposes only.

Listen on Spotify - Use research metrics responsibly

Research England undertakes a quality assessment of research conducted at UK universities about every six years. This informs a league table of research excellence for institutions and individual Units of Assessment as well as the allocation of public research funding to institutions. What is driving REF or how is REF driving our academic community? Our guests, Professor Wayne Cranton and Dr Keith Fildes explain how REF aligns with the principles of Open Research and supports innovation.

Listen on Spotify - REF: do good research that makes a difference

In this episode we discuss various aspects of public engagement and the shared principle of transparency in research. Our guest, Dr Pete Smith also explains what are the benefits of public engagement across the entire research life cycle.

Listen on Spotify - Engage the public with your research

Citizen science is one of the eight pillars of Open Research. This is why we have invited our researchers, Prof Liz Laycock, John Grant and an external project partner Josh Hunter from the Diocese of Sheffield to talk about their experience in citizen science, where we involve local communities in research projects.

Listen on Spotify - Citizen science: research is a collaborative effort

In this episode we discuss the synergy between Open Research and citizen science. Dr Rachel Schwartz-Narbonne and Dr Mel Lacey from our Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre run their own participatory research projects at Sheffield Hallam University and explain how they engage with local communities, who is research for and why practicing citizen science means that everybody wins.

Listen on Spotify - Citizen science is about bringing people together

Practicing open research is vital for the environment. When looking at the broader aspect we realize that open research can help us to save the planet. For this episode we’ve invited John Grant, our Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Construction and Climate Change at Sheffield Hallam University to talk about open research being the only solution to tackle climate change collectively. We also discuss some of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), address what seems to be the biggest carbon saver and more.

Listen on Spotify - Save the planet by practicing open research

For this episode we've invited our Associate Professor, Dr Mel Lacey from the Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University to talk about data transparency, the importance of the open peer review process and Open Access. She is also a pedagogy editor for The Microbiology Society, an OA journal and platform that enables the accessibility and visibility of research findings, which supports the broader idea of Open Research.

Listen on Spotify - Transparency in research: Be part of the open peer review & publish in OA journals

In this episode about GenAI we talk to Dr Keith Fildes, our Research Development Manager for Policy and Performance at Sheffield Hallam University. We should all follow a balanced approach where both - advantages and risks around AI systems are taken into consideration so that we support a responsible use of AI that enables a sustainable research ecosystem. How can we do that? We've listed some recommendations that you can implement across all stages of your research project.

Listen on Spotify - Use GenAI responsibly in your research

In this episode about the transdisciplinary way of working, we talk to Dr Julia Udall, our Senior Lecturer in Architecture, and Dr Rachel Schwarz Narbonne, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Chemistry at Sheffield Hallam University. They explain what transdisciplinarity means, how it changes research and researchers' perspective on the creation process, what kind of skillset is required to engage in that type of work, and the sense of shared commitment being the underpinning value. Also, what does it take to create a safe, encouraging, and supportive environment for your discovery moments? Why do you need all those different voices and different forms of knowledge? And how can you keep the power dynamics in balance? Open research promotes that collaborative approach and knowledge integration driven by the principle of openness.

Listen on Spotify - Transdisciplinarity: Value different ways of knowing

In this episode, Dr Pete Smith talks to Domi Smithson, Research Support Librarian at Sheffield Hallam University, about driving a cultural change towards open research. She shares her understanding of what open research entails, the skills and practices that inform it, and why she is actively encouraging researchers to adopt a more open approach. She explains why it is important to consider the way we communicate and support accessibility and transparency in research, and what strategies can be used to support a cultural shift. Lastly, she discusses how to determine if we are being successful in our endeavours.

In this podcast episode, we talk to Dr Lewis Quayle, Senior Lecturer in Data Science and Analytics, and Ronak Naeemaee, our Doctoral Researcher at Sheffield Hallam University. Listen to their journey- what has led them to be more open and use the advantages of open data. Right from the start- a planning stage is an absolute necessity. With a well-thought-out data management plan, you can design a successful strategy for robust science.

Lewis and Ronak integrate open practices to conduct inclusive and impactful research. They explain why it is worth investing time and gaining those new skills right at the very beginning, while sharing some of their own RDM mistakes and lessons learnt. They discuss some of the tools to implement best practice (computational techniques, a Readme file, open repositories). They explain what Git(Hub) is and why you should prioritize your code. They highlight the risks around data analysis e.g. different types of biases in datasets.

Also, let's not forget - teamwork makes the dream work. How does the mentoring process look like, and why should an open dialogue in your research team be a priority?

Finally, with all that in mind, how to build trust for open research?

In this episode we talk to our organising committee – Dr Jenni Adams, Research Associate on the MORPHSS project (previously Open Research Manager) and Dr Jim Uttley, Lecturer in Architectural Science from the University of Sheffield and Dr Pete Smith, Research Support Librarian and Dr Keith Fildes, Head of Research Excellence and Impact in Research and Innovation Services from Sheffield Hallam University about the next OpenFest 2025 @Sheffield. This year's theme is Open Research and EEDI (Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion). We discuss the importance of more robust and reliable data, REF and institutional strategies to strengthen our trust in science driven by varied perspectives, experiences, and skills.  

We invite you to join our online sessions where speakers from different institutions will address the diversity in (meta)data for representative research; building inclusive relationships with participants and open research networks; biblio-diverse publishing ecosystem; research recognition and change in research culture.  

You can now re-watch our online sessions on Library Online.